guppy loss

[jessibell]

This morning I woke to find one of my female fancy guppies dead. Last night I inspected them and they all seemed very happy and healthy and vigorous.

I tested the water and found a trace amount of ammonia (0.25 mg/L) and a trace amount of nitrates (less than 5 mg/L) Ammonia in this tank was unheard of, but I did add a couple more fish a few days ago so I figured this was why. Before I added the fish I did a 50% water change. I did another one just now, and replaced the carbon (I was treating the tank previously) The fish that died was a fish I have had for some time and always looked healthy. Also one of my favorites

Now, I did loose another fish yesterday, but he was looking ill BEFORE I added the new fish. And the other fish I brought home I lost because she was roughed up really bad. I have seen no sign of fungus in the tank since I started treating with melafix/pimafix two weeks ago.

I try to pick out healthy fish at the pet store but there's just no getting around it, they are often sickly. One of my older fry (about 5 months old) is showing some fin clamping. All I can think of is to keep monitoring the waer and doing frequent PWCs.

 

[mfdrookie516]

All I can think of is to keep monitoring the waer and doing frequent PWCs.

i think you said it all right there. are you qt'ing the new fish? if not, id be willing to bet you're introducing diseases to your tank...

 

[jessibell]

no I don't have a qt tank at the moment. Once I'm in university I will set one up, but for now I just have to take those chances. I'm hoping that eventually I will have enough growing fry that I won't need to get new stock from the pet stores.

I know about ich and visible bacteria like fungus, but I assume there are other diseases that cannot be detected visibly. This one seemed to die suddenly with no indication of illness, past or present.

 

[dkpate]

Could be internal parasites, or the ich could be in there gills where you can't see it.

 

[jessibell]

Yeah I was kinda wondering about parasites. I know we worm all the other animals around here, so what about fish?

Right now I am calling it quits with new fish. I have a ton of fry that seem fairly healthy in another tank and hopefully the guppies I have left are fairly hardy. If they all die before I got to university I will clean out the tank and start it up again in september. I'll have way better selection for fish in Kamloops anyway.