Poisoned?

[Tuckerp]

I have a 55g planted tank. Last night I did a 15g water change and since then 3 of my fish are not looking well. All three are "panting" or breathing heavy in the middle of the water column. Around their mouths and in their nose area is getting red. What I would say looks like a burn. I just did another 10g wc as I figured it might help?

All the other fish are fine so I didn't think it was a water quality issue but I'm not sure at this point. I don't have any test kits available until tomorrow.

Any thoughts on what it could be?

 

[Luckysfrags]

Are you using rodi water? Any sort of water purifier?

 

[Tuckerp]

Here is a pic of one. Can't see much but the corner of it's mouth is red.

I'm using tap water with conditioner. It's what I've been using for the last 3 years without incident.

 

[Luckysfrags]

Parasite or ammonia burn maybe? Try looking up statins of that. Had anything in your tank changed? Other then te water changes. Like any new plants of fish?

 

[Tuckerp]

Nothing new in weeks. The change in behavior was sudden. Just after the wc. The only think I can think of would be like an ammonia burn... I have an air stone running now to help?

I'm just stuck on it only affecting 3 of the fish. All the other fish are great. I fed today and the sick ones went for the food but spit it all back out... Then lost interest.

Anything I can do to combat this? From what I've read it doesn't look good.

 

[Luckysfrags]

Lack of eating is a symptom of parasites in most cases. The redness is a condition of ammonia burn. An air stone won't help cure either one sadly. Look up ammonia burn and find a cute for that and also see if there are any parasites that they night have. Will probably be internal so look for behavior issues.

 

[Tuckerp]

3 three sick fish have clear looking crap? What does that mean?

 

[Luckysfrags]

Clear or white?

 

[Tuckerp]

It's Transparent. Nothing white. Could this be because they haven't eaten the last 2 days?

 

[Tuckerp]

If it's internal parasites is it contagious?

 

[Luckysfrags]

They can be yes. See what the clear poop means online

 

[armymp327]

Could be internal parasites, clear/white stringy poop is a sign of that, though it is also a sign of constipation. The breathing issues could be gill flukes, very common in farm raised fish, both are very contagious. Best treatment is pazipro, I'm using it now and I already see vast improvment, pazipro is also safe for even sensitive fish plus shrimp and snails.

Salt treatment may or may not work as gill flukes can be very resistant towards salt