Harlequin Rasboara Dying One By One...

Tank size: 200L
pH: 7.2
ammonia: 0 (tested twice daily)
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 10-20ppm
kH: N/A
gH: N/A
tank temp: 26 celsius

One died overnight on the first night. The other 5 were fine yesterday, good colour swimming well until last night.

Very noticeable Red gills, mouth permanently open, keeps going to surface, stays away from the rest.

Tank inhabitants: Nothing else apart from snails brought in off plants

Recent additions: Added 1 plastic plant purchased from Amazon as the tank was bare and I felt bad for the Rasbora. Silk material.


One thing I did notice on my last water change was a small white worm squiggling up the water. but I only seen one.

I am going to do 50% change right now, and hope that is the problem. I will clean the gravel also and remove the 2 dead leaves that are lying there.
It looks like I am going to lose them one by one

 

Did they start dying before or after the plant?

 

The one that died overnight was before the plant was added.

 

Ok. Tell me how the water smells. Also do you have a container you can use to give the red gilled one a bath in? Do you have methylene blue?

Can you post a pic?

 

Sadly the red gilled one was just found belly up. I am doing a water change right now in the hope that things improve.

Pics of the others here, although looking at them right now as I am doing this water change they do look slightly more red gilled too.

 
 

 

Can you take a pic of the one that died? Lifting its gill plate?
Do you have methylene blue or aquarium salt on hand?

What does the water smell like? The water you removed. Which water conditioner are you using?
Fake or real driftwood and where did it come from?

 

I don't have either of those on hand.

I'll try get a pic.

The water smelled okay, it looked a little dirty when I was pouring it down the sink.

It is real wood purchased from LFS.

 

How long was the driftwood in the tank?
Also which test kit do you use?
How are the other fish this morning?

 

Been in the tank since the first day I set it up.

API Kit- I just done a test and its been about 6 hours since the water change and i have 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate (I am assuming this will rise as the week continues but obviously my tank is very understocked at the minute) Test yesterday had 10-20ppm nitrate so obviously the water change has zeroed the nitrates.

They do have a slightly redness around the eyes/gills to me but then I could just be worrying and this is coming from the guy that couldn't tell the difference between pink and purple on a test kit They still seem really active. There is only 4 now and they will go off in pairs or the 4 will do laps of the tank. They do swim up and down the glass a bit especially in the corners and sometimes will split off on there own too. but none of them are going to the surface unlike the deceased one was and they seem to be going to lower in the water column since the water change and exploring a bit more but that could just be part of them settling in. I'll keep an eye on them very closely and look out for signs of anything. I've been reading up on all sorts of disease/sickness all day today so have a fairly basic knowledge of what to look for. I feel slightly more relaxed about the situation now.

Also I have a bunch of plants arriving in the post on Tuesday, so will give them some hiding spots and places for them to explore.
Here is a pic of the fish this was pre-water change today:

 

They sound so cute! Get some aquarium salt, mblue, 3% hydrogen peroxide to have on hand. Keep us posted? Please?
And keep checking out the fish diseases. You never know when you’ll need that info.

 

Either they were fine from the beginning or the water change has helped significantly as all 4 are alive and kicking this morning. I was sort of fearing the worst!

 

Great news but stay vigilant. Keep doing water changes. Keep us posted? Please do, cause they sound precious!

 

Hey Gypsy, I have just attached my black background to the tank, and noticed this: (How on earth I never noticed this growth before I have no idea and I feel brutal for even putting the fish in not knowing this was there) Incase it wasn't obvious its the white stuff growing on the glass.
To my eyes it sort of moves around with the current, is very very small almost fluffly like. It feels slimy to touch and easily rubs off ( I rubbed a bit off with my finger no problem).

 

Do they look like few to several little white spikes with little ball on the end of each one all seem to be Individually clusters the blow around with the current? Bit hard see in the pic

 

To my naked eye I want to say no, I am struggling to get a decent picture. There are also tiny white worms albeit not as many

 

Ah OK I has similar to my description on one only decoration that wreaked havoc but it never spread anywhere else stuck it in boiling water gone for good was wondering if it was similar and had a name yea it's very tiny to the eye sorry can't offer anymore help wish you with the best of luck with it all

Only thing I can think of use a clean microfiber cloths and wipe upwards to remove what ever it is and monitor it from there

 

I think one of the remaining 4 is starting to get sick too, he has lost a bit of colour and is hanging out on his own, looks more lethargic and gills look more red.

Going to do an immediate large water change, scrub all this off the glass right down to the substrate and then hope for the best. If that doesn't work and I have to do everything again from the beginning including the cycle I will probably just give up at this point. I don't have the patience to sit through another cycle fish-in or fishless.

 

Yup, he is gone now too. I am going to inspect him closely and take some pics see if we can get to bottom of issue.

 

 
 
 

Some pictures of the latest deceased one if anyone would like to take a look.

 

Hey. Sorry late. Can you take short video of white stuff?