Cascade of death

[lordroad]

My ten gallon planted tank has recently become a spawning pool of random and almost immediate death.

A little cardinal tetra died first and I couldn't find its body for a day... then a kuhli loach, and my prize golden betta had to be put down. It was the strangest thing... overnight, his stomach had swollen, fins had shriveled, and he could no longer swim... the afternoon before he was the picture of health. I found the rotting cardinal and took it out. Did a 40 percent water change.

Next day one of the new cardinals was swimming vertically. It died while I was watching it.

Another water change. So far things have leveled off, but who knows...

Ammonia, nitrites all zero. Nitrates at ten, and even without water changes, the plants regulate the nitrates. My only explanation is the new batch of cardinals brought in something.

 

[dss2004]

Had that happen with some neons. I had an entire tetra community vanish before my eyes. I quarantine all my purchases now, for about two weeks minimum. I treat them with medicated food to help with internal parasites.

Parasites defintely could have been the problem with the cardinals they still get most of those guys from the wild. It is cheaper for the fish stores to buy wild caught cardinals versus tank reared.