Lots of deaths.

Stevie

Stevie

Large Fish
#1
Apr 2, 2005
532
1
0
43
Sunny Ireland.
#1
Hi All,

So, things are not going well with my tank. I had 10 Tiger Barbs and 2 Zedbra snail in it. Over the past 5(ish) days I have lost 6 of the barbs. They have all died in the exact same way. Here how it goes. Initaly the fish will stop shoaling and will hide in a corner on its own, some times hanging near the top but more often in the lower part of the tank. At this stage the fish will still feed. Next stage the fish will be sucked against the filter, still alive. When I turn off the filter it will swim away, but will not hold its self well in the water, like a mild case of swim bladder. After that it is only a matter of time. All have died. The rest are fine. None of the dead fish have had any unusual marks or color on them. The only thing was that at least most of them were around or under an inch and had concave bellys.

I brought a water sample to the lfs where I bought them and all results came back fine. The, very helpful, owner advised me that it may have been a thing called fish TB. I did a little reserch and at least some of the fish did shoe some symptoms of this. I'm also concerned about temperature; we have been having hot, muggy days here and I have a very powerful pc beside the tank which puts out a lot of hot air. I was doing what I could to keep the tank cool (take off the lid, open the windows in the room, ect) but the temp was up to 29-30 degrees.

Could it simply be a combnation of too warm of a tank coupled with young fish in a new tank that lead to the deaths?
 

big54bob

big54bob

Superstar Fish
#4
Dec 20, 2006
1,486
6
38
30
On my office chair playing Runescape
#4
brnttoast said:
you wont get deadly lung TB

but you will get a form of skin ulcers that will require treatment, so watch for sores that dont heal

heres a link

FlippersandFins.net Fish Tank Granuloma
Click to expand...
Still go to a doctor to be safe.

If another tigerbarb dies with the same symptoms take it to some vetinary office to get its sent to a lab. That will find out if the fish has TB. IF it turns positive, QT your whole stock and get the tank they were in sterilized with bleach and viniger.
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#5
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#5
It doesn't sound like TB to me, fish TB is rare. I'm sure the LFS owner was very helpful, but it would be more helpful if he would have given you your actual readings instead of just telling you the water was fine. It could be an internal parasite. I would make sure there's nothing up with your water first though, take it to a different fish store and have them write down the results for you, or even better, buy your own test kits.
 

Stevie

Stevie

Large Fish
#6
Apr 2, 2005
532
1
0
43
Sunny Ireland.
#6
Yeah I dont think it is TB either. Not the whole lot so quickly. Another death last night. The tank was still at 30 degrees at 2am. I'm really begining to think thats the problem. What do you guys think, is a tank at 30 degrees enough to kill them? Any tips on keeping it cool?

I was there when he did the test. He said I had 0 nitrate and 0 ammonia.

Cant afford the test kit at the mo.
 

1

1077

Large Fish
#7
Jun 4, 2009
175
0
0
#7
Please correct me if I'm wrong, approx,two weeks ago you had five tiger barbs correct? Your latest posts indicate ten. Could be the fish you recently purchased were sick from the outset. Did you acclimate the fish to your tanks water slowly by adding a little of your tanks water to the bag every four to five minutes? You also expressed some concern a while back in regards to underfeeding the fish. You indicated two or three crushed flakes per day. Or did you mean two or three feedings of crushed flakes? big difference in my view. I only mention feedings due to concave bellies you report. Twice daily feeding of approx dime size amount of flake food would be good. You can crush the dime size amount ,and it is considerably more than one might think.
Temperature is a bit on the high side and although the fish can tolerate it for short periods,,I might be tempted to fill a two litre jug or two with water and then freeze em. You could then place one in the aquarium to help cool the water ,but monitor the temp closely for most fish don't do well with sudden drops in temp.
You indicate that fish store tested water and ammonia.And nitrAtes are zero. I will assume you meant nitrites are zero ,for in a mature tank or (cycled) tank,, there should be some detectable nitrAtes. Ammonia,and nitrites should be zero with nitrAtes at twenty or below.
I am curious, You have funds to purchase more fish, but no funds for test kit? You might want to consider getting a test kit such as API freshwater Master kit. It is easy to use and far more accurate than the strip style tests used by many fish stores. You should not rely on fish store for water tests. Many of these stores will tell you anything to sell either more fish,or fish medications. They will tell you the water is fine using inaccurate test strips and if your fish die,, they are counting on you to teturn to buy more fish. If your fish become sick rather than dying,, they will recommend all manner of medications for you to use. If one doesn't work,, they will recommend another etc,etc,. If you take care of your water, fish will take care of themselves.
 

jo3olous

jo3olous

Large Fish
#9
Aug 6, 2008
909
1
0
Philadelphia, PA
#9
1077 said:
Please correct me if I'm wrong, approx,two weeks ago you had five tiger barbs correct? Your latest posts indicate ten. Could be the fish you recently purchased were sick from the outset. Did you acclimate the fish to your tanks water slowly by adding a little of your tanks water to the bag every four to five minutes? You also expressed some concern a while back in regards to underfeeding the fish. You indicated two or three crushed flakes per day. Or did you mean two or three feedings of crushed flakes? big difference in my view. I only mention feedings due to concave bellies you report. Twice daily feeding of approx dime size amount of flake food would be good. You can crush the dime size amount ,and it is considerably more than one might think.
Temperature is a bit on the high side and although the fish can tolerate it for short periods,,I might be tempted to fill a two litre jug or two with water and then freeze em. You could then place one in the aquarium to help cool the water ,but monitor the temp closely for most fish don't do well with sudden drops in temp.
You indicate that fish store tested water and ammonia.And nitrAtes are zero. I will assume you meant nitrites are zero ,for in a mature tank or (cycled) tank,, there should be some detectable nitrAtes. Ammonia,and nitrites should be zero with nitrAtes at twenty or below.
I am curious, You have funds to purchase more fish, but no funds for test kit? You might want to consider getting a test kit such as API freshwater Master kit. It is easy to use and far more accurate than the strip style tests used by many fish stores. You should not rely on fish store for water tests. Many of these stores will tell you anything to sell either more fish,or fish medications. They will tell you the water is fine using inaccurate test strips and if your fish die,, they are counting on you to teturn to buy more fish. If your fish become sick rather than dying,, they will recommend all manner of medications for you to use. If one doesn't work,, they will recommend another etc,etc,. If you take care of your water, fish will take care of themselves.
Click to expand...
all of this +1
*celebrate
 

1

1077

Large Fish
#10
Jun 4, 2009
175
0
0
#10
Matt Nace said:
I would at least start by doing a partial water change. I am not sure what size tank you have.
Click to expand...
If im not mistaken, tank is 32 gal and has been up and running for a little over a month. (had to do some digging). Water changes always a good idea when in doubt. Makes it easier to eliminate possible enviornmental problems.
 

MissFishy

MissFishy

Superstar Fish
#11
Aug 10, 2006
2,237
5
0
Michigan
#11
I didn't read all of this, but setting up a fan to blow over the surface of your water usually lowers it a few degrees. Your temp is hot, but not extremely hot. I would try to cool it down a few.
 

Last edited:
Stevie

Stevie

Large Fish
#12
Apr 2, 2005
532
1
0
43
Sunny Ireland.
#12
Hi all

Sorry for not getting back. Twas a mix of being sick+g/f commitments that have kept me away.

The good news is no more deaths! I reckon it was the heat. I tried to cool the tank down by floating bottles of ice water in it. Did not cool it as such, but kept it from rising anymore, I reckon. Its amazing how quick it melts in a 30 degree tank! Also, watching the ice shatter was so cool. I turned off the heater too, its just so warm and muggy here that even just after a water change the tanks is at *goes to look* 26 degrees.

To answer some of the questions you posed; I can not afford a test kit because I only work 11 hours a week. When the fish were dying I did not have the money for a test kit as that weeks buget was maxed out. I figured the pet shop test would be ok short term. Your right of course though, a test kit is needed. I have ear-marked one costing 10 Euro for my next pay day!

Edit; when I do my own test I'll post the results here.
 

Stevie

Stevie

Large Fish
#13
Apr 2, 2005
532
1
0
43
Sunny Ireland.
#13
Ok so for those of you who still care/wanna help. I finaly got around to getting a test kit. I could only afford 1 though. I reckoned with the reaserch that I had done the fish most likley died of ammonia poisoning so that wa the kit I got.

I just tested the water, and guess what; 0 ammonia.

I have had no more deaths, although one fish is missing at the mo. My gut tells me that something is not right in the tank.....

They had a nitrate test kit in the lfs. If I have the money I'm gonna get it on Monday.

What do you guys reckon?
 

Stevie

Stevie

Large Fish
#15
Apr 2, 2005
532
1
0
43
Sunny Ireland.
#15
Well I did that when I had the first deaths, but some of the guys here said not to do that, but to buy my own.

Dam it! The fish that was missing is dead. Something is deffo up. I just doing a 50% water change now.
 

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