New fish are making old fish sick! Sos!

[Homedog98]

Please help! I came home from school today and had two dead fish! One is missing and I've checked the entire tank! The other three are alive but one has white stuff all over his fins and the other one is about to go belly up! I just got two new ones and before that everything was fine! I separated the one that's gonna die and the other one from the only healthy fish still in the tank! I'm practically in tears I'm so frustrated! I tested my water (since I'm mid cycle) and my ammonia is as low as it's ever been! I'd also like some clues as to where the other fish could be because he was my favorite! I'm desperately trying to get into thus and was loving it until today! Please help FAST! I'm just confused because they were perfectly fine this morning!

 

[Shrimp fan]

Have you checked your nitrates and nitrates? The new fish you got may have been old or already diseased. What fish do you have as they may not be suited to your water

 

[Brad.Sedore]

yeah we need more info before we can give advice

 

[HN1]

Sorry for your losses, but this is why it's important to QT. Also, I wouldn't recommend adding any fish to a cycling tank. Until ammonia is steadily zero, the tank isn't ready for additions.

 

[Homedog98]

Thank you, I had a rainbow shark (bad LFS advice, was planning on upgrade) and he was the one that disappeared. Two pepper cories, which were the new ones. one died during school and the other one I watched die when I got home. :'( I had a bleeding heart tetra dead and the two still standing are a black widow and one red minor tetra. I wish I could tell you the nitrates/nitrites, but my LFS was out of master kits and I was worried, so I just got the ammonia. The other two fish have ick, and the red minor tetra has it BAD. He is flashing the rocks and I'm going out to get some ick attack tomorrow. As cruel as this sounds, I want the last two to die, so they don't have to suffer more and I can just start over and do it right.

 

[dkpate]

It sounds like the same thing my harlequin rasboras went through. I ended up treating it with Melafix/Pimafix, but the Ick-Attack should work for you too.

 

[HN1]

Melafix/Pimafix won't do squat for ich which is the most likely diagnosis. They are best used as a preventive IME. Salt + heat works the best IME.

 

[dkpate]

If there is fungus, I wouldn't use heat.

 

[HN1]

Why not?

Pima/mela is a preventive measure at best. The first thing we should all seek BEFORE recommending ANY meds is a good diagnosis. I will absolutely guarantee that heat+salt does far less harm than administering meds haphazardly. Instant gratification for aquarium owners usually does more harm than good.

 

[dkpate]

Because heat causes fungus to grow faster.
I used Pimafix and Melafix to heal fungus on all of my harlequin rasboras, and to heal a wound on my d. gourami.
Salt is a PITA imo, since you have to manually remove it all when you are done.
I always recommend Mela and Pima because it doesn't kill the good bacteria most people are trying to grow, doesn't stress the fish, doesn't smell terrible and doesn't kill plants.

 

[HN1]

Because heat causes fungus to grow faster.
I used Pimafix and Melafix to heal fungus on all of my harlequin rasboras, and to heal a wound on my d. gourami.
Salt is a PITA imo, since you have to manually remove it all when you are done.
I always recommend Mela and Pima because it doesn't kill the good bacteria most people are trying to grow, doesn't stress the fish, doesn't smell terrible and doesn't kill plants.

Then you always recommend a waste of money and effort IMO. Pima/mela do not "heal" fungus. It may retard its ability to take hold as a preventive measure. Good for fish with wounds BEFORE fungus shows, but it does not cure anything. Research beyond the product claims makes that apparent. Heat speeds the life cycle of fungus (and many other things) and if used appropriately is a wonderful tool.

 

[Tim Wheatley]

A salinity of 1.005 is supposed to be twice as much as required for ich and as long as acclimated slowly has not affected any of my freshwater plants or fish when using it. I even used marine salt once to cure freshwater ich. Not that I think the melafix or pimafix is as useless as is being stated either, I just wanted to stick up for my buddy, Mr Salt

 

[dkpate]

Then you always recommend a waste of money and effort IMO. Pima/mela do not "heal" fungus. It may retard its ability to take hold as a preventive measure. Good for fish with wounds BEFORE fungus shows, but it does not cure anything. Research beyond the product claims makes that apparent. Heat speeds the life cycle of fungus (and many other things) and if used appropriately is a wonderful tool.

Ok, well you have your opinion and I have mine. I have used Melafix/Pimafix more than once, and cured the weirdness that was happening on my fish.
I will not take over the OP's thread anymore, he can make his own choice.

 

[Homedog98]

Ok, sadly, only my black widow survived the night, he doesn't show any signs of disease, but that's how my other fish were yesterday... but I still want to treat him. (if he's alive by the time I get home from school) when I pulled out the bodies of the other guys,(minus the one that passed last night) they were pale white with cloudy eyes... Is this another thing I'd need to treat???

 

[dkpate]

Cloudy eyes? Hmm, that could be internal parasites.

 

[Homedog98]

Well, the black widow survived while I was at school! Since it looks like he just has a minor case of ick, I'm just gonna buy some treatment for that... And maybe some medicated food if they're are internal parasites.