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OK Here goes. As mentioned in another post, this tank was aquired through a friend so I'm not completely sure on history. There are 4 White Tip Shark Catfish in this tank. Originally there were 2, and 2 more were added approximately 6 months ago. Of the original 2, one grew WAY faster and is at least an inch bigger than the next largest. The smallest of the 4 now appears to be sick. Here's the info:

Water Parameters

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite (note the I): ?
Nitrate (note the A): ?
pH: 7
Temp: 78F

Tank Size: 40 gal bowed front

Stock List (Quantity/Species):
1 - 4" clown loach
2 - 3" clown loach
8 - tiger barb/green barb/albino barb (2 - 2", 1 - 1.5", 5 - 1" )
4 - White Tip Shark Catfish (1 - 4", 2 - 3", 1 - 2.5" )
1 - 4" iridescent shark (Pangasius hypophthalmus)
4 - 2" rainbow shark(?) (2 albino)
1 - 6" algae eater
2 - 4" red belly pacu
2 - 3" silver minnow things (can't remem name, said they were beginner fish)
4 - 1.5" semi aggressive schooling goldfish looking guys (bright pink with yellow across top of body)
1 - 3" long finned black skirt tetra
1 - 3" big white fish with 2 black spots and many white spots

Filtration: 2 x Emperor 280 50gal filters

Additives
Jungle brand - Water Clear - as needed (approx every 2 months)
Jungle brand - No More Algae - approx once a month
Jungle brand - Correct pH - as needed (every other month?)

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SICK FISH

The fish looks like it has been picked on. It's top fin is badly nibbled on, and all other fins show nibble marks. The 3 other sharks show ZERO nibble marks on their fins. This fish is smaller in length and girth than the other sharks. He is keeping his fins tucked close to his body.

This fish looks like it is taking all his energy just to swim around. He is very lethargic. He tends to stay toward top of the tank, or up against the front glass swimming up against the current of one of the filters. Occasionally he is joined by his 3 Shark friends but they return to the bottom of the tank to swim while he just keeps to himself.

This morning he looked EXTRA exhausted and just kinda half heartedly swims around the top of the tank.

No apparent disease on him that I can see, just the chewed up fins, and generally slimmer body than his tank mates.

Any advice would be great! I don't have a hospital tank, but I do have a old-school fish bowl. However I have no extra pump, filter, etc so not sure if that would be better or worse for him.

Thanks in advance!!

I just took another look in the tank. He's getting worse by the hour. He is barely swimming around, staying at the top of the tank with his head up and body down, about 1/2 inch from the surface. He's VERY thin, looks like he hasn't eaten, though I fed him directly over the last few days and he did eat. He's kinda bobbing around and seems to have trouble with his balance.

Just so I can be prepared, what is the appropriate method of disposing of a dead fish anyway??? Once they die do you just flush them?

Well,

once the fish is dead ther are several options: garbage bin in a tight plastic wrap that will not open (where else do you dispose off uneaten food and given the fact that most people eat meat ...)

flushing is only an optinon of the fish is small and there is of course the flower garden if possible

IMHO i think the tank is a little overstocked. The number of fish is at about 30 fish but we have some 3 & 4 in fish in there that take up alot more room. I would also say that there might be some territorial problems in the tank and that might be what is causing the fish to be attacked.

So a couple of ways that this may be resolved. Either youy re-arrange the tank so there are no more terratories which would give you some time. But I would try and take some fish back to the LFS to give the others more room.

I would also use Melafix & Primafix to try and heal the wounded fish. If you have a spare 10 gallon tank, QT the fish to help him heal.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Given that your tank is in overstock one of the things you have to do to tide the fish over until you can rehome some of them is provide massive oxygenation with extra disturbace of the surface film, be that using a few extra airstones, or my personal favourite solution- a hydor ario mechanical air pump, those things do millions of tiny bubbles in a serious way.

The nitrate in that tank is probably pretty horrible too, it may not be dirty, it didnt look that dirty in the pics, but the sheer ammonia from fish respiration may be causing some very high nitrate production. Its well worth getting it tested.

The melafix tip was a good one too, but id get some extra oxygen in there before using any meds heavily, because if the meds cause bacterial die-off the water might become saturated with by products from the bacterial deaths,such as sulphides and c02 and the fish will need as much available oxygen as you can give them.

Hi there,
the reason your columbian catfish is sick is because these are brackish water fish and youre keeping them in fresh water.
They also grow very large, which you may not know - 18-24 inches. These fish would be much better off in a 125-150g tank of brackish water.
Your tank is also incredibly overstocked, which may also be causing stress and severe health issues.
2x Clown Loaches 12 inches mature
1 Irridescent Shark - 3-5 feet when mature
Red Belly Pacu - 3 foot at maturity.
These fish species certainly do not belong in a 40g tank either. Id recommend removing all them and selling them back to the pet store. Irridescent sharks need a tank of at least 1000 gallons at maturity. Pacu are schooling fish that need 300-500 gallons.
Clown loaches need a minimum of 125 g and a minimum group of 6.



Heres some links to info on the "white tip shark catfish"

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile63.html

***note the pictures on this link of the skin condition caused by keeping the fish in freshwater. Likely your fish is experiencing the same condition.

http://www.freeinfosociety.com/site.php?postnum=747

http://www.fishlore.com/profile-columbianshark.htm

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Yeah, sneaky is right about that too, some brackish fish can survive a limited time in freshwater, but it depends on individual tolerances, usually its in the weeks rather than in the months, and I guess you could try as a first step a quarantine with salt included, it might help bacterial concerns and restore some osmotic balance to the fish, although you must start with just a little salt as putting them back into heavy levels of salt puts a huge strain on the renal system of an already sick fish.

Obviously you have species in that tank that wont tolerate salt well, so you cant just dose the whole tank. 99% of your problems will be solved by rehoming fish as quickly as possible, might as well get right on it , rather than trying to fight the good fight in that aquarium. Its going to be impossible to manage.