frustrated beginner

[barbara]

hi everyone, i'm not a stranger to the page, but i've never posted before. i've came in here many many times looking for info and i've gotta say i've always found something useful. most everyone seems to know what they're talking about, so i thought i'd seek some help.

i have a 29 gallon tank, within the tank are 3 neon tetras, 2 glo-lite tetras, 2 otocinclus', 2 clown loaches, 2 ghost shrimp (one carrying eggs), 3 adult mollies, 2 adult guppies, and in a floating breeding net are 4 baby mollies and 2 baby guppies.

i frequently have my local pet store test my water and it tests fine for ph, ammonia, nitrates (and not sure what else they test for)

here's my problem. i am constantly losing fish! not sure what's going on! i started the aquarium at the beginning of the summer - did the whole "cylce" thing and all before buying the good fish. i have probably lost a total of 2 dozen fish since starting the tank. most fish, just before death, are almost albino or something. they will have large patches of white on their body. not little dots like ick, (although i have treated the tank for that on the advice of the pet shop). the last time i went in the shop, i talked to the personnel again about the white stuff, i told them that it isn't spots, that i'm sure it's not ick and they suggested that it sounded like a fungus infection - so they sold me pimafix & i have treated the tank for 7 days now. this morning, i notice that one of the adult mollies have a white spot on it - not a tiny white spot mind you, but rather a patch on their body that is white, as if it lost the color pigment.

can anyone give me some advice, i can answer any questions that you have. just not sure what other info you need. myself and my family looooove to sit and watch the fish for hours, we don't want to take the tank down but i'm not sure how much more frustration i can take!!

please help if ya can. thanks in advance.

 

[kmukherjee]

there might be a problem with your water. Too much chlorine maybe.
I am sorry for your troubles. Thats tough.

 

[Lotus]

What do these white patches look like? Are they fuzzy? Is the shape uneven? Do they grow larger as the disease progresses?

I would say that Pimafix probably isn't strong enough. It could be either a bacterial or fungal infection, so you should get something that treats both. I usually use Jungle Fungus Cure fizzy tablets. You could also treat with a number of other medications, such as a cocktail of Maracyn I and II, although this may affect your biological filter.

Whatever it is you have in your tank, it's obviously infectious. Don't add any more fish until it's gone.

Good luck

 

[barbara]

thank you so much for responding!

kmukherjee: i treat the water before i add any (water changes ets) i treat it with "stress coat" and a neutral regulator ph 7.0. both products say they remove chlorine, chloramine and ammonia.

lotus: today is the first time that i've noticed that the white area is "fuzzy" up until now the patches have never been fuzzy but they have always increased in size as the fish dies. by the time the fish dies, there is usually no color left to them. only have trouble with the mollies and the guppies. the pet store that i frequent always says NOT to use any of the "jungle" products, they say they aren't effective? i am assuming that you have a much different take on that, am i right? you've used the products and have been happy with them?? if you like them, i'll go buy some of the "jungle fungus cure fizzy tablets" that you recommend.

btw: i've not added fish now for at least 3 weeks, but thanks for adding that advice at the end of your note *smile*

thanks again folks! i'll look for another post!

 

[twoluvcats]

I also recommend the jungle fizzy tabs...i have succesfully treated finrot, and cotton fungus with them...and it seems to stay gone, I have not had to re-treat.

Here's a quandry tho...you are using a Ph buffer to keep your tank around 7...do you know what your Ph is out of the tap?...how far are you chemically adjusting it? Up or down? Part of your problems may be the stress from swinging your Ph around. Honestly, its better to have a stable Ph, than a "perfect" Ph...mine's 8 in all my tanks and my fish do fine with that. Swinging your Ph around chemically can cause a lot of undue stress on the fish.

 

[barbara]

thank you twoluvcats! i'll test a tap water sample and then i'll post again.

 

[Lotus]

I don't have a lot of faith in some of the other Jungle products, but I find the Fungus Clear tabs work really well on most of the bacterial/fungal disorders that can be hard to positively identify. They're also reasonably priced, and I know there is a big variation on prices among meds with the same active ingredients.

 

[barbara]

thanks lotus, i'll pick some up tomorrow *s*

 

[Purple]

This one sounds more bacterial than fungal - but by following Lotus's suggestion, you will be treating for both.

Pale patches are normally bacterial - whereas raised white patches are fungal. The clue is in your description of the whole fish losing colour - fungal would kill the fish before it got that far.

 

[barbara]

alright, i've treated the tank with the fizzy tablets *s* wow, that was fun to watch! i'm going to assume that the discoloration is normal for the water now. *laugh*

direction say to put the filter back in after 4 days, does the water stay colored that long?

 

[apalemine]

Hi Im new here

 

[apalemine]

Can anyone help me . I have a 20 gallon tank and its hard to keep it from bing cloudy? What should I do

 

[apalemine]

help please

how do I do this?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

apalemine-you might want to post that question as a new thread, and someone could probably help you out. How long has your 20 been set up, and how is it filtered?