bolivianbaby

We upgraded our 29 tropical community to a 55 gallon on Thursday. We lost one male molly just before the upgrade. His tail "shrunk", it looked like it shrunk inward.

Since the upgrade, we lost a baby platy that was born here and a marble molly baby that we received from a friend.

All of the fish in that tank are up at the top. The clown pleco isn't eating and he's out in plain view. Usually he hides. Overall, this is very highly unusual behavior for these fish.

Water parameters:

pH 7.2
ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-5

Could there have been contamination of something? We bleached the tank, and cleaned everything (except for plants received at a fish auction and from friends) before it was added to the tank.

There are two filters on the tank and an air bubbler (very active).

I'm not familiar with anything other than ICH, so what can I do to find out what's causing this and get it resolved? I'm kind of at a loss as far as what caused it, but I'd like to save the remaining tank members. I don't mind treating the tank, re-cleaning, whatever, just please any advice that can help get this resolved would be greatly appreciated.

The tank members are:

4 mollys
5 male guppies
1 clown pleco
1 bolivian ram
1 mickey mouse platy
5 peppered corys

I have extra filters on most of my other tanks, so if I have to treat something and lose the cycle, I can re-gain it quickly. I also have prime on hand and plenty of buckets for water changes.

Shawnie

oh nooooooooo ...Im so so sorry for the loss of your babies...but it doesnt sound like anything that could be contagious per say...maybe an interbred fish on the molly that passed? ..but I guess one never knows..the only think I can think of is theres some bleach residue somewhere in there where they are gasping for air at the top ...whatever you use for water conditioner, do a 40% water change and add a bit extra to that and see if that helps them at all? otherwise, im lost ...but I so hope things get better !

bolivianbaby

Thanks, Shawnie. I'm so confused on this one and it's the Princess's tank. Everyone in all the other tanks is doing fantastic, so my original thought of it being the auction plants isn't valid.

Oh, I forgot to mention there's snails in the tank, too. I don't know how many. I think around 10, maybe more. Another one of the "princess's" obsessions.

I use Tetra Aqua-Safe. I'll do a 40% water change and add extra. I'm also going to totally risk my tank and put her pleco, her corys, her baby livebearers and her snails in mine until we get this resolved.

navyscuba

Well BB sorry for the fishies but I'm also lost. I would put the plants from the auction to rinse and change their water often. Shawnie already gave you the other idea I had so

bolivianbaby

Thanks! We lost another of the princess's male guppies last night. I saw it a few minutes ago. I'm hoping it's not an introduced disease since I put some of her "favorite" fish in my tank. I put two of my glofish in her tank as a test and they're doing fine. I hated to do use them as possible sacrificial lambs, but this whole thing is not making sense and I'm trying to figure out what's going on. The sooner we get it figured out, the lower the mortality rate (I hope) and the less tears she'll shed.

aquarist48

Hello BB.
I hate to hear about all of the problems that you're currently having. There isn't much more that I can add that hasn't already been said. I'm sure you added the water conditioner prior to adding the fish into the new tank so I don't think chlorine is the issue but better safe than sorry.
Could the age of the fish have anything to do with it? Natural causes? With all of your readings being where they need to be maybe they just couldn't handle the stress of the move.
What about pH levels. Was there a major change in pH levels during the move? (being more concerned about going from high pH to low pH) Temperature differences?
I hope your remaining fish are going to be ok.
Ken

iloveengl

Jeeze what a disaster -- aww I imagine your poor Princess is just so upset I hope you figure out the answer soon (or it just miraculously solves itself).

bolivianbaby

Thanks, Ken. Stress of the move is a definite possibility. We had some very young (under a few months old) babies that didn't make it as well. They wouldn't be used to moving. I had to move an entertainment unit over to make room for the 55, so their old tank was moved out before I could put them in the 55. The PH levels and temps were matching, but it was definitely high-stress I'm sure.

I did the 40% water change with extra Aqua-Safe last night before I put the glofish in.

Since the glofish are fine, I think I'll start moving her "favs" back into the tank, continue to keep a close eye on their water parameters, and maybe this will work itself out. Constantly moving them back and forth probably isn't helping their situation, either.


Thank you. We're trying and at least she knows that.

navyscuba

Poor babies. Hope whatever it is settle down soon.

Shawnie

I hope things are looking up for you all!!!!!! sending my hope to you and pray it gets settled

bolivianbaby

Thank you both very very much You guys are just fantastic!

This morning's body count is 4 mollies-0 left, 1 male guppy, 3 baby peppered corys. We're going to leave her clown pleco and snails in my tank for a while until we see if the solution worked for good. The deaths from this morning may have been "aftershocks".

Shawnie

oh bb im so sorry

navyscuba

So sad.

bolivianbaby

The danios are still doing good, so I'm trying to help her get over this by discussing her "re-stocking" plans.

However, obviously, we want to be careful. So I was thinking time frames and I'd like some opinions on this.

Two weeks with the danios being happy and healthy and no more deaths and then start re-stocking? Does that sound like a good time frame? I don't want to move too quickly and risk her new fish, but I do want to help her move forward.

She wants mollies, platys, and guppies. I'm thinking one male and two females of each. I know she's going to want to keep some of the fry, so stocking must remain on the low side. In addition, she'll probably be "milking" another pleco out of this and she's trying to figure out what type of cories she wants. The remaining fry will of course be feeders for my JD's. We will be cautious and only add one species at a time. If we lose the cycle, we have plenty of backup bacteria in other tanks.

We're keeping her snails and clown pleco in my tank for probably at least another month or two. If anything happens to them, that's just more drama than I can handle from her at the moment. Parents, you know where I'm coming from on this one.

SWilkins

Oh BB I am so sorry. I hope thing are calming down now. If there is anything I can do please let me know.

bolivianbaby

Thanks. We lost all the babies you gave us, though. I'm so sorry

Yes, things are finally calming down. The light at the end of the tunnel is showing itself

All of her snails are still alive and so is her pleco (Thank Goodness-you know how she is with them-we put them in my tank ASAP). 3 of her male guppies, one MM platy, her bolivian ram, and one adult peppered cory is what's left after all that. I have two baby MM platys that I'm keeping for her.

Do you think two weeks of everything staying good is a reasonable time period?

SWilkins

Well if you need anything just let me know....you know I got babies coming out my ears about now!!! You and Princess are welcome to anything you want all ya gotta do is say so. Fishy prayers have been sent your way too.

Time frame....hummm I would think two weeks would be good...I know you and your gonna be checking everything at least daily anyway so you def would not miss a thing.

navyscuba

Hey that phrase about fish coming out of my ears is mine. hahahah

bolivianbaby

Thank you very much

On the brighter side, it'll be another excuse to get together, which is always good times. I know for a fact the princess would love to have some more of your babies

Maybe we'll be able to get together sometime mid-October when we know for sure this tank has calmed down?

The wonderful news is that all other 13 tanks are running perfectly. No spikes, deaths, or anything, so whatever it was, it (thank goodness) was limited to that tank only.

navyscuba

That sounds like good news. Who wants more fishies. I got more. hahahahaha. Maybe I would trade for some of those JD's and Con's

bolivianbaby

I've got cons, too I don't have JD babies, though Sherry has a lot more variety for the moment.

Give me a year and I'll have pinks, stripes, marbles, and MAYBE jellys if my breeding back idea works.

navyscuba

Haha. So plan on adding a third level to your house for more tanks?

bolivianbaby

You can stop laughing now. We've figured out how to put a 55 gallon tank, two 20 gallons tanks, and two 29 gallons tanks in "her" third bedroom. Okay, resume laughter.

navyscuba

Hey I just told my wife what I want for my birthday guess what it was?

bolivianbaby

Another tank

navyscuba

You mean tanks?

bolivianbaby

Yep Got it right, didn't I?

navyscuba

Yeah I want to do my breeding tank wall. Let see how it goes. haha.

bolivianbaby

You da man that can make it happen, for sure! Please keep us posted on how that goes.

bolivianbaby

UPDATE: No more deaths. Glofish are doing great.