Something is spreding in my tank

[Lurker79]

I have been having many issues with my tanks over the last few weeks. All of my water parameters are good and I have been checking them daily for about 2 weeks. I have a 55g with platies, mollies and 2 albino bn plecos. I have a 10g fry tank that is currently empty because the fry kept dying so I moved them to the big tank to see if that would help.

It started with a black molly that died a few weeks ago. She had clamped fins, a few white areas (not like ich) and almost seemed dizzy and eventually died. Then another black molly but that one had all the same symptoms plus a curved spine (that he just all of a sudden had one day). I lost two other mollies after that. Again symptoms all the same (spine curvature not as extreme but still there). Now today I find two platies one with all symptoms and the other with clamped find and a white patch on the side. I have lost a lot of fry (30 in one day) but they are too small to see any symptoms.

I researched until 3am and don't feel like I am any closer to finding the cause. The temp is 78 and I do not currently add salt of any kind. Any help would be much appreciated I am nearly at my wits end.

 

[Mebbid]

What are the parameters of the tank?
Can you post a pic?

Since this is seeming to spread soo much it sounds a bit like a columnaris infection to me. I had one in my house that killed many many fish earlier this year. Whatever it is; it doesn't sound like a fungal infection. Maracyn plus is a good wide spectrum antibiotic to use for bacterial infections and might be worth giving it a try.

 

[Lurker79]

*spreading* I hate when I accidentally leave a letter out of a word...

 

[Lurker79]

pH is 7.4
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5

 

[Lurker79]

 

[Lurker79]

I forgot to mention that they all have laid on the gravel on the bottom hiding behind or under plants or other decor during the course of this, whatever it is.

 

[Mebbid]

I can't really tell from the picture what is wrong with them. Best bet is to do a treatment for bacterial infections imho.

 

[Lurker79]

If it is a bacterial infection should I treat the qt tank and the big tank? I will continue to move any fish showing symptoms to the qt tank but I am assuming most bacterial infections can hang around in the tank itself not only on or in the fish.

 

[Delapool]

Has the temp in the tank increased lately?

 

[Lurker79]

No the temp is the same.

 

[Delapool]

Hmm, I had wondered if something like a temp increase had set it off. Since it seems to be spreading in the main tank I would treat that and QT the worse ones where a stronger treatment can be used if needed or salt (I prefer to keep salt out of the main tank).

 

[Tieberion]

Go for a treatment of Bacteria/Fungus. doesn't seem to be an internal parasite, unless it's some kind of fluke. But you'll def want to treat everyone. One quick ?
did you do any major tank cleaning right before this happened, or re-arranging of aquascape? And Sand or Gravel bottom?

 

[gilpi]

I would just stick to water changes for now, lots of them.

 

[Lurker79]

I had not done any cleaning or rearranging. I did any of them showing signs to a smaller tank and I am treating both tanks for bacterial infection. Yesterday afternoon everyone in the main tank was fine and then about 2 hours later my male dalmation molly had fungus around his mouth and his eye is popping. He is the only one that has had a symptom like that. I wasn't treating for funfus and unfortunately the roads are iced and some are closed so I can't get to the store...

 

[gilpi]

You have not mentioned about your water changes. The best thing you can do are plenty of water changes for now rather than dosing the tank with meds. Some meds will have an adverse reaction on the fish and your biological filter creating other problems.
Don't rely so much on parameter readings and medicines, do lots of water changes.

 

[Lurker79]

Water changes are actually the easiest treatment for me to do. What percent should I be doing each day? I am beginning to worry that I am going to have to restart. I hope that is not the case, but I have lost 4 mollies, and 2 platies already and I have 2 mollies and 2 platies in the sick tank.

 

[Lurker79]

I did a 50% wc yesterday in both tanks and a 25% today. I also added some aquarium salt to my sick tank with the meds I had already added. 3 of the 4 fish in there look great again, but the other one I am afraid might have been to far gone. She is hanging in there but not moving a whole lot. All of the fish in my main tank look great and I haven't had any new sick ones in the last two days, so fingers crossed. How long do I need to wait before moving the 3 that are doing well from the sick tank back to the main tank?