Please help! I'm losing the whole population!

[crazy_fish]

Hi folks,

Some sort of disease is absolutely decimating my population right now! I'm not sure what the disease is, and the symptoms are tough to describe, but I have lost 3 Pearl Gouramis with one on death's door, 3 sunset gouramis and 2 SAE's within 2 months.

The fish appear to just waste away like they're anorexic, their cheeks turn pink like a blushing angel fish, and their tails droop downwards. After a few days, they just lay on the bottom, barely alive and barely breathing.

I noticed this evening that my one remaining 'healthy' Gourami has a pink patch on it's fin that looks fuzzy like mold.

I have a 33 gallon fresh water tank, pH is 7, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates have not been tested lately, but they are always down below the lowest reading on the chart. My population is very slim now:

4 black-skirted tetras
3 golden gouramis (all females)
2 pearl gourami (female)
2 harlequin rasboras
1 twig catfish

I don't believe it's caused by any fighting, as my group tends to be very peaceful together, and spend their days schooling in a big bunch at the front of the tank. I have never seen any fighting in this group.

I have treated the tank with fungus and bacterial cure, I had a brief ick outbreak as well, so I treated with rid-ick, and also due to recent deaths I treated with hex-a-mit for velvet and parasites.

I am at a complete loss. Honestly, at this point, unless someone can help me identify the exact problem, I am on the verge of retiring the hobby. I have spent twice the money on cures as I did on the fish in the first place, with a tank full of sick listless pale fish.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Purple]

Hmmm......this is a tough call........

Two things fit the bill - the first being the tank temperature is too low. Unlikely you won't have noticed, but that pink flush and listless fish at the bottom can be caused by low temp. Most often happens when a fish has been in an unheated bag for a day or so. If you're over 75F in there then disregard the above.

The next probable/possible is the tricky one...but my money is on this being bacterial, internal, contagious, and quite possibly uncurable.

Some anti-bac meds work better than others at specific infections, and it's remotely possible that the one you tried wasn't up to the job. I'd suggest trying again with another brand name, and go a bit overdose (not by too much though). I'd also take two runs at it - back to back with no breaks. Try and find a med with the magic words "Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and Flexibacter". The fungal is secondary here but it won't hurt.

There are infections that are simply untreatable, or by the time the symptoms show it's too late anyway, so don't get your hopes up. This doesn't look good. Also, in this case, the word contagious applies to you as well. Wear gloves for a bit, and NO sucking on hoses/pipes.

Don't often see an uncurable situation that takes out the tank, so try not to take this all to heart. You've been horribly unlucky to get this.

Let us know how you get on...........

 

[revfred]

Wow . . . that is a tough one as Purple said. Here is a link that has a disease flow chart may narrow down things a bit for you . . . DISEASE DIAGNOSIS CHART

I suggest that whatever med you use to be very aggressive with it. Some medications list an alternative dosing protocol for "stubborn" cases. IMO, I'd follow it and as suggested add a bit more.

Let us know how you make out. Although you may already know ... don't forget to remove the charcoal.

 

[crazy_fish]

some help

Hi guys,

Thanks for the suggestions. Purple, I only have one tank, so if one fish gets sick, it's all or nothing for treatment, and if it's uncurable, it's all or nothing. Somehow my blackskirts have been completely unaffected; those little suckers are indestructible.

I hope this is not transmitted to people, because I do water changes and I get wet every now and then for various reasons. No unusual symptoms for me so far...

MY pearl is resting on the bottom now and gasping for water all the time. The gold gourami with the infection has a bigger pink patch and is more gray than gold now. I give the pearl 2 days and the gold 5 days. I'll be particularly sad to loose the pearl, because her tail spot is shaped like Mickey Mouse's head, so we call her Mickey. She used to be very interactive.

I keep the temperature around 80F because the twig and gouramis come from warmer climates and became listless when I kept it around 77. They have been loving 80F for months, then all of a sudden death moved in.

I tried so many meds that I probably spent twice as much on cures as on the fish in the first place. And of course I remove the carbon, it says so right on the box and all over the forum...

I followed the disease diagnosis chart, with inconclusive results:

1. Does the fish appear sluggish [yes], hiding [yes], not eating [yes] or may have swollen body [no, they're anti-swollen] or red spots [one yes], red streaks [no] or bleeding on body area [no]?

IF Yes: fish has an internal bacterial infection. Treat with antibiotic for gram-negative bacteria, such as Maracyn-Two.

I treated with Maracyn for just shy of two weeks. those weird waxy pills threw my chemistry way off, but didn't cure the losses.

2. Does the fish have swollen gills [maybe but not obvious], or fins that are clamped [yes], torn [no], or frayed [no]?

IF Yes: fish has an external bacterial infection. Treat with a broad-spectrum antibiotic, such as Erythromycin or Neomycin.

The Maracyn I used contained Neomycin and Erythromycin as well, since internal and external bactrical infections often go together. Again, I treated as recommended with no improvement.

I'm at a loss. I appreciate your time, and I would appreciate any further help to keep my little guys alive. Especially Mickey.

 

[Purple]

All I can suggest is what I posted above - new meds and increased dosage.

The chances of you catching this from the tank is small, but with some of these unidentified bacterial things it is possible, so it would be prudent to take precations at this time.

I did a run down on the diagnostics too - high probablity it's bacterial is the only firm conclusion. So that's all you can treat for. Just try a brand of med you haven't used before - frankly I think it's your only chance.

 

[crazy_fish]

Death persists

I'm down to 6 remaining fish in the tank. 4 black skirted tetras, 1 harlequin rasbora, 1 pearl gourami. At the rate of death, I figure I probably have 2 weeks before only the black skirts remain. They seem somehow immune.

Lately, the deaths have shown little or no warning signs, I just get home from work to find a body pinned to the filter suction.

I tested the water, it is fine. pH, Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, GH, KH all fine.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Purple]

Wow - this really is a tough call........

I'm gonna say your tank is terminal. Get a Q tank of whatever size is needed, and get your remaining fish in there. Don't take over anything but the fish.

Drain the problem tank, chuck out anything that's not bolted down, clean the filter in a bleach solution for future use, and let it (the tank) dry out for a few weeks while you watch the remaining fish.

I think it's fair to say the present set-up is gonig downhill - so let's try and salvage what we can and look at starting again once this is settled.

As I said before - don't loose heart - this is very unusual, put it down to luck - not karma (they are quite different)