Cardinal dying, other fish next?

A

A649475

AC Members
Nov 13, 2009
64
0
6
Hi everyone,

So the past weeks I found my rummynose tetras and cardinals dead floating around my tank. In the beginning, when a couple of them died, I blamed it on natural causes. But this problem has persisted throughout the past couple of weeks, killing one fish at the time, and I don't know what the problem is.

Attached is a picture of a sick cardinal. His tail is hurt, he is having problems swimming, and you can see it has turned white. I don't know if its a bacterial or parasite infection, or injury caused by something (All fish in this tank are peaceful with each other. Have not seeing any fights or bullying at all). Added water conditioner to help with his slime coat. Had some melafix laying around, so added about 5ml.

DSC03208.JPGDSC03206.JPG

Stats:
-Ammonia: 0ppm
-Nitrites: 0ppm
-Nitrates: 5-10ppm
-Kh = 6 degrees
-Gh = 6 degrees
-Ph = 7.4 - 7.6 (Tested with regular range for 7.6 and high range for 7.4)

Stock:
-1 rummynose tetra (7 in the beginning)
-4 cardinal tetras (7 in the beginning)
-1 honey gourami
-1 bamboo shrimp
-2 otoclinus
-1 amano shrimp

Info:
-Established tank 1+ year
-20g High tank.
-SunSun 302 canister filter. Rated at 264gph.
-Planted tank
-50-75% water changes weekly
-25W T5HO on for 8 hours.
-DIY CO2 (as you can see from pH and kH, CO2 is nowhere toxic)
-Bubble wand turns on when the lights shut off. No surface agitation, since I placed the spraybar below water line.
-Feeding adequately

What's going on? Are my other fish next? Help?

DSC03208.JPG DSC03206.JPG
 
Did you add any fish recently?

I would add some API stress zyme, and get some meds (maracyn I or II). I have no clue on what is happening. I hope none of your other fish die. And if you dose meds, remember to take out the 2 shrimp. To me, it seems that it is only happening to your top-dwelling fish(schoolers). Sorry for the dead fish:(
 
Wow a thread where a fish has its tail cut off and there's a gourami in the tank, what a surprise.

They will eventually kill anything with long fins. In fact I'd say gourami pretty much just suck for a community tank. Maybe they'd be ok with cichlids or something else tough.
 
SickBum said:
Wow a thread where a fish has its tail cut off and there's a gourami in the tank, what a surprise.

They will eventually kill anything with long fins. In fact I'd say gourami pretty much just suck for a community tank. Maybe they'd be ok with cichlids or something else tough.
Click to expand...

A honey gourami will not do this. This looks like fungal based on the discoloration. There is no sign of nipping. This is a disease that does need to be treated.

Tetracycline is what you will need to get. It might be too late for him, but if anyone else starts showing symptoms start dosing with this and you should be fine.

Have you seen these symptoms on the others before they died?

Sorry for your losses.
 
I agree about the gourami. Honeys are not aggressive and I wouldn't consider a cardinal tetra a long fin fish.

I had a similar disease hit my mbuna a year or so again. I believe it was bacterial. I turned down the temperature and treated with maracyn 2 and it cleared up. Unfortunately the fish that had this on her tail was permanently disfigured. Good luck with your fish.
 
defiantely looks like an aggressive fin rot, though hard to tell if that is the primary problem or a secondary condition.

If my brain is working right, maracyn 2 is best for fin rot, though when I'm not 100% on the gram strain of the bacteria, I tend to treat with both maracyn 1 and 2. QT anyone showing symptoms. It could being passed around by the nippiness of tetras with each other. I mean they are peaceful fish, but do have squabbles amongst themselves that could be helping the spread.
 
^Maracyn I and II both work for fin rot.

and the healthier fish could be attacking the sick ones because they are weak, and then getting sick themselves.?
 
Agree that is some sort of aggressive fin rot. Is the caudal peduncle white irl? It looks whitish in the pics. If it's fuzzy, whitish, and scales are outlined, consider the possibility of columnaris as well.

It does not look like aggression at all, especially from a honey gourami. Gouramis don't tend to be very aggressive, though some 3 spot types can be nippy.
 
It's not that they are aggressive in general, but they will go after long fins. The water quality is perfect and the damage is all on one the tail fin. Nope, that's not fin rot. Or anyway that's not the cause.

Suddenly lost fin = gourami did it. Especially when it happens suddenly and has affected multiple fish.
 
I'm in agreement that in all likelihood the honey gourami did NOT do it. They are generally known as being more shy than anything. Just because the water quality, based on the tests given, check out does not mean a fish's immune system can still not be compromised. JMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom