Need help ASAP!

[Km84]

My tank that I have had set up for over 5 years is suddenly having issues. I have lost 4 fish in a month and can't figure it out. I tested the water and even brought a sample to my local store for their opinion. They said everything was fine and thought maybe another fish had brought in something but I can't identify it. My fish act fine and then the next today they are dead! Now I'm down to my two favorite chocolate loaches and a tetra. I need to do a total water change and possibly recycle the water. My question is do you think I can relocate my three fish to my other tank that is a 55 gal with 4 fancy goldfish. The water temp is in the Low to mid 70's. Please help


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[IllusionX]

The tetra can tolerate the cooler temps. I don't know about the loaches though.

 

[ImACoolguy]

It's likely something in the water. Why feel the need to re-cycle? By in the water I mean excessive metals or other trace elements.


Caleb

 

[Km84]

Would those things come up in a normal test kit? I usually test for nitrates, ammonia, chlorine, etc.. I wanted to do a full water change and start fresh with the tank so I figured if I did that I'd need to recycle it before i reintroduced my fish


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[Bbush]

Just changing all the water out won't necessarily require cycling again. What have you been feeding?


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[Km84]

The same flakes and pellates I have for years. Every once in a while a couple of the fish share a few mini frozen brine shrimp. But that hasn't changed in years either. I don't know if something has changed in my house water but I always treat the water before it goes into the tank. I did add a few new fish about two months ago, they were not the first to go however. If it's a disease I can't identify it because there aren't any symptoms. My loaches do try to eat the dead fish but I remove them as soon as I find one. :/ Im at a loss. I just don't want to lose the last three guys left. The loaches are my favorite and were the first to ever be out in the tank, i was so sad when I lost the one yesterday.


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[sinibotia]

What do the dead fish look like? Are there any other symptoms? What kind of fish are these?

 

[Km84]

They look dead, no symptoms that I noticed just dead. No markings no redness. Some mollies, tetras, and the most recent was my upside down catfish. I have had him forever! It was always a peaceful tank and fun to watch because everyone got along and was active.


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[Delapool]

Are you running co2 or anything?

It sounds like they were eating and schooling fine and then you lost them overnight? And nothing had changed in tank between being fine and then dead?

 

[Km84]

No co2 . Everything seemed fine then I lost a fish randomly, I would do a partial water change clean out the filter and everything would be fine then a few weeks would go by then another, now it's less time in between. I don't notice anything off about them heifer I find them dead and I have been paying close attention since I started having issues. My catfish was fine eating and active one day then when I got home from work the next day noticed he was dead!


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[Delapool]

Hmm...

I assume your water changes would be similar between the two tanks so any issue with tap water used for water changes can be crossed off? Since the other tank seems fine?

Also are you testing with a liquid based test kit?

Ph reading? What were the other readings? They may hint at something.

 

[Km84]

Yes a liquid reader and I took it to the store for them to do as well. I'm not home so I don't have it but everything was ok. The Ammonia was a fraction high but I literally just removed a dead fish. It's been retested since and that was fine. I plan to retest the water later. I wonder if something can be wrong with the filter and and that's causing the issue.


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[Bbush]

Head scratcher. That sucks man.


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[Delapool]

Yes a liquid reader and I took it to the store for them to do as well. I'm not home so I don't have it but everything was ok. The Ammonia was a fraction high but I literally just removed a dead fish. It's been retested since and that was fine. I plan to retest the water later. I wonder if something can be wrong with the filter and and that's causing the issue.


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Ok, so tap water is fine.

Fish are fine until not. No sign of problems.

Are they being lost a few days after anything changes in tank eg water change or tank temp change or not feeding?


Edit - what is what change schedule? If not 50% pwc each week, you could do some extra water changes which never go astray.

Lost for ideas though.

 

[Km84]

On average I do at least a 25%-50% change just about weekly sometimes it's 10 days with my work schedule but I have been doing it that way for years and they have been fine. The only difference that I can possibly think of is either when I introduced two new fish or when started getting my filters from online. But like I said I don't notice any odd behaviors they eat the same they are active the water temp stays even, we are getting ready to move and have been painting the house but I don't think that would effect it since I have three other tanks and they are all fine (knock on wood) Im so lost. I must be missing something ! Thanks for all the ideas!


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[Delapool]

(Sound of plane going down in flames).

Stuffed if I know.

From post 10 I think it was, they were lost during day as well as at night? Nah, I was thinking of changing water chemistry between night and day but the gaps in fish deaths are too far apart think.

My guess is they are escaping with aliens and leaving body doubles behind....

Filters I can't think of much. Any difference between the filters/filter media in these tanks compared to others?

 

[Bbush]

Has to be something with the new fish... New bacteria perhaps. Maybe not a disease. No quarantine right?


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[ImACoolguy]

There have been threads on here where we have covered pretty much everything from leaky rusty pipes to the smallest parasites. Sometimes it's just a mystery.


Caleb

 

[thing fish]

the fish that have died, how long had they been in the tank? could it have simply be their natural time to go?

 

[Km84]

My catfish I had for 4-5 years and the others about a year. I honestly don't know the lifespan of my upside down catfish but they didn't seem like they lived a full life. Though I didn't consider that


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