Just one Danio that appears to be healthy and completely unaffected by whatever killed the others
Need Advice after Multiple Deaths in 48 Hour Period
- Thread starter Montauk72
- Start date
Just one Danio that appears to be healthy and completely unaffected by whatever killed the others
myswtsins
Global Moderator
Chances are that the glo-fish you added within the past few weeks was ill and that spread to your other fish, in reference to it being odd cuz you had some of those fish for years, it just takes 1 bad addition.
Personally I would just start over as I don't have have 100% faith in treatments/diagnosis. Not at any fault of the disgnoser OR the treatment itself but too many variables. Example...You sure it was fungal? If it was bacterial a fungal treatment won't do anything and it's possible your remaining danio is resistant to whatever the illness is and might not show any signs, then you add new fish and then the illness creeps in again.... I know if i get rid of that last danio, tear down the tank and sanitize it I am starting without any chance of disease. If there were more survives I would probably continue treatments tho.
A quarantine tank is VERY important. All you need is an extra 10g tank and heater ready to go. Keep an extra sponge filter running in your established aquarium that you can take out and use in the QT whenever you purchase new fish. Or have some media extra media in your filter to use instead of the sponge filter.
Good luck!!
Personally I would just start over as I don't have have 100% faith in treatments/diagnosis. Not at any fault of the disgnoser OR the treatment itself but too many variables. Example...You sure it was fungal? If it was bacterial a fungal treatment won't do anything and it's possible your remaining danio is resistant to whatever the illness is and might not show any signs, then you add new fish and then the illness creeps in again.... I know if i get rid of that last danio, tear down the tank and sanitize it I am starting without any chance of disease. If there were more survives I would probably continue treatments tho.
A quarantine tank is VERY important. All you need is an extra 10g tank and heater ready to go. Keep an extra sponge filter running in your established aquarium that you can take out and use in the QT whenever you purchase new fish. Or have some media extra media in your filter to use instead of the sponge filter.
Good luck!!
how often do you change the water ? and what type of water conditioner do you use ?
I myself haven't dealt with much sickness in my tanks so I don't have much first hand experience on what to do with continuing the medicine or starting over, I myself would start over but like I said I don't have much experience in the sickness dept with fish. I am sure some others will chime in soon as well
I myself haven't dealt with much sickness in my tanks so I don't have much first hand experience on what to do with continuing the medicine or starting over, I myself would start over but like I said I don't have much experience in the sickness dept with fish. I am sure some others will chime in soon as well
I do about a 20% water change ever other week and use Sea-Chem Prime. I really do not want to start over since I have decent water conditions and what I assume is a lot of good bacteria which has built up in the Bio-wheel. However like was previously stated who knows if there is something bacterial going on as well. Thanks
Thanks. You bring up a lot of good points. I would feel bad trying to find a new home for the danio if in fact he is hosting some deadly fish bacteria or virus despite the healthy appearance.
myswtsins
Global Moderator
You're welcome. I completely understand that, that would be my hurdle as well. Best wishes to you!
To me, the most dangerous thing we do in the hobby is introduce a new fish into our nice sanitary box of water. Sure quarantining helps, but it just reduces the change of transmitting something into your tank. There's a million things that new fish can introduce that can and will effect the original inhabitants.
I wouldn't totally break-down and re-do the tank. Just don't add any new fish until you get this tank stable and healthy, then use a quarantining process next time. I'd also reduce your water temps to the lower end of the spectrum once you get these health issues resolved. Also, make sure you're doing your nitrate test 100% correctly. Your water change frequency and volume doesn't sound like enough.
I wouldn't totally break-down and re-do the tank. Just don't add any new fish until you get this tank stable and healthy, then use a quarantining process next time. I'd also reduce your water temps to the lower end of the spectrum once you get these health issues resolved. Also, make sure you're doing your nitrate test 100% correctly. Your water change frequency and volume doesn't sound like enough.
Thanks for the reply. I am confident in the nitrate test and may start increasing the PWC like you recommend. It's interesting because I can see both sides as to whether I should restart and recycle the tank since there is only one fish left or if I should let the fungal treatment run its course. What worries me is that if it was a bacterial infection that killed them the bacteria may still be alive on the bio-wheel. Have you or anyone else ever heard of losing that many fish in a 48 hour period from a fungus?
I have seen many diseases, including fungi [saprolegnia] take out fish this quickly, but as others have said, it is difficult to be 100% confident in this diagnosis.
As also well stated IMO is that while quarantines or at least preventative fish baths are helpful, these are not 100% sure [nothing actually is 100% in my experience]. This still does not mean you should not perform these tasks with new fish
Sometimes the trigger for a disease is just the new fish being stressed and allowing it to become the starting point for an opportunistic infection. Columnaris is good at this and is often mistaken for fungus and vice versa.
This is why optimal water parameters and trying to introduce a fish into as unstressful an environment as possible can be helpful too
Parameters that are often forgotten include KH [for ph stability] GH [for minerals] & redox balance.
I also agree with freshyfresh in that you may not need to break down your tank, rather be patient and not add any more for a time. Also during this time period I would suggest a 'aap medicated wonder shell' which I use a lot ad are helpful for disease prevention and water quality in cases just like this.
Refs;
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Disease.html
http://www.fishbeginner.info/home/what-makes-a-healthy-aquarium-or-unhealthy/
http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2009/07/fish-baths.html
As also well stated IMO is that while quarantines or at least preventative fish baths are helpful, these are not 100% sure [nothing actually is 100% in my experience]. This still does not mean you should not perform these tasks with new fish
Sometimes the trigger for a disease is just the new fish being stressed and allowing it to become the starting point for an opportunistic infection. Columnaris is good at this and is often mistaken for fungus and vice versa.
This is why optimal water parameters and trying to introduce a fish into as unstressful an environment as possible can be helpful too
Parameters that are often forgotten include KH [for ph stability] GH [for minerals] & redox balance.
I also agree with freshyfresh in that you may not need to break down your tank, rather be patient and not add any more for a time. Also during this time period I would suggest a 'aap medicated wonder shell' which I use a lot ad are helpful for disease prevention and water quality in cases just like this.
Refs;
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Disease.html
http://www.fishbeginner.info/home/what-makes-a-healthy-aquarium-or-unhealthy/
http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2009/07/fish-baths.html
You bring up a lot of good points, I think I will justbe patiend for a bit and check into the "wonder shell", thanks for the advice
