Author Topic: Large wipe out over a couple of weeks! (Read 5209 times)

scoobiemandan · « **on:** July 06, 2015, 08:27:14 am »

Long story short; Lost 5 Cory, 1 Platy, 7 Amano Shrimp and 2 Wood Shrimp.

Water parameters;

0/0/20-40
pH - 7.6
Temp - 26ºC
KH - 6.6

All losses after a tank reset. No ammonia/nitrite spikes after reset as I checked daily.

Recent visit to LFS to check water and the only things that were high were the following;

Nitrate - higher than ideal but not a major issue (20-40ppm). I did have a nitrate spike (a week or so ago) up in the 100's which I have managed to get down and stay stable(ish) at the lower levels now. Put this down to decaying plants and possibly the use of APi Stress Coat+. I say this as I changed back to my normal water conditioner and the nitrates didn't end up going back up to the high numbers!!!!
Phosphate - off the scale (have utilised a phosphate remover for the short term which has brought this down)
GH/KH - slightly higher than ideal but not a problem

Shrimp - deaths occurred one by one. Assumed a moulting problem but the last Amano Shrimp died a few days after moulting.
Cory - deaths occurred one by one. 1st showed red blotches, 2nd, 3rd and 4th showed no signs, 5th died after having a fungus on it's pectoral fin
Platy - died this morning after noticing yesterday that it was breathing heavily and acting very lethargic.

I started dosing eSHa 2000 on Saturday, today is last dosing day for that.

We are going away on Sunday so I'm really concerned about what to do. This is very bizarre and I can't pinpoint anything. Nothing new was introduced to the tank when I reset so I can't see that anything has been 'introduced'. Cory acted very shy as soon as they were moved back into main tank, thought they'd come out once they got used to the new environment but then never have and this is obviously down to them being stressed for whatever reason and subsequently dying off.

Really need some urgent advice as to what I can do before Sunday otherwise I may come back to no fish

TropicalFishForums

plankton · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2015, 01:11:26 pm »

Huge water change before you go away.
I would suggest you don't attempt any feeding while you're away either.

kas · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2015, 01:17:55 pm »

I know you are really worried about leaving the tank, but maybe the break has come at the right time for your sanity. Hopefully a big water change, and a couple of weeks without any contact might be for the best.

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2015, 02:51:07 pm »

Right, rather big update me thinks!

I noticed the wood shrimp had some white bit's on it this morning. Really difficult to get any photo's as it's hard to see with the naked eye but all the research I'm reading leads me to believe it's Columnaris (fake fungus). I've read that this is normally an external issue but can also be an internal issue which would explain my fish loss showing no signs and the white fluff on the recently deceased Cory.

The white fluff on the shrimp is on it's back and legs and what appears to be a longer strand coming from it's tail (not poo

).

So, my question now is; What's the best way forward?

I've read that lowering the temperature will help (rather than upping it). I've also read that salt can help but I'm concerned about that as I have catfish (Cory, Glass and Plec). Also on the subject, I have the shrimp and snail in another tank at present so am at a loss as to how to treat all. Heeeeelp!!!

eSHa 2000 is supposed to be safe for shrimp (although it contains 8mg of copper sulphate) but not safe for snails for reference! Anyone know whether eSHa 2000 will kill this particular type of bacteria.....if it is!?

Noller · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2015, 08:52:29 pm »

I have Esha2000 in my fish cabinet and it says it treats over 18 symptoms and disease organisms,gill problems,fin and tail rot,ulcers and wounds,fungus,dropsy,bacteria and skin problems.Ive used it in my tank and my three zebra nerite snails were ok.Not sure it would help with columnaris.Sorry your having a tough time of late.

plankton · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2015, 09:35:27 am »

Here's a good piece of work from the cichlid forum...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/columnaris_disease.php#Antibiotics

In the distant past, before chloromines, I would suggest using straight tapwater, as a low chlorine dose will kil it. If your tapwater doesn't contain chloromines, then go for it, but it will likely upset the filter munchers.

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2015, 01:19:39 pm »

Hmm, wouldn't even a low dose of chlorine stress the fish out even more though?

I think my plan is to leave the tank today and put the shrimp back in there leaving the snail in the small tank on his own and then treat the main tank with another three day treatment of eSHa 2000.

Unless of course the straight tap water 'is' a way forward?

I'm still wondering whether a salt dip for the shrimp would be safe or not?

Just checked my levels again as a mqtter of course;

HR pH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
Phosphate - 0.5 (this relates more to my algae issue thread but has dropped from off the scale to this)

Tigerlilyb · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2015, 04:51:11 pm »

Esha 2000 insta-killed my nerites (a lesson in read before you dose), maybe it depends on their age or type.

I hope you can get to the bottom of it

Maybe the chlorine will stress them out but maybe it'll cure whatever it is and then they can start to recover. A bit like antibiotics make you feel like pants but then you can finally shake it off and recover, rather than suffering for a longer period.

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2015, 05:04:46 pm »

Yeah, I'm leaving the snail out but the manufacturers say it's safe for shrimp and I've read many people say their shrimp have been fine but they did advise to remove snails so I'll keep him out!

julesandsash · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2015, 05:37:12 pm »

Sorry for your losses i hope you manage to get things sorted and i hope you have a nice break sounds like you need one

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2015, 05:58:35 pm »

Indeed I do need one

It was bad enough that we are having to leave our very anxious dog with a neighbour (who she loves in any case) who was diagnosed with cancer only a few weeks ago and now I've gotta worry about the tank as well! Hurrah for social media is what I say and I suspect our neighbour will almost feel like we haven't been anywhere since I'll be harassing her every day

plankton · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2015, 09:52:59 am »

I'm not sure about shrimp and salt, I've never tried it. I know that it kills adult Amanos for instance, even though the zoes need it.....isn't nature wonderful?

I can't recommend it because of that.

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #12 on:** July 08, 2015, 04:59:40 pm »

Found the last Wood Shrimp dead when I got back from work today! Hadn't started the eSHa treatment so definitely nothing to do with that! Strange he should die after being moved back to the main tank....he was acclimatised!

But, he was halfway through a moult so there's definitely an issue there! Perhaps not an issue as I have no shrimp left but I was hoping to restock the shrimp at some point so I'm unsure of what I need to testing or even testing is possible for calcium levels (which is the main cause for moulting problems I assume).

No other deaths or visible problems with any of the other fish, all present and correct (as far as I can tell). A couple of the Cory were at the front of the tank when I got home which is something I haven't seen for a while so perhaps things are on the up if they're starting to venture out.

In any case, I've decided to run another three day course of the eSHa 2000 to hopefully ensure if there is a nasty in the tank that it's eradicated before we go away. Plan is to check the levels on Saturday (medication finishes Friday) and see what percentage of water change would be required. If the levels stay as they are then perhaps just a regular 25% change will be all that is required.........bearing in mind I have the phosphate absorbing stuff in the filter!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed but seeing as that hasn't worked thus far I'm not expecting miracles.

Oh, and to top it off I turned my ankle real bad at work today, thought I'd broken it. Boy didn't I feel like a plonker laying flat on my back in the street whilst pulling a whitey

Even had to ask the polite lady that stopped to stop talking as I was feeling very nauseous and she didn't seem to take a breath and let me keel over

Still, every cloud..........managed to get the rest of the week off work which is a nice build up to flying out Sunday

plankton · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2015, 08:55:22 am »

I really can't work out what's happening here.
There is nothing obvious.
Sorry for your losses.

scoobiemandan · « **Reply #14 on:** July 09, 2015, 09:02:59 am »

You're telling me Ian

Still, with the Cory coming out sporadically now I'm hopeful that we've turned a corner!

Sponsors

Recent Topics

Ammonia Calculator

Articles on TFF UK

Advertisements

Author Topic: Large wipe out over a couple of weeks! (Read 5209 times)

julesandsash