Please Help!!!

[bala_aquarium]

Its been a long time since ive lost any fish and i thought i was set, but for the last two weeks ive been losing mollies left and right.None of the mollies showed any signs of disease.I also lost two cory cats.The first one had loss of color on his scales on the left side.The second had loss of color on scales and minor deterioration of his fin.I change filters monthly and do a 25% water change weekly and all water parameters are as follows\
ammonia: .15 i checked them this morning after there was a dead molly in there all night and did a water change after word
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.0
temp: 82 i raised it last week hoping that higher temp would and stress salt would kill of any disease in the tank.

Im not sure what this is please help

thanks

 

[GIS Guy]

Params suggest a cycle in progress.
..........Ammonia.....0.15
..........NitrAte.......0

 

[bala_aquarium]

my tank has been up and running for 6-8 months now though.why would fish be losing color and fins rotting

 

[Seleya]

You are changing your filter monthly? Are you totally changing out the filter media or are you cleaning it in old tank water? The parameters are troubling and indicative of a newly cycling tank. How large is this tank and what are the inhabitants? Can you give us a tank history -- when set up, when changes in decor/stocking have been made, most recent filter change, onset of symptoms?

 

[bala_aquarium]

Its my 75g with completely two new filters but theyve been in since xmas.everything was fine untill two weeks ago.A lot of mollies,one more cory,a common plec, and a platy are the inhabitants.When i change the filter pad i get a completely new one.I last changed the filter media at the beginning of January and added carbon to maybe help with what ever may be going around the tank.Normally i don't use carbon.

 

[bala_aquarium]

two weeks ago is when it started

 

[Mahamotorworks]

I am thinking that when you changed the filters out You lost most of you good bacteria. The numbers say you are going throught a cycle again. How many plants do you have in the tank? What might be happening is your plant are sucking the nitrAtes up, which would explain the lack of nitrAtes. Since it started 2 weeks ago about the same time you changed filters I still say it is a Cycle issue.

MAHA

 

[SANND]

I agree with maha, it definately sounds like you've kicked off a new cycle when you changed out your filters. If you have two filters, then just change one at a time. I very rarely actually change my filter media tbh, I just swish it out in my snail/algae 'farm' tank when the media looks like it needs a rinse.

 

[Purple]

Every time you put a brand new media pack into your filter, you are throwing away 95% of the filters bacteria, so then you only have the bacteria remaining in the tank to cycling the fish waste. As for two completely new filters - they will take at least 4 weeks to get up to speed - and that's only if you don't throw the media away on those ones too. Having an ammonia reading is a dead giveaway - your tank is going through a mini cycle (and sounds like it has been for a while).

The resulting water quality will weaken the fish - and from the symptoms you describe, I suspect you have a disease problem in there - probably bacterial.

First thing to do is get used to cleaning the filters without throwing any media away - it's mucky work, but hey - it's what we all have to go through as fishkeepers. Take a bucket of tank water and rinse/squeeze out the majority of the gunk - doesn't have to be all of it. And stagger the filter cleaning as you have two filters in there - so just do one one week - then the other the next week .... makes for a much more stable set-up.

As for the possibility of a bacterial infection - either wait and see if the improved water quality is enough to stop it - or treat with appropriate meds - 'sup to you (they're your fish - not mine).

 

[Seleya]

If you put two totally new filters in at x-mas time, which was a little better than 3 weeks ago, any "new" tank would be expected to have ammonia readings by the end of the first week or so, which is when your problem began. You are now doing a fish-in cycle and must tailor your maintenance accordingly. Daily tests for ammonia and nitrites, water changes as needed (monitoring both test results and fish behavior), ease up a bit on feeding, start testing for nitrates when you see nitrites.

If your tank has been up for as long as you indicate, with no other marked disruptions, it may bounce quickly. Keep in mind, cycled does not mean established and stable. Stock slowly for the next few months and keep a close eye on parameters.

 

[bala_aquarium]

Ok thanks everyone.What kind of meds do you recommend for the bacterial infection if it doesnt clear up?

 

[bala_aquarium]

one more cory died

 

[Seleya]

Are you watching your parameters? If you have kicked off a cycle or minicycle, you need to watch your parameters daily and do water changes accordingly. Your catfish will be the most sensitive to ammonia and nitrites -- both the cories and plec, so you'll need to keep the numbers as low as absolutely possible. While this will extend your cycling time, it will pay off in the long run that you saved your fish from an innocent mistake on your part. Even if the numbers look good, if your cories are making frequent trips to the surface for air, change the water anyways. They will do this even in an established tank, but more infrequently -- if they find the water not to their liking, they'll be making very regular trips to the surface for something better. Platies are usually pretty darn hardy and mollies can run either way -- some are hardy and some are not.

I wouldn't worry about bacterial infections unless you have clear indications they are setting in. Keeping the water quality as high as possible will forestall most fishy problems. Stressed fish are, far too often, sick fish -- happy fish tend to be healthy fish. Examine any losses for evidence of problems, watch parameters, watch livestock. Good luck.