Lost 3 fish since Wednesday, no obvious symptoms... please help

[maxwellag]

Try changing or washing the filter media. I had a similar issue in my tank a while ago where 3 of mine died in 36 hours, and I changed the filter media and it fixed it I think. I haven't had anymore dead since then.

[cubsfan85]

Originally Posted by maxwellag

If u do a 100 percent wc u can't just put fish in and say it's the same parameters as it was...

I really don't understand what you're saying. I haven't done a 100% water change. My water parameters have been checked regularly and have been steady for some time.

[maxwellag]

Yeah I know. U said that u don't have 2 cycle it again if u change all the water. But u do.

[cubsfan85]

Originally Posted by maxwellag

Yeah I know. U said that u don't have 2 cycle it again if u change all the water. But u do.

No I didn't. I said I didn't need to get my tank cycled asap because it already is cycled.

Although, I'm pretty sure changing 100% the water would not require another cycle. All the bacteria would still be inside the tank.

[maxwellag]

Well if u wash everything u need to. When I clean my whole entire tank I wash my gravel plants decos and etc. I meant that if u did a 100 % wc u would need to cycle it fast because all those fish would be living in the bucket.

[cubsfan85]

I only wash my plants, decor and filter in tank water.

I've never seen a recommendation to do otherwise unless there is TB in the tank.

[maxwellag]

If I had another fish "epidemic" (lol) then I would want to kill more bacteria, not more fish,

[Hobgob]

If he was to do a 100 pwc the good beneficial bacteria will stay on his plants, gravel, decor , an the good old filter media. I don't not believe you would have to recycle but I've never done that before so...

[maxwellag]

I'm getting a really good test kit today so I'll test it. I'll put tap water in a lol betta pet store cup (I only use them to move my fish around) I'll add some dechlorinatr and test it and I'll post a new thread about hrs experiment. But first I need to set up a little habitat in there with some gravel and an airstone, just to yet it closest to the effects of a large tank without using a large tank for a fun lil experiment. I'll try to get it cycled and I think it'll be pretty quick cuz it's like a quart of water I think. Then I'll take out the airstone and start putting food in it regularly to get ammonia and other stuff up and then I'll do a100%wc. I'll test it and see how it goes.

[cubsfan85]

Originally Posted by maxwellag

If I had another fish "epidemic" (lol) then I would want to kill more bacteria, not more fish,

How would killing the good bacteria benefit my fish?

Originally Posted by maxwellag

I'm getting a really good test kit today so I'll test it. I'll put tap water in a lol betta pet store cup (I only use them to move my fish around) I'll add some dechlorinatr and test it and I'll post a new thread about hrs experiment. But first I need to set up a little habitat in there with some gravel and an airstone, just to yet it closest to the effects of a large tank without using a large tank for a fun lil experiment. I'll try to get it cycled and I think it'll be pretty quick cuz it's like a quart of water I think. Then I'll take out the airstone and start putting food in it regularly to get ammonia and other stuff up and then I'll do a100%wc. I'll test it and see how it goes.

I.. um.. ok.

[hippy guy]

Originally Posted by cubsfan85

How would killing the good bacteria benefit my fish?

I.. um.. ok.

Yeah..dude don't even try...I'm completley lost as well haha...

[hippy guy]

Is it perhaps because you have all male fish. Maybe they are being aggressive on the down low? I'm not too experienced here, but maybe they are just attacking or stessing each other out?

[Humanis1993]

Nitrate isn't toxic till the 100 range. 40 is OK it wouldn't lead to nitrate poisoning

[Humanis1993]

A 100% water change would be a good thing but whoever said you'd need to cycle it again is stupid. As we all know the bacteris live in the filter and the gravel and plants and decor not in the water that's floating about.

[cubsfan85]

Ok good, I'm not the only one lost. And I'm a girl btw.

The 2 remaining fish seem to be fine, albeit lonely. The snail is active as ever I just can't help feeling disgust toward him for eating his fallen comrades, lol.

[Shadowraven]

Sorry I was gone, I'll try to lend some sanity here.

Your water parameters do seem to be fine. If you have been cycled and steady for several months, then we need to look elsewhere. I try to keep my nitrates below 20ppm for safety. You can have nitrate poisoning at as low as 40ppm, but that isn't the norm.

I don't think that it is your water parameters at work here. I believe that it could be an internal infection or parasite. But there are other possibilites as well.

It could also be heavy metal posioning, vapor poisoning from suspended chemicals in the air, shimmies, constipation, swim bladder disease, O2 deprivation, CO2 poisoning or a water quality issue at the tap. You also need to make sure that you are properly conditioning your water before you add it to the tank.

To get a better handle on your problem I need you to define some things for me first.

1) When you say "acting funny" or "swimming funny" can you be more specific as to how they are behaving?
2) Describe anything else that you can about the conditions or the tank that you can think of, even if it seems inconsequential.

[Hobgob]

How are the gill movement and scales look? Do they droop at the tale fin?

[hippy guy]

I actually had a white balloon molly die last night. He was fine all other fish are fine as is water paremeters.. he did have some reddish coloration under his mouth.. any ideas for him?? rip barry white, a good fishy

[hippy guy]

One min he was good, then he was upsidown in a plant

[Humanis1993]

It could be that there is something toxic in the water. Did you wash anything with soap or spray any clorox or cleaning things around or on your tank? Even cleaning the outside glass with clorox can kill fish inside the tank.