fish with mystery condition

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davidwolf

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
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64
Location
Tehachapi
I have already spoken with people on this group page about the parameters in the water are fine in my aquarium but my fish are still dying. My fish are going to surface but the oxygen level is normal. Can anyone identify any possible disease or infection which would cause this problem? My roommate believes it could be something in the play sand used on the bottom of the aquarium. Has anyone else had this kind of problem?
 
As i recall you started using RO for water changes so chlorine shouldnt be an issue. Might be worth double dosing water conditioner with water changes to be sure.

Could any detergent/soap/aerosols be getting into the water? Hand sanitizer must be a more common issue in current times.

If someone has suggested it might be the play sand i would want to rule that out. While play sand is considered aquarium safe, there could be an additive in there that is causing this. Syphon out all the sand and go bare bottom for a few weeks and see if that has any benefits. Be careful to monitor your water though as removing substrate will remove some of the beneficial bacteria responsible for your cycle.

And if there is no other obvious cause, then disease cant be ruled out. Are there any signs of disease on the fish apart from the gasping? Red gills? Skin issues? Are they eating OK?
 
other sick fish

other sick fish.

stage one they stay at the bottom of the tank and then gasp for air top of the tank.

stage two swim upside down or sideways.

Death stage laying on one side on the bottom of the tank gasping until death. The other common death is the fish die is they just float until you notice they're dead.

Wanted to see these pics can help you with a dying fish.

Already removed half of the sand from the tank. might just remove all of it this weekend
 

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I’d strip the tank, go completely bare are rule out the sand or anything else you may have in there.

If you still have issues you know your somehow getting contaminated water in the tank
 
take everything out.

I took everything out and left it bare. The Ornaments, planets, draft wood in my quarantine tank.

******* The fish are not gasping for air as this time **********

Let's see what happens in time.

How long should I leave the tank likes this?
 

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I would leave it 3 or 4 days. If your fish seem ok you know it was something you had in there.

I would then slowly add things back in, see what if anythings has an adverse reaction. Some decorations might be the first things to go back in so the fish are a little more comfortable. If you see anything adverse take things out, try to narrow it down.
 
Something i noticed from your photo and something you mentioned previously.

That doesnt look like play sand to me.
 
that was in my quarantine tank

if you're talking about the fish I was dying in the photo that fish was in my quarantine tank.
 
However long it took for the others to show symptoms, I’d triple that before considering putting anything back in
 
Heres the tank

This is what the tank looks like before I remove the sand.
 

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fish still started gasping again

Should i gave it more time should I treat the tank with something and a fish lost an eye last night. Fish was probably stressed out from everything removed in the tank. I just want to say I'm appreciating the help that I'm receiving right now and trying to solve this problem. let me know what to do next. I checked water premieres it looks good just nitrate at 20 or 30 still hard to tell.
 
Yes, a new piece of pipe or whatever you can find easy and cheap for a hiding spot definitely won’t hurt. But keep all of the old decor out of the tank until you can determine whether or not the decor was the issue.

It’s been a couple days now, what’s happening?
 
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