Sudden deaths...

Neo Sithlord

Nerf Herder
Mar 20, 2004
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Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
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Well tonight I came home from work and my good friend Bucky the 2nd (Betta) was laying dead at the bottom of the tank. :sad I don't get it he was fine last night when I went to bed and this morning when I woke up I think he was fine. Yesterday I added an Otto and 5 neons to the tank I was going to do a water change tonight and a good sweep of the tank looking for any dead neons. I expected to loose afew I always do within a day or so of adding them I always get them in 5's so I know 2-3 will live long healthy lives. But I was shocked that good old Bucky died! He was the first fish I added to the tank. He survived Ich and the end of a cycle he would eat out of my hand and what not. Hell I never thought I'd say this but I really loved that fish.

Now what I need to know is I lost 2 neons along side him. One I can say for a fact was one of the new ones. It was the runt of the new batch and I really didn't expect it to make it through the week. THe other neon was large so I can't tell if it was a new one or an older one. Both bodies were whole so Bucky didn't swallow any parts of them. Bucky's fins were intact last night, I saw him flare afew times so I had a real good look. When I fished him out tonight they were shredded abit and looked like he had fin rot. I'm guessing this was post mortem I think I would have noticed it last night. I just don't know how fast they decompose the little neon had a fungus like viel on him when I fished it out. I just haven't had a death in months and thought adding afew more neons and the otto would fill out the tank to a comfortable level then I'd call it done and leave it alone for a good while.

Is there a desease that could have killed them that fast? What can I do to make sure the others live in case of that? Oh The water temp was lower then normal 74 degrees It usaully is arround 76-80 degrees could that have stressed them? I turned up the heater abit and I'm going to watch it as best I can to make sure the heater hasn't crapped out on me. I have a back up I can use but can't get a GOOD new one untill next thursday. ANyways I'm really bummed out I just want to know what the hell went wrong. Oh water perams were (didn't test ammonia) nitrite 0, nitrate 30 (higher then I keep it) Ph/Gh/Kh all normal for my tank. Population prior to adding the new fish 5 white clouds, 3 cories, 4 neons and Bucky (male betta 2 inches +) added 5 neons (with expected losses of 2-3) and one otto less then an inch big. The store has good tanks that I've never seen any illness in and they are well maintained. It is a Petco so judge how you will there but I've looked all over the state and I still have more faith in their fish than any other LFS I've seen for fresh water fish. Thanks guys, Neo Sithlord
 
OK HELP one of my white clouds just died I'm really getting worried now. I just looked a the tank before I turned in for the night and saw it doing the death roll. WTF is going here? I've had the white clouds as long as the Betta. 4-5 months what the heck is going on?
 
To be on the safe side, test you ammonia. An ammonia spike can kill.

The temperature fluctuations are big stressors also so get youself a reliable heater and keep it around 78.

Do a water change immeadeatly. Id say 50% but make sure that the water you put back in the tank is as close to the same temperature as possible. Dont forget to add chlorine remover. Inspect all fish and look for any signs of odd behavior, fungus, parasites, etc.

The fish you introduced may have brought in a disease of some sort. Keep us updated.
 
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