GBR... not sure what is wrong

[bwaymusgal]

Hi, here's the list

1~What type of fish is afflicted? GBR, flashing, scratching, very fast gill movement. It just started about an hour ago. No external marks or white spots to indicate anything.

2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? 0,0,5,79,7.2

3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up? 50 gal. been cycled for about a month and a half

4~What type of filtration are you using? Jebo 828 cannister filter. ~317gph. I also have a Viaqua cannister filter, but I can't get it to prime to save my life, so it isn't currently running... but that is another issue.

5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are their current sizes?
I have:
8 serpae tetras (~1in each)
3 GBR (one is 1.5in, the other two about 1.5-2in)
3 fire dwarf gourami (2in)
2 black mollies (1.5 in)
1 common pleco (5 in)


6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time? I did a water change/vacuum combo Friday. I do this once a week and remove 10-12 gal. at a time

7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them? I have had the tetras about a month and a half, the pleco 2 months (moved from another tank), the mollies about 2 weeks, and the gouramis and GBR 1 week. I don't have a QT at this time, but after this, definitely looking into it.

8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.? New piece of driftwood added two weeks ago.

9~What kind of food have you been feeding your fish, have you changed their diet recently? I have been feeding flakes with a few algae wafers and shrimp pellets for the pleco twice a week. I had been feeding some of the really small cichlid pellets for the GBRs, but stopped because some of the tetras and gouramis started showing very stringy long orange poop earlier this week. I put in a zuccini for the pleco yesterday to try it out.

I know that was long, but it includes pretty much everything. My main problem is that I don't know what to treat for! I know ich shows some of these symptoms without external "salt" dots if it's in the gills sometimes, but aren't the same symptoms present for internal parasites or gill flukes. ? Could it be any other things? I've tried reading around, but I just keep getting more confused.

What should I treat for??

 

[Jchillin]

Without knowing exactly what the illness is, starting meds is not a good idea. Raise your temp slowly to 86F and keep checking. If it is ich, this will jump start the treatment. I keep my temp at @ 82F at all times.

 

[Zagz]

I would have to agree with Bill. Flashing is a common sign of ich even when no spots are visible. Raising the temp slowly to 86-87 would be what I would do.

 

[bwaymusgal]

Thanks! My first instinct was to raise the temp... but I just wanted to double check before I started anything.

 

[DeFeKt]

GBR, flashing, scratching, very fast gill movement. It just started about an hour ago. No external marks or white spots to indicate anything.

Flashing is a common sign of ich even when no spots are visible. Raising the temp slowly to 86-87 would be what I would do.

I have to disagree slightly
Flashing, scratching and heavy breathing are signs of chemical poisoning.
eg. Ammonia levels.

I would check your test kit is functional and check your parametres again, perhaps compare with someone elses kit as well.
Do a pwc as soon as possible to, if it is ich, you'll want perfect water conditions for treatment anyway, so another won't hurt.

 

[bwaymusgal]

I did another test kit check and got the same numbers and also did a pwc. I'm going to buy a small ammonia only kit tonight and do another pwc. I also put in another bubbler, just to see if that would help in addition to raising the temp in case of ich.

I haven't seen the GBR flashing or scratching anymore, but it is hanging out at the very top corner of the tank not moving around very much.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

That kind of sounds like what my GBR's had. They also surfaced. I really do believe it is Gill Flukes, now that you mention the surfacing. They don't actually gasp for air, they just hang at the surface. Common for GBR's with flukes. As for treatment, I wasn't able to treat mine in time, so if someone else has ideas, please chime in.

 

[talloulou]

I did another test kit check and got the same numbers and also did a pwc. I'm going to buy a small ammonia only kit tonight and do another pwc. I also put in another bubbler, just to see if that would help in addition to raising the temp in case of ich.

I haven't seen the GBR flashing or scratching anymore, but it is hanging out at the very top corner of the tank not moving around very much.

My male german blue ram started hanging at the surface and then died a day later. I was never able to figure out what it was and the remaining fish in the tank didn't then or later show any signs of illness. Mine wasn't gasping but just hung at the surface looking very listless and didn't eat.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

The other possibility.....

http://lists.thekrib.com/apisto/0001/msg00006.html

 

[bwaymusgal]

Thanks for all the responses and link!

The GBR is still alive. When I got home earlier it was out and swimming around looking normal, but now is back to the corner towards the surface. I bought another ammonia test kit and tested... still at 0.

I'm going to keep with the extra bubbler, extra surface agitation with the spray bar, and raised temp and twice a day pwc and will keep you posted.

 

[bwaymusgal]

An update...
This morning when I woke up, saw all three GBR swimming around, left for class.

Just checked the tank now and the one that was sick is gone. I've moved around everything and taken things out and looked around... no fish.

I have no idea where it went, but I can only assume it is dead. Even if it jumped (are they jumpers?) it isn't anywhere that I can see in my entire living room. No fish in there is big enough to eat it so I have no idea.