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Hello

My last batch of all rasboras died within a week. Some of you helped me, so you might remember.

I have a new batch now, and history is repeating itself. One is now having trouble swimming upright, either his tail is higher than his body, or he spins sideways.
My water tests are:-

pH: 7.1
Nitrite: O
Nitrate: 20ppm
Ammonia: O
Temp: 27C (80F)

I know the temp is a little high, but that is because of the temperature of the House. The tank heater hasn't needed to turn itself on at all this summer.

Checked him again and he is worse. He is still alive, 'cause I can see him twitching, but he's on the bottom not swimming.

I don't know why my rasboras die on me. As with the others, he looked fine this morning. Now this. Is there anything to be done for him, or for his other tank mates. They are all in QT, as purchased last Sunday. With this sick fish are 2 mollies, 1 guppy, 2 rams & 3 more rasboras. No one seems sick. What is there to do?

I really like rasboras, but I'm becoming discouraged with them. They are the only fish that has died on me so far & I don't know what I'm doing wrong. If anyone has suggestions to help, I'd appreciate it. LF has suggested a way of improving my introduction of new fish, but I don't know what else to do.

Cheers
TW

The poor thing is dead. Any thoughts on what I can do to try to prevent it happening again.

PS, 50% water change was done on Tuesday.

Cheers
TW

Update,I think my Mollie might be sick too. The trouble is, because I'm still knew, I don't necessarily know if something's abnormal at all. Yesterday, this mollie scared me by resting on the bottom, but then swimming off & being normal for the next 24hrs. Now he's still swimming, but when he is resting in the water (not the bottom) he's doing a funny side to side wiggle. Because my rasbora just died, I'm watching my QT tank & anything a bit different seems to me like it means my fish is sick. Is this side to side wiggle normal.

I don't have any medicines & the shops here are all shut. Is it something that I could try to medicate tomorrow and save the fish?

Edit: I can see on the cadual fin of my 2 mollies some white spots. Can't see this on the others - except maybe just one spot on one of the rams. I am fairly certain the spots weren't there before - but the mollies are white anyway, so there could be spots on their body as well, but you wouldn't see them. The sailfin hasn't opened his sailfin lately - I've just realised that.

Edit: I can now see white patches on sailfin's body.
Edit: Is it normal for mollies to rest on the gravel. Both Mollies are doing that now, but maybe their sleeping?

Cheers
TW

Hi TankWatcher,
Sorry to hear about your fish.

Here is some info that Keithgh posted a couple of weeks ago about white spot. Hope this helps you for future reference.
Here is some info that could help you.


“White-spot” Parasite, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

This disease is easy to recognise, as the skin of the infected fish becomes covered with white spots, each the size of a pinhead. Each spot represents the site of one, or sometimes two, parasites. All parts of the body gills, may be attacked.

The causative agent is named Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. It is a spherical and large by protozoan standards, measuring up to 1mm in diameter. Short, hair-like processes known as cilia are spread densely over the surface. A horseshoe-shape nucleus is also present which is clearly visible under the microscope.

By the means of the cilia the parasite rotates vigorously and burrows into the surface layer (epidermis) of its host. It feeds on skin cells and surface debris. The burrowing action causes a local irritation and the epidermis grows across the parasite to enclose it, thus forming a “White Spot”

Reproduction occurs away from the host. After maturing in the skin, which takes a few days to three weeks, depending on the temperature, the parasite bores out, swims away and comes to rest on a submerged object such as a stone, or plant. Here it forms a jelly-like cyst within which a series of rapid cell divisions take place. In a few hours, several hundred daughter cells or swarmers, are produced, which break out of the cyst to find a new host. Alighting on the skin, they burrow in to recommence the life cycle. If they fail to find a host within three to four days, they perish.

Symptoms
If the protozoan is introduced into a tank containing healthy fish, little harm may occur, other than a fleeting infection with a few parasites. If however, the fishes are already weakened for some other reason, e.g. lack of oxygen, the parasite will quickly cover the whole body surface, causing irritation and opening up wounds for secondary infections. The host mobility may become affected. In sever cases, death may result.

Prevention
If white-spot appears in an otherwise healthy tank, the parasite “must” have been introduced either as an adult on a newly acquired fish, or as the cyst form on, for example new stones, a plant or even added water. The only certain method of prevention, is to quarantine all new stock, including stones, plants etc; preferably in water at a temperature of 77F. Allow one week’s quarantine.

Treatments
There are too many treatments today to recommend any specific one. Many can be bought easily at aquarium outlets.


Several very interesting points to think about.

Very easy to recognise.
Its reproduction cycle.
No host they will die.
If introduced into a healthy tank little harm may occur.
Pay attention to all tank details.
Weakened fish, and lack of oxygen can/may and will cause sever deaths. All this is usually caused by poor tank maintenance and/or incorrect and faulty equipment.
Prevention is the best cure
A Parasite “must” be introduced into the tank.

This information was collected from Fresh Water Tropical Fish

You need to treat your tank ASAP with something like ickaway. Your LFS should be able to help you out.

I live in Perth and have had no trouble with my rasboras. (I do have my airconditioner on all day once we are in the 30C, which of course has been just about all summer!)
BubbleLover

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My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90

Thanks Bubblelover,

It's the QT tank and all the fish in there are new (since last Sunday). But I really think it came in with the first batch of rasboras I had. I think they were so tiny, that it overtook them. I started off with 8, after 24 hours I had 6, after 48 hours I had 5, etc until all 8 were dead within a week. These new fish came to the tank shortly afterwards. Prior to the rasboras, I had 6 guppys in there & I moved them out of QT into the community tank before the rasboras moved into QT. I did, however, temporarily move a ram who had been with the rasboras, from the QT into the community tank. I've not seen sickness in the community tank - but should I treat it anyway,as a precaution? What are the risks to a healthy tank if I treat it? Does it kill the good bacteria?

Oh, & do I have to remove any carbon in the filters before treatment? I think I read that somewhere?

Thanks for the reply. I've been quite worried - although in a way it was a relief when I saw the spots, as it gave me a reason as to why I was having trouble in that tank.

BTW, there were lots of funny symbols in your post, making it hard to read. I wondered if you typed it in word & then did a spell check, & then cut & pasted it here in FP. I used to do that, and then found that this caused all the funny symbols. I asked about it, and found that this happens to others that do the same. If that is what you're doing, someone gave me the link to load an online spellchecker for internet forms. If you'd like it, I'll try to find where you get it from. I have the info saved somewhere in another one of my threads. In fact, go to my profile, & look at my active threads. I think there is one where I ask about funny symbols & another where I ask for spellchecker (or something like that). If you'd rather me find it, just ask me, and I'll look. Not now, though - off to bed now. Thanks again for the advice.

Cheers
TW

When I came back from LFS with the ick medicine, my sailfin was dead. I hope the others will be ok

Cheers
TW

TW I have sent you a PM re that posting.

Those symbols are caused by the puncuation used.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Sorry to hear of your losses Tankwatcher,

Just remember, if you are going to treat your community tank for whitespot, that if you have any Clown Loaches or scale-less fish you will need to reduce the dosages.

Also, i remember reading also about removing the carbon in the filter and then replacing when medication is finished.

Good luck and I hope everything sorts out for you soon.

Cheers
Crusha

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Those who say they cant, Never will !!!

Thanks Crusha

the community tank has only 4 platys & 6 guppies and I don't know if I need to treat it or not. There are no symptoms.

I'm wondering if someone can tell me if white spot, untreated kills. I am treating it now, but would it have been what killed my rasbora & sailfin, because they died before I started treatment. Or should I be looking for another reason. I did a 50% water change and the medication has been about half a day now. The spots are still on the tail of the other molly, and I think it's health is getting worse. It's spending a fair bit of time resting on the gravel, which is what the poor sailfin was doing?

As I watch, he is now doing the side to side shake movement. If he does swim, his head is above his tail (so he's not keeping level). I'd say he's getting worse, even though I've put the meds in.

My water tests are still as shown in the beginning of this thread.

Cheers
TW

Awwwwwww sorry to hear that that the molly didn't make it.
I see Keith has replied and I'm sure he will steer you in the right direction. I'm going to see if I can get that online spellchecker. Will let you know if I can't find it.
Let us know how your fish are going.
Good luck
BubbleLover

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My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90

Sorry forgot to mention. When I had a 'bad' nitrate problem and was doing water changes every second day. My LFS suggested it wouldn't hurt to add some ickaway as it contains a antistress agent and will help the fish cope with all the water changes I had to do. I don't know if he was correct as it doesn't mention this on the bottle but I added some to my water changes and it had no ill effect on my fish and I didn't lose any thru all the water changes...

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My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90

Did another 30% water change today & treated the water again. I'd say the mollie is seeming better. Water is green and the lights are off, so the fish are hard to see. But I think the spots are still on his tail. He is up and swimming around again, so that's better. I'm more hopeful than I was yesterday. Thanks for your help. I'll keep posting progress here.

PS. Bubblelover, here is the spellchecker[link] http://www.iespell.com/[/link]
I found this to be much more reliable than the Google toolbar one. Two potential problems though, it needs Internet Explorer or an IE based browser and it can only do American english. However, as with all spellcheckers, you can use the add function for the real English.

Cheers
TW

Thank you Robyn. My fingers are crossed for good luck with 'mollie'

---

My Fish like swimming all day long,
They love my bubbles 'pop' on their bum!
http://photos.yahoo.com/shedevil_90

Keith, thanks for the PM & article.

Cheers
TW

Quick update. Everyone in the tank seems fine - hard to see in the darkened tank (no lights) & the water a green colour from the treatment, but the white mollie, rasboras & yellow guppy stand out and all appear to swim around happily. The 2 rams are harder to find & just seem to lerk at the bottom of the tank.

The worst may be over. Hopefully, it's now just a matter of continued meds for 2 weeks, just to make sure all traces of whitespot are gone.

Cheers
TW

Still treating the tank, but just really to make sure the white spot doesn't come back. Everyone is well and healthy, swimming around happily. Thank you for your help. You saved my fishies.

Cheers
TW