Sudden deaths
WooHoo
Member Posts: 51
About 2 weeks ago I brought home 4 new Neon's . They all died that night, and then the next day all but 1 of my originals carked it as well. Day 3 the last one died and day 4 my gourami died. I tested the water and it is fine. Now 2 weeks later a shrimp dies and my kuhli loach is missing (presume dead as well). What could it be? Disease? I noticed a dead neon in the tank at the shop.
Neons just looked scared and were hiding before they died, but the gourami had bulging eyes and gasped for breath.
Neons just looked scared and were hiding before they died, but the gourami had bulging eyes and gasped for breath.
Comments
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Hot off the press - Loach has been sighted but he didnt come out for dinner. just went back under a rock!
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Hi WooHoo,
Sorry for your losses.
What were the water conditions that you bought them home in?
How did these conditions compare to the conditions in your tank?
What acclimation process did you use?
If you don't drip acclimate your fish are probably going to go through a shock process. The stress associated with this can result in the immune system being compromised resulting in a rapid increase in the number of pathogens in the new fish. These pathogens can then rapidly infect other fish in the tank leading to the losses you have described.
Even without the shock of water change new fish should always be quarantined and or medicated for common conditions such as white spot, velvet disease, etc. This is especially so if you have some concerns about tank conditions at the LFS such as dead fish in the tank.
Regards,
Bob -
Hi Bob - I didnt check the water from the shop. I took a long time introducing the new fish, adding small amounts of my water to their bag over an hour before releasing them. I dont have a quarantine tank... your theory sounds logical though.
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Hi WooHoo,
If you have some air line, a suction cup to keep it stuck to the side of the tank and an air line clamp you can do proper drip acclimation.
Generally I work on around drip per sec, I allow the bag to go to 3/4, empty to about 1/4 repeating twice. I then net the fish out of the bag and transfer to tank. DO NOT add LFS water to your main tank as it can be full of pathogens.
Regards,
Bob -
Oh No
( ..Sorry for your great loss, Did you float the bag in the tank water? 
[-O< Praying for your loach, could it be a contaminant ? on the bag maybe? :-? 
"I'm a Doug Addict" 
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Thanks Bob - I will do that next time! I did float the bag in the tank and then let the water from the shop into my tank - I wont do that again!!
Mooo - my loach has come out breifly the last 2 days. He is not himself, but looks okay. I hope he survives, he is a real character and good friends with my bristlenose.
I am not sure how long I should wait before buying new fish, my tank is a bit boring at the moment, I know I should wait, but its killing me!
I have had a couple of elastic bands in there (holding baby anubias to wood) - wonder it that could be an issue? They have been in there for about 6 weeks prior to the deaths though. -
Oh well, lesson learnt...it was the bags contaminated with something I'd say..& more than likely, pouring lfs water into your tank,,you have opened your tank to any nasties the fish shop has and with the amount of fish going through a lfs, you have no idea how many pathogens and diseases are spread from a drop of water...
No on the rubber bands either, I used to use them for over n over to hold down cuc on a rock..and it never did anything adverse..
Waiting time, I'd leave it a few weeks..If you rush out now and get more fish..the nastie that got your others may still be lurking..wait!!
;;) "I'm a Doug Addict" -
agree with Mooo, never float the bag in your tank! And wait, the weeks will go fast and then you can get more fishies! You poor thing, Sorry for your loss, it is horrible when you lose most of the tank. Chin up, next time do what Bob suggested with the drip method, and no losses in the future!
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Thanks Guys! Will drive the long way to the shops tomorrow and avoid the LFS!
