Mysterious thing killing my fish - help!

[cmj783]

Help – I have something killing my fish, I’ve tried to treat and they keep dyeing!

I had a community tank with tetras, danios, hatchets, and Molly’s in a 20 gallon. Lost 5 in 4 days two weeks ago. Reduced amount of gravel, did a water change and added salt to the water and all looked OK. Then four days later a tetra got a suspicious large white spot and died same day. Added Jungle fungus eliminator as directed. Everything was ok, dosed a second time per instructions 4 days later. Lost one fish two days after second dose that had a small white spot on his gill. Haven’t lost a fish since then (three days ago) however, the remaining rummy nosed tetra doesn’t look good (white on gill, poor color) and one of the hatchets has a grey/fuzzy sort of patch on stomach. The danio looks bad too – bloated stomach and maybe something on his butt. They are eating however (I’m feeding small amounts every other day). I did remove the carbon from my filter (I have a biowheel) before the first dose of medicine. I have two hatchets, one danio, one tetra and two bottom feeders left (more than half are gone).

One thing I have noticed on the two I suspect are sick is that they have a weird greenish iridescent like marking on the top of their heads. The ones who look ok do not have this.

I have been battling this now for two plus weeks – I fear I will loose them all. Does anyone know if I can add a third dose or if it will help? If they all die, how do I start over knowing whatever this is is dead?

 

[joy13]

How long has your tank been up and how did you cycle it?

 

[cmj783]

Its been up for about 6 months. Had been doing 25%-30% water changes once a month.

Have been testing the water and everything looks ok level wise.

 

[Barnature]

... I think (I am a newbie in this hobby) that you're supposed to do a 25% water change every week, not every month. I suppose. Try changing 25% of the water every week. It will make the water cleaner.

Good luck!

 

[joy13]

Sounds like your danio may have dropsy. has he started pineconing yet? I am not for sure what the color on the top of the head would b, I was thinking maybe velvet but that is a gold color and you didn't mention flashing so I doubt if it is that. The grey fuzzy could be a bacterial or fungal infection. Remember if you treat for a bacterial infection it will probably kill your cycle and you will have to recycle your tank.

If it was my tank I would follow the directions on the medicine I was using then followed by water changes ever other day for a week or two.

If you cycled your tank with fish the stress of ammonia and nitrates could be the cause of the disease.

Some bottom feeders like cory catfish and plecos don't do well with medication.

When one of my fish die I do water changes for about 4 days straight and then back to once a week, I do between 25 and 50 percent water changes.

 

[cmj783]

Thanks for the advice - I'll do another water change.

I've had my eye out for dropsy given all the stress in the tank, but haven't seen any raised scales.

Unfortunately I think whatever caused the first deaths didn't cause the later ones...I think the problem has caused stress and thus a plethora of things that might have gone wrong.

Is it worth getting anti-biotic food?

 

[joy13]

I don't know if the antibiotic food will effect the cycle of your tank.

 

[happygirl65]

I have been battling this now for two plus weeks – I fear I will loose them all. Does anyone know if I can add a third dose or if it will help? If they all die, how do I start over knowing whatever this is is dead?

Do you have a pic of the white spot? It is hard to diagnose....does it look like ich with multiple white spots like grains of salt? Sounds like a para site of some kind. But I can only guess at this point. I recommend daily water changes of 50%, with a little salt and keep a close eye on them. If you don't know what it is you are treating blindly and may not even be using the right medication. Post a pic if you can so we can get you closer to an accurate diagnosis. Meanwhile keep doing the daily water changes.

 

[cmj783]

Here are three pix. You can see the weird spot on the rummy tetra's head - it seems to be a spot on his head and now a small spot right behind and a very small little trail down his spine. His red color is also really bad/gone. You can see the small green markings on the top of one of the hatchets' heads as well. No signs of ich, the spot is much bigger. They aren't scraping up against rocks/plants either.

They're fighters - they don't look great but (knock on wood) its been 4 days since the last death so maybe they're hanging on. And they look a litle better than yesterday. I'm also worried about the stress of them not being in schools anymore - the tetra and danio are alone and have been for 2 weeks.

Did a water change and added salt - we'll see. Thanks all for your thoughts.