Swordtail Trouble

[Alshain]

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ppm
PH: 6.2

I'm having some trouble with my swordtail fry (not really fry anymore) but anyway, they keep hovering at the top and later I find them dead at the bottom at the tank. They do this one or two at a time. They don't eat once they start hovering at the top of the tank like this. Other fish in the tank seem fine. I have tried Peas, Jungle Labs Anti-Parasite, Pimafix and Melafix. I just don't understand what is going on but I'm running out of fish.

 

[joannde]

What is the temperature of the tank ? Do you dose anything for the plants ? How heavily planted is it ? Do you inject CO2 ? run an airstone at night ?
How old are they when they hover and then die ?
Sorry - all I have is questions at this point.

 

[Alshain]

The temperature is a steady 78. Its actually been that way for the last week, and its the first time it has gotten that low. Being in Texas, during the summer it gets around 80 to 82 but now that fall has finally arrived, my heater is actually kicking in sometimes.

The tanks is very heavily planted and there is CO2 injection (DIY) but they hover during the day when the lights are on so I don't think it is an O2 problem. Plus its always just a few fish at a time and its always the swordtails, the glowlight tetras, ottos and farlowella haven't shown any signs of problems. The CO2 is at typical level, KH is around 7. I don't run an airstone at night.

Their ages vary but they are all 4 to 6 months old and were tank bred by me.

 

[Skyrmir]

Swordtails will keep skimming the surface if they think they can scavenge food. The thing to watch for is gasping. If they're all up there with their mouths to the surface, then it's probably a lack of o2 or a high nitrate problem.

The quick easy way to find out is to shut off the co2, drop in an air stone and check back in an hour. If it's o2 they're after, they'll come down and be acting normal again. If not, then you've got something else in there. I'd double check the nitrate test just to make sure, that's an easy one to get a false reading with.

 

[Alshain]

Swordtails will keep skimming the surface if they think they can scavenge food.

Yes, I'm aware of that, but skimming the surcface for food doesn't explain the whole death thing.

The thing to watch for is gasping. If they're all up there with their mouths to the surface, then it's probably a lack of o2 or a high nitrate problem.

As I mentioned, they aren't all up there. Just a few at a time. And when they do go up there they do appear to be gasping.

The quick easy way to find out is to shut off the co2, drop in an air stone and check back in an hour. If it's o2 they're after, they'll come down and be acting normal again. If not, then you've got something else in there. I'd double check the nitrate test just to make sure, that's an easy one to get a false reading with.

I think its an infection that may be damaging the gils but its not lack of O2 in the water, otherwise it would be affecting all my fish at once. I test Nitrates every other day with the sole purpose of limiting it to make my plants turn red, positive thats not it.

 

[Alshain]

Well I can't seem to figure this out. I guess I'm out of options other then waiting while the remaining 25 fish inevitably die and then starting over.

 

[Zagz]

Do they have any bloating or whitish spots on them at all? I would consider putting them into a QT tank if at all possible and treat with an antibiotic med at 1/2 strength and see if that helps. If you think it is an infection that they are suffering from because they are smaller and younger than the other fish, it might well be worth a try. By QT'ing them, you aren't risking the other fish or the bacterial cycle in your tank.

I wish I could tell you exactly what is wrong but I do think that QT'ing them regardless of treatment is a good idea. Good luck.

 

[Alshain]

I did QT them as soon as I noticed the problem, they had no physical signs of disease. I do think it was an infection, and I now believe I was spreading the infection. I think my micro-nutrient and phosphate mixture may have been made with tainted water. Probably before I realized the disease was there. When I stopped fertilizing, the fish stopped getting sick, so I dumped my solutions (and oddly enough after 2 weeks the plants show no signs of deficiency).

 

[Alshain]

Well, that wasnt it, they are still getting sick, 2 at a time.