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You know git, you make me wonder actually, we moved the tank about 3 weeks ago, which involved taking out as much water as possible and removing the fish. All up the process to having the tank filled up again with filters running it was an hour. Maybe is was enough to cause some trouble in the substrate. It is set up for plants with fine sand and vermiculate on the bottom, and gravel on top. I am always sure to observe the odour of the water incase that rotten egg smell is present but maybe the time the tank was not running was enough to cause some bad pockets for bacteria to develop. The fish havent been dying with any symptoms though so I dont know if this theory works.
I am 100% sure Ryan has had NO access to the tank to add anything to the tank.
Lost two more TB's and a cory today. Maybe its time to tear the tank down and start again.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

The last time I had heaps of fish dying, I notice my air bubble stone was sitting too high on the side glass, causing the bubbles to rise up out of the water and hitting the underside of my hood. Not relising that the hood was not treated, but was still raw timber, the water slashed back into my tank causing poisons to leach through the water. In the end I lost corys, rams etc. ***Tiger

The last time I suffered loads of deaths I put it down the water company cleaning pipes and so some thing must have got in to the water, I lost nearly all my platies and many others.Could it be something like that?

It happens here maybe once or twice a year - they clean the pipes in sections. I sort of tell because my pH changes, mind you yours hasn't.

I really just wanted to say I know you feel, I didn't know what it was when it happened to me. it is very depressing.

Good luck with finding the cause

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
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You can buy tablets and liquids that help re-establish filter bacteria, if you use those and activated carbon , the recolonisation of the filter can be really rapid. A biologically engineered species capable of surviving dormant in a liquid or tablet might be so potent as to be able to outcompete the aggressive bacteria. There are three identified bacteria that are found as being beneficial to filters, and the ones in tablets and liquids may be different to the ones in the filter at the moment. If you replace them the aggressive strain of bacteria will probably not be able to eat them, so its gotta be worth a go.

Failing that the only way to be safe in the future is an RO unit and a uv steriliser I guess.



Last edited by longhairedgit at 18-Nov-2005 23:04

I cleaned the eheim a week before I had problems in the tank. Last night for good measure I gave it another clean. Didnt seem excessively dirty or anything so I dont know.

I am still losing fish, water parameters are the same as written above.

Keith, I remember reading through your posts about fish losses. How did you manage to get to a water chemist? I never get any further than customer service! Did she suggest anything for you to do?

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Lindy

Remember I had a massive loss for no reason at all. They were all bottom feeders to make the problem more puzzeling.

I managed to actually speak to a water chemist at the water board and it was explained this way.

As the weather warm up there is a massive growth in numbers of a bacteria which is capable of killing other bacteria.

She refered to my Eheim Canister as a mini sewerage treatment plant, and that bacteria would have a lot of fun in there, possibly killing all my good bacteria

Somewhere in my notes there is the name for this bacteria I can assure it is a nasty as when it hits it completly kills all the good bacteria in the tank. Resting the water as I do for one week has no effect on it at all.

There is a posting somewhere about my problem and I think I might have explained it there as well.

I also think we both get our water supply from the same source even though my water is also treated closer to home as well.

Keith

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Strongly curved bodies, swimming hunched up and in circles and wasting are signs of neurological issues. These are commonly caused by protozoan infections of the nervous system (they can cause serious epidemics) or heavy metal poisoning. Mercury, copper, and lead can cause serious issues. I'd look into those first, although sometimes extreme fin clamping and body curving can also be caused by our old friend ich, but presumably youd notice all the white spots.

To continue with the tragedy, I had 30 guppies that died within a few days. Some of the fish had visible signs of wastage and got very thin. They swam in a curved way and stayed in one place. They died within a few days. The thing is that no other fish showed any similar signs. Can anyone think of what was the cause. Parameters were normal and water changes is effected once a week. Could decaying java fern have an effect on them?

To me it sounds like you had some sulfer gas releases. Sand mixed with gravel can mean trouble for any tank.

Lindy,
i also live in melbourne, (knew from your comment on being near keith) i've had a few deaths to my more sensetive fish, i never ended up finding the exact problem, but i did come up with a solution to try next time round.

there are some LFS around that sell RO water, this could eliminate water source, may not fix the problem, but could atleast rule something out.

Cynical

I dont think i'm looking for a solution, nor am I expecting a specific answer, just venting some fustration.

My fish are dying for no apparent reason. So far in 2 days I have lost 3 glass catfish, a female bn (my breeder), 2 cherry barbs, 1 otto, 1 yoyo loach and 8 tiger barbs. Nothing externally seems to be wrong with these fish. They have been eating well up until death. Survivors appear fine.

Water changes are up to date, I do 25% weekly. No fluctuations in temp or pH. Foods have not been changed lately, no frozen or live foods given either so I cant blame that. Nothing gets sprayed near the tank. No cleaning agents are used around the tank, i've always been very particular about this.

No ammonia, no nitrite and 10 nitrate. pH 7.2.

The tiger barbs were Ryan's, he picked them out at the lfs. Its hard to explain to a two year old why he keeps finding fish floating on the surface. Even harder to flush corpses without him seeing.

I'm scared to look in the tank because i'm worried what will be next. These moments are the ones I really dislike in this hobby. I work so hard to keep my fish happy, I scrimp and save to buy and maintain our fish, especially now that Ryan is very interested in them.

Blech.

Last edited by Lindy at 04-Nov-2005 07:44

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

If I ever get a situation like that I go ballistic on water changes, because the reality of such situations is that often fish have more of a chance of surviving a new cycle than living with the toxin thats already killing them.

I'll get flack for it and people will rant and rave about it , but ive never EVER lost more than 3 fish in a row.If you have other tanks like I do , its easier to cushion the impact of massive water changes.In an emergency Ive been known to do a same day 100% change, a total decoration clean and substrate change,ditch the filter media, rob some from the other filters, fill half to a quarter of the tank with water from other aquaria and top it up with conditioned tapwater. The fish freak out and obviously hate it, but its all a balance of risks.

Id risk a cycle over a toxic poisoning every time.Thats how about 3 months ago I managed to save about £400 of rainbowfish when my filter got poisoned.

I just ask myself , its been 6 months since the last total clean , do I know whats in my tank inch by inch? The answer is invariably no, so I generally tear the tank apart right down to the filter. You can gravel clean all day and still miss the heavy sludge and the gunk that gets trapped in plant roots and stuff.Add to that the reduction in bacteria and protozoan numbers when you totally change it you can improve lots of situations, not just toxicity. Its knowing when to make that call that makes a good fishkeeper.

And not saying the kid poisoned the fish or anything, but little fingers sometimes get into mischief. Think i'd buy a locking tank hood.

I know someone who's kid swore blind he didnt touch the tank, and when she did a total clean she found lead figurines, plasticene, and some toothpaste. ]

Last edited by longhairedgit at 07-Nov-2005 21:14

It is a 55g tank. 25% is pretty standard as far as i'm aware.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

how big is your tank? You may have been acually taking out too much water.

2 bronze cories gone now too. My lone clown loach is hiding which is unusual for him/her.

Ingo and Two Tanks, I suspect you are right that it is something added by the water company. I am certain that there are extra things being added to our water due to the weather conditions here. (drought) I always treat the water with dechlorinator as if it had chloramine in it because the water is more often than not noticably chlorine smelly. I am contemplating calling the water company but last time I did that all I achieved was extra fustration because the lady told me I must have ammonia in the water due to lack of maintenance on the tank.

Keith had similar problems with his tanks and i'm located in the same general area as him.

CutiePie, I thought of that too but Ryan has no access to the tank because the hood is quite heavy. If he had it his way though he would be feeding them 10 times a day!

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

hey Lindy, sorry to hear that..

I am very sorry too, Lindy .

I am with Two Tanks on the assumption that it has something to do with the water, in particular because a large variety of fish die within a short time frame. Otherwise I would have considered an illness that has been brought in with your last purchase and took a while to get to all fish, but then I would have expected that certain species react faster to it than others, and this does not seem to be the case.

I hope it is over now and you can move on. BTW, when our fish die the kids and I somehow defined the term “they go to Fish Texas” . I have no idea why Texas (sorry to anyone from this State or who might be offended by the statement).

Hang in there Lindy,

Ingo

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 04-Nov-2005 09:53

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

When fish die in mass like you describe, I automatically put the water as the most likely cause. It is not your PH and other factors, but something more likely in the water that the water company is not telling you about. (See my post under water.) Could they have flushed your lines recently? Do you have water treated with both clorine and ammonia?
I am really sorry to hear of your losses.

Is there any way that Ryan could have poured something in the tank without your knowledge that would cause them to die? I know how two year olds love to climb, and they like to put things in their Mommy's fishtanks.

Sorry for the loss of your fishies.

im so sorry to hear that....sometimes...its really frustrating..no matter what u do..things just go wrong...i can just hope that this phase ends and and u enjoy ur tank again.