# Fish Dying (3 so far) Please help



## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I have a 75 gallon tank that is new (3-4 weeks old). I have around 12 cichlids, 2 catfish and 2 plecko's. They are all small fish (around 1-2 inches). My tank is finishing its cycle, I think. My ammonia climbed to .35 and now is at zero. My PH has remained 7.6-7.8, My nitrate and nitrite are both at 5 now. I have lost 3 fish so far. One fish got a whitish cotton looking fungus on its mouth and died 2 days later, another fish was not moving well and he died (never found his body). I just noticed another fish with a cloudy eye and he died within 1 day. Now I see another cichlid with eyes starting to cloud and he is not eating. I took pictures of the first fish that had a fungus and showed to local pet store and they told me to treat with melafix which I did. What should I do now? Another pet shop suggested that I treat the tank with something more aggressive. They also suggested a water change but some suggest not changing water because its still cycling.I don't want to lose any more fish and I'm not sure what to do. Here is a link to the first fish that got sick :-? :-?


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Are your nitrites reading 5 ppm? If so, that could be part of the problem. If those readings are correct, perform a 50% water change and dose with a dechlor such as prime. -It won't affect the cycle. Right now, you could also add aquarium salt (sodium chloride) at 1 tsp for every 5 gallons of water.

Besides the high nitrite readings, from what you described and your pictures, it look like columnaris.


IMG_0739 by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


fish1 by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr

I've heard of people using Kanamycin or a combined Maracyn/Maracyn2 treatment. Before you spend money on meds, wait for another opinion. 
For the time being, this thread has some good information: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... c&&start=0 
There's also an article in the library: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... isease.php


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Im no expert on disease, thats DanniGirl. I just wanted to add that, if it were me, Id also be removing things to find the dead fish. Leaving even a portion of a dead fish, whether it be in the tank, under a rock, in the filter etc., will only make your bad water parameters even worse.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

Thank you very much for your response. I did add aquarium salt as you suggested. I will perform a water change and see if I can find the carcass. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

How do you get the pictures to display in the post? I put the link to Flickr but they dont display like they did for DanniGirl


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Any actual disease needs to be dealt with after your tank finishes cycling. Your fish can't fight disease, let alone heal, with toxic water.

Did you read the cycling article in the library? That will answer a lot of questions for you right now. Water changes, salt- yes. But the quickest remedy is going to be to get some established filter media from a friend, a coworker, your local fish store- anyone who has a tank can lend you a sponge from the filter, and your tank will finish cycling quickly.

To post pictures, you need to grab the image code (flickr has a "share" menu), not the url link. I fixed the first post for you.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I have attached a picture of my water sample and some pictures of more sick fish. My local pet store recommended treating my water with API TC Tetracycline Powder Packets, which I did yesterday.

One fish in the picture is beginning to get cloudy eye and his left fin has something wrong with it. He is not moving it much and it looks like a growth has started on it. The other fish has cloudy eye in both eyes but it seems to have gotten better since treating the tank yesterday.

The bigger issue may be my alarmingly high Nitrite level in my tank. I have had many tanks in my life and never had issues like this. I don't know what to do. Do I treat the disease in the tank or focus on getting the water conditions correct or both? I do not have access to another tank to borrow a filter sponge. Please help.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

Here are the pics


Eyes by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr

Fin by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr

Water by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr

fin2 (Large) by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd focus on the water conditions (getting your tank cycled). That will kill your fish even if you cure the disease. Not easy to watch them be sick though.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I have been recording my water conditions since I setup the tank. Here is the history.
Does this look normal?
Any suggestions?


Tank Water by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

*kc2pxp*, 
For the time being, you could add Dr. Tim's One and Only. It should help cycled your tank fairly quickly so you can start treating the fish.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Test ammonia and nitrite daily. You need to do daily water changes and keep ammonia and nitrite below 1ppm. Dose daily with Seachem Prime or another ammonia/nitrite detoxifier.
Tetracycline hydrochloride isn't very effective in water with a pH above 7.5, I would switch to API Erythromycin or Maracyn.
To compoung your problem, both medications can be harmful to nitrifying bacteria, therefore what you really need is a large amount of sponge or bio media from another already established aquarium. Otherwise, it's going to take a very long time to complete your cycle if you medicate at the same time, which I don't recommend.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I wouldn't waste the meds until you get your water quality fixed. It doesn't matter if they are diseased if you are poisoning them.

$0.02


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Your nitrate has remained at 5 throughout. Do you have nitrate in your tap water? It should have started at zero.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

Good news! I treated the tank a second time with the API TC Tetracycline Powder and the eye cloud has significantly cleared up on two of the fish. They are moving around normally and eating. I still have one that was on the verge of death but he is improving. The eye cloud shown in the pictures above has cleared up almost 100%. Yay!

I added the Prime as suggested (thank you) and got some gravel from an established tank and added it to my tank (about 2 cups). I tested my water and its still the same as it was on 3/19. I plan to do a water change tonight. The API TC Tetracycline Powder has caused a strange yellow and purple foam all over the top of my tank. I will scoop it out tonight when I do the water change. The instructions say to do a 25% water change. Should I follow that or do more?

I want to thank all of you fellow fish enthusiast (lilcountrygal, triscuit, DJRansome, DanniGirl, GTZ, newbiecichlid99) for your comments and advice. I really appreciate it. =D>


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Hmm... I guess we didn't tell you to stop feeding. I'm glad they are looking better- yes, do a larger water change than 25%.

But, I wouldn't feed your fish until your nitrite concentration is zero. Hopefully that will be within a day or two.

Make sure to add more Prime (double dose, at least) and salt (1 TBS per 10 gal new water) when you do your water change.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I performed a 50% water change last night and added salt and prime. I tested the water this morning and its still the same. I plan to treat the water again today with API TC Tetracycline Powder as the instructions indicate. This will be my third and final treatment. The instructions say to treat 4 times but the person at the local pet store said to stop after three.

As you suggested, I stopped feeding my fish. They are not happy with you right now.  
I will keep you posted. Thanks again.


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## newbiecichlid99 (Jan 17, 2012)

follow the instructions never trust the pet store people


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I did another water change of about 50%. My levels are still the same as last week. My fish are doing well. They look great and are very active. I did not feed them for 2 days and my water levels are still the same. Ammonia 0 PH 7.6 Nitrite 5.0 Nitrate 5.0. I guess I will just have to wait for the cycle to finish. Should I do more water changes or just let it roll?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Can you bring a water sample to your LFS? I would have expected the nitrites to drop from water changes, lack of feeding, and the cycle being established. I wonder if there is something wrong with your test. I suggest reviewing the instructions, and checking the expiration date on your test kit.

You should be doing weekly 50% water changes for the long run. In the short term, until we get nitrite to zero and we're sure the fish are recovered, I suggest 50% twice a week.

I'm glad your fish are doing better. :thumb:


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I am using the API Freshwater Master Test Kit which expires in 2018. I have been following the directions accurately. I may have posted an incorrect number on my Nitrites. I posted that it was a 10 but its actually a 5 (top of scale). So as of now, my Nitrates and Nitrites are at 5 and have been for the past week. I will do another 50% water change tonight and post my results tomorrow. Thanks again.


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

My tank is 75 Gallons. I have 17 small cichlids at this point.
I use an Eheim 2217 filter.
I have lots of rock structures.
Here are my water levels from the day I filled the tank.


Water levels by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

What value do you get for nitrites for your tap water?


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

I just tested my tap water and tank water. I have attached pictures

Tap water:
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0

Tank Water:
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5
Nitrite 5
I will do another 50% water change tomorrow.


Tap Water by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


Tank Water by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


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## kc2pxp (Feb 23, 2012)

Well I waited 24 hours after my 50% water change and now my Nitrite level is coming down.
Here is where I am at now:

PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5
Nitrite 0.75 (it was 5)

My sick fish is doing great now (pictured below).
His face is white but his pigment is coming back and he is eating and chasing other fish.
Two weeks ago this fish had cloudy eyes and a fungus on his mouth.
He was not moving much and even when I bumped him with the siphon tube, he didn't respond.
All of your advice and help really helped me.
Should I continue with 50% water changes twice a week?


IMG_1020 (Large) by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


IMG_1029 (Large) by Kc2pxp-Steve, on Flickr


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