5 Fish Dead In One Day

[emfish]

HI guys I really don’t know what is going on with my tank!!

I have a 55 gallon with
10 harlequins
12 guppies
3 mollies
8 blue shrimp

A fluval 406 which has been establishing for 2 weeks now and have just taken out the internal fluval u4. It also has a bubbler

I was looking in my tank earlier and saw a dead harlequin. On further inspection I couldn’t find my 3 white guppies, once I found them (all dead) I then realised that tango (my orange guppy) was also missing. He had also died.

I have no idea what it is... the water parameters are okay. Granted the nitrite is a bit high but I have put in seachem prime to combat that and am doing a water change tomorrow
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0.25
Nitrate- 30

I really am at a loss of what’s happened...
I’m so upset and just can’t get to the bottom of what’s happened

I added myaxin as two of my fish had dropsy due to old age but sadly they died so I stopped the treatment (it had been used for the 5 days anyway)

But 4 guppies and one harlequin in 1 day is very weird

Thought when I found the harlequin that it could be because I’ve had him around a year/ year and a half now and hes old but it does not explain these fish that I got not too long ago.

I got the 3 white at the same time from the same place too....

Someone please try to help me!!

 

[DutchAquarium]

Could you post a picture of your fish, maybe we can see something on them.

 

[emfish]

I’m afraid I’ve already got rid of them all. They had nothing on them at all. They were pale but that’s because they’re dead. One of them didn’t have a tail left and one of the others “chin” looked a bit red but other than that there wasn’t anything on them... I also bought 3 guppies 2 days ago and one of them died randomly... I only had him 1 day... but the other 2 are completely fine????

 

[Jenoli42]

I'm very sorry for your losses

Hmmm... there are quite a few variables that may have lead to this if i'm reading your post correctly:

1. swapping out the old filter for a new one. did you keep all the old media and put it in the new one, or just have them running side by side? if it was running side by side for 2 weeks, I would personally have done at least a month. remember, just because you get a new filter doesn't mean your bacteria double in size. it means some bacteria move out from the "city" (old filter media) to the "suburbs" (new filter media). that's probably why you're seeing nitrite. having said that, assuming you tested daily since you took out the old filter and your levels never went about about .25, then prime SHOULD have kept your fish safe.

2. medication....sorry I don't know enough about using meds but I have read that some meds can harm healthy fish? someone else will need to comment. other meds can hurt your cycle. I have no idea about myaxin but i'm sure you did your research so this option is less likely.

3. adding new fish without quarantining them. who knows what they brought into your tank and if one of the new ones already died, this option is a front runner. did you acclimate them before you added? any symptoms before it died?

I hope some of this is helpful in figuring out what's going on here...

 

[Trott]

Is it possible your tank went through a mini-cycle after switching filters? If the tanks mature having any nitrites might be a sign somethings happened with the media. Are any of the other fish behaving oddly? Lethargic, hiding or red gills? Dropsy due to old age is possible but it may have been a sign that your tank re-cycled and the older fish were more vulnerable to the ammonia/nitrites. Mystery fish deaths are tough to diagnose without any symptoms/pictures.

Another possibility is the new guppy brought something with them. If the three have only been in the tank for two days they may not be showing symptoms yet, but it may just be the stress from transport that claimed the first one. I'd keep an eye on them for changes.

Edit: JenolI types faster!

 

[Jenoli42]

Edit: JenolI types faster!

Great minds think alike, mate! I have the edge when i'm on my laptop indeed

I totally agree with your insights I hope we can help the OP because seeing dead fish when you look in your tank is a horrible feeling

 

[ParrotCichlid]

Is it possible your tank went through a mini-cycle after switching filters? If the tanks mature having any nitrites might be a sign somethings happened with the media. Are any of the other fish behaving oddly? Lethargic, hiding or red gills? Dropsy due to old age is possible but it may have been a sign that your tank re-cycled and the older fish were more vulnerable to the ammonia/nitrites. Mystery fish deaths are tough to diagnose without any symptoms/pictures.

Another possibility is the new guppy brought something with them. If the three have only been in the tank for two days they may not be showing symptoms yet, but it may just be the stress from transport that claimed the first one. I'd keep an eye on them for changes.

Edit: JenolI types faster!

Just my opinion but I doubt this has anything to do with the filters or a minI cycle of any kind.

If the cycle had crashed to a level that would kill this many fish it would show on the water test. Parameters while not perfect are not the worst either. I find it hard to believe that 0.25 nitrite is enough to kill 5 fish on the same day.

Unfortunately I can not be of much help past this without seeing pictures of the fish but I would be more inclined to think towards an internal bacterial infection or parasite. Not all are visible on the outside of the fish.

 

[Brannor]

Been there... we've lost 7 of our 16 guppies we had during our cycle - finished about 2 months ago... I've watched (for the < 30 minutes) them actually go from healthy to dead... without knowing what... the water presently is near perfect... I even added AC back into the filter a few days ago to clean the water a bit..also did a mid-week suck of some of the poop...but still... they can just die like one did this morning. (traumatic for a 5-year-old little girl...)

That 5 happened so close together does indicate something that affected them all. What is your water temp? What is your pH?

We have found that the guppies we got from one store were far 'stronger' and have lived, more than those from another store. It depends where they came from, and if they bring bugs with them.

And a mini-spike is possible when adding new fish to any tank - did you try keep them in quarantine? We've had to constantly monitor our with around 80 fry in it...

-G

 

[Trott]

I totally agree with your insights I hope we can help the OP because seeing dead fish when you look in your tank is a horrible feeling

Nothing worse than turning the tank light on in the morning and wondering if you lost another one..

Just my opinion but I doubt this has anything to do with the filters or a minI cycle of any kind.

If the cycle had crashed to a level that would kill this many fish it would show on the water test. Parameters while not perfect are not the worst either. I find it hard to believe that 0.25 nitrite is enough to kill 5 fish on the same day.

I agree about 0.25 nitrite not being enough, dropsy affecting two older fish is curious though - that would have had to happen at least 5 days ago for the treatment to be complete (params may have been different?). Just a thought! Emfish, did you take a water test at the start of your Myaxin treatment?

 

[ParrotCichlid]

Nothing worse than turning the tank light on in the morning and wondering if you lost another one..



I agree about 0.25 nitrite not being enough, dropsy affecting two older fish is curious though - that would have had to happen at least 5 days ago for the treatment to be complete (params may have been different?). Just a thought! Emfish, did you take a water test at the start of your Myaxin treatment?

The main reason I think its nothing to do with the cycle is because the tank has no ammonia. With a minI cycle causing nitrite I would expect at least a little ammonia.

Of course I could be wrong though!

 

[Jenoli42]

The main reason I think its nothing to do with the cycle is because the tank has no ammonia. With a minI cycle causing nitrite I would expect at least a little ammonia.

Of course I could be wrong though!

That's why I asked if the OP had tested parameters daily since the filter swap. there may well have been an ammonia spike and if the OP wasn't testing, it could have been missed, followed by a nitrite spike they only caught at .25 once fish started dying, but the minI cycle was basically over by that point.

If the OP did all that though, then yes I do tend to think it's a disease brought in by new fish. I assumed they weren't quarantined by what the OP said, but if they were then i'm back to being stumped. *chin scratch emoji*

I guess we'll hafta see once the OP replies

 

[emfish]

Omg I have woke up this morning to all of these amazing replies. I will try to answer as many of you as possible...
I tested the water before the treatment and it was perfect
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 30

I don’t usually quarantine the new fish... no..

I didn’t think it was a cycle. Could be the addition to new fish??

My PH is around 8 I believe

All my guppies are okay this morning

I just don’t know how it didn’t claI'm my endlers as they are the smallest.

I also have 2 male molly fry and they are fine too. So I’m guessing it only took ahold of the weaker ones.
As mentioned the guppies that died I believe are all from the same shop. Well the 3 white ones deffo are.... the orange one I’m not too sure.

Thank you so much for your responses guys I really do appreciate it.

What can I do now if it is internal parasites?

 

[Jenoli42]

Omg I have woke up this morning to all of these amazing replies. I will try to answer as many of you as possible...
I tested the water before the treatment and it was perfect
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 30

I don’t usually quarantine the new fish... no..

I didn’t think it was a cycle. Could be the addition to new fish??

just one more question to rule out a minI cycle (this is because random nitrites are unusual without an ammonia spike as well): did you swap your filter before or after the treatment?

if your answer is before then I'm betting it was the new fish.

 

[emfish]

It was after the treatment. I still had the 406 running with the U4 but took out the u4 filter on Tuesday. Thing is tho I put the U4 into one of my other tanks, my 25g, but all of the fish in there are okay?? I'm so confused..... I'm guessing the U4 was already established but its still a change in water....

Its either a cycle or parasites... ill do a water change today...

Another quick question, I usually do 50% water changes of temperature matched water, is this too much?? I have seen different things on different sites, does anyone else have any experience please...

 

[Brannor]

For the last few weeks I have done 50% water changes. Only tonight I dropped it back to 25%, though I noted my pH might be up...so that might end up with another WC tomorrow... (our tap water is normally bang on neutral with nothing but whatever chlorine they add. (35ppm TDS that after carbon water filter is only down to 32ppm).

-G

 

[emfish]

Also my beige sand is going black.... when I do a water change the sand at the bottom is all black and when I take out my plants they smell horrible. What could this be??

 

[emfish]

Just doing a water change and found another dead harlequin. He was there last night. Now he’s dead. What’s going on

I took a picture of him this time

 

[DoubleDutch]

What's happening with Harlequins the last days ????

 

[emfish]

I'm not sure what's going on... Have just found another dead guppy

I really am so upset....

My water parameters are fine
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 20/30

I haven't done anything wrong... I've only had this one a week on Monday...

 

[emfish]

I'm not sure what's going on... Have just found another dead guppy

I really am so upset....

My water parameters are fine
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 20/30

I haven't done anything wrong... I've only had this one a week on Monday...

All these dead fish... Makes me think I've done something wrong. I'm so sad they are my little friends and they are all just slowly dying

 

[emfish]

HI Guys,
After some extensive googling. I think it might be columnaris and the stage 1 which kills the fish quickly. If anyone has experience with this I'll be willing to hear it

 

[ParrotCichlid]

HI Guys,
After some extensive googling. I think it might be columnaris and the stage 1 which kills the fish quickly. If anyone has experience with this I'll be willing to hear it

Its definitely not a slow moving strain of columnaros but yes it could be one of the faster strains as these don't always show much of any vosible symptons on the fish.

Might be a good idea to lower the temperature of your tank to 75f and see if it slows the deatg rate down.

If the death rate contines but at a slower rate then I woulf recommend startI g appropriate antibiotic treatment.

 

[Gypsy13]

I have a question. You mentioned the sand being discolored and when you moved a plant it smelled really bad. When did this happen? I’m asking because of a deadly gas that gets trapped under the sand. A friend lost everything in his humongous tank due to this gas I can’t remember the name of. Just a thought.
I’m so sorry you and your little girl are going through this. How completely heartbreaking

 

[Kevin Dennis]

What's happening with Harlequins the last days ????

Weak stock.

Kept Harlequins and Neons all throughout the 90's and never had tank dieoffs like this.

I wish the OP the best. Just lost an entire tank of Harlequins myself.

 

[Gypsy13]

Weak stock.

Kept Harlequins and Neons all throughout the 90's and never had tank dieoffs like this.

I wish the OP the best. Just lost an entire tank of Harlequins myself.

I’m so sorry!

 

[emfish]

I thought it could be the anerobic gas pockets too. But once I've googled them they are very rare and only occur if you haven't touched the sand for months. Think it could just be air pockets...

The weak stock could explain the guppies but I've had my harlequins for a year now and never lost one until now

 

[ralph113]

check your ph or if your water was dechlorinated..... both reasons killed my fish within hours with no signs and symptoms.. just got weak, stoppef.moving, then died.