Diseased??

R

roghib

AC Members
Oct 26, 2006
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Central Oregon
I am starting to run into a sad and difficult situation. After stocking a 90g tank a month ago ( was cycled) I am now starting to see fish die, I have lost 3 green neons, one black neon and 2 corys. The fish all look great the day before they die ( I watch them constantly). I didnt see the three green neons die or one of the corys...died at night. Did watch a cory before he passed seem to be listless and struggling to stay in place against current...an hour later he was dead. The green neon yesterday was dead against filter intake but did notice he had bulging eyes but gills looked normal. Today I came home to find a black neon gulping at surface with his eyes bulging...I finally had to destroy him when I could see he was suffering. His gills and color looked normal. All of these fish have died in the last 10 days...I chalked some up to stress of new tank and all but now starting to worry I have a disease. All fish were introduced at same time with no new entries...a few new plants have been added.

Ph 7.2-7.4
Kh 6
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0

Have struggled in last 2 weeks with algae, but have combated that with smaller feeding and less light - NO CHEMICALS.
Do about a 50% water per week and temp is 76.

Thank you in advance.

By the way the Lone angel fish hasnt eaten in three days and used to have a HUGE appetite.
Remaining fish....3 cories 7 green neons 6 black neons 3 bulldog plecos 4 otos 1 angelfish 5 golden clown barbs.
 
76 is a bit cool for angels..the black neons will do fine with a warmer temp.

I also found that golden clown barbs like warm water.

I keep my angels in 82-84 for water temp..black neons are in a tank with discus at 84.

I don't have any experience with green neons..but they appear to be a pretty small tetra.

angles ans small tetras usually are not a good mix..as angels like to eat tetras...how big is this angel? did uou notice if the green tetras were missing any body parts(generaly the angel will swalow them whole.)
 
ya, keep in mind what roghib said, as that angel gets bigger it WILL eat your other tetras. It is a type of cichlid after all. angels can also do with some salt in the water. After you raise your temperature a bit, try adding some kosher salt to the tank. BE SURE ITS KOSHER. some places try to sell salt that isnt JUST sodium chloride as salt, but if its kosher, then you know its not got any unwanted chemicals in it that might adversly affect the water. one tsp or tbsp or so per gallon or five gallons of water, start small, and after you change your water a few times, if you dont see much improvement add some more kosher salt. The salt is the same stuff that is in gatorade. it will add electrolytes to the water that your beefy angels should perk up from. Also try a more balanced diet when they start eating again. Some bloodworms to add in a bit more protien/amino acid to their diet, and maybe once a week a bit of minced cucumber. It will give them alot of vitamans they need too.
 
If you use tapwater, you have been dechlorinating the water, right? Just figured I'd ask. Some people don't remember to dechlorinate or don't put enough dechlorinator in. If your city adds lots of chlorine to the water you may not be adding enough dechlorinator, so low levels or chlorine/chloramine could be killing your fish slowly. You should find out how much chlorine is in your tapwater, assuming that is what you use, and then make sure you're using enough of treatment.

Where did you get these fish? Maybe they weren't extremely healthy when you got them which is why they didn't last long. Though it seems like there is something else to blame.

It could be an illness, but strange illness that shows absolutely no signs and then just kills the fish. Or you may just not know what to look for so you haven't noticed strange behavior or anything. There isn't any discoloration, heavy breathing, swollen bellies, torn fins, red gills, etc?

Temperature shouldn't be to blame, because though tetras like slightly warmer temps they should be fine in 76, and cories definately do fine in 76.
 
response

Thank you all for your responses..to answer questions so far....I bought the fish at a reliable fish store...all except the angel were bought at the same time. There is a chance I could of introduced a disease at this time. I didnt quarantine the fish since they were all together. Unfortunately the green neons were wild so attributed their death to just that stress related...but the bulging eyes the last two deaths alerted me. The cories to be honest I didnt notice bulging eyes but wasnt concerned again just attributed deaths to new tank and stress....they travelled 300 miles by car before arriving to home. My temp I can easily move up and if it is causing stress will gladly do so....just figured mid 70s was ok...
Chlorine.....this is a concern of mine as well...I do place the recommended dosage with each water change of my entire tank...I use API tap water conditioner...if anything I maybe overdosing with it. My concern is when doing a water change it is the old question how to dose. I use a python and with a 45 to 30 gallon water change it is almost a nightmare to treat each gallon prior to going into tank... so I syphon water out to approx. 50% then dose total tank then add water, always +/- 1 degree of new water. No fish with exception of one neon has died within 24 hours of a water change, the last three fish have died more on the 5th or 6th day after.

Angel eating fish: Yes, I am aware of the affinity of neons to angels for snack food. Currently the angel isn't real large and hasn't shown a huge interest in the other fish...her/his best pal is a lone neon tetra....they pal constantly around (think she/he is waiting for me to forget to feed him ... then its sushi time). But seriously....this was my thought as well...I have looked over all deaths so far (none has been in tank more then 6 hours unobserved) and none has even a fin ripped that I can tell, so I feel death by bite at this time isnt the case.

I very well may just be naive about what to look for...but each day the fish that have died have been active schooling (or in cories place-playing) with others in their species..all colors look fine...the black neons may be a touch swollen tummies but they eat everything I put in tank.

As far as food...I try to feed twice a day...flakes daily...frozen daphnia once to twice a week and frozen bloodworms about the same mixed with dried brine once in a while and an algae tab or spirulina tab a day for algae/bottom feeders...with as few of fish as I have they rarely get even half of the frozen module of food.

I am sure I will just have to wait out what is occurring, it is a bit tramatic to see fish die, I dont want to add anything to the mix without knowing what I am treating. At least it is something internal not the overflow filter which claimed 5 fish before I could solve the problem.

Again any advice or suggestions I appreciate.
Thank you.
 
Did you add all the fish at the same time? If so then you could have kicked off a mini cycle. have you tested the water?
 
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