Help! Large Arowana And Bass Death!

Can anyone assist? I can't think of what else to do.. just like lost the big arowana and one of my biggest bass to this. Only readable water test is 10 nitrate. There is a slow drip water change constantly in effect, this is a very well established 400g tank - arowana, bass, Oscars, severums, datnoid, shovelnose and a couple different catfish. Bass are super lethargic and bottom laying, nobody has wanted to eat for a week. There was an unquartine snook (that was eaten by someone) added a couple weeks ago. Noticed red on pectoral fins of the bass so decided to do a general treatment.. erythromycin and general cure.. everything went down hill yesterday was the 3rd erythromycin and we lost the silver arowana that seemed good other than lack of appetite at the beginning. The bass are pale and bottom laying.. the dats and oscars seem fine other than appetite and minor eye fog.. the arowana looks like the skin has been melting off. I don't know what to do anymore just adding stress guard and praying.. what is this? Please don't be rude I've spent hundreds on medications I thought was best to do a routine treatment and I did it on all of my tanks.. this is the only one that this is happening..

 

I am so sorry to hear about your fish not doing so well. Cloudy eye and lack of appetite are signs of stress.

1.) Is there enough oxygen?
2.) Are you sure ammonia and nitrite are at zero?
3.) Did you dose the correct amount of erythromycin and general care?
4.) What is the current temperature?
5.) Can you tell me a little bit about your routine?

 

I'm so sorry, that's awful. I can't make out the pictures super well (just my eyes, a bit color blind), but it looks like a few of them have cloudy eyes? The red streaking does indicate some sort of bacterial infection, and general cure was a good call. You may also want to consider using kanaplex, as it treats gram negative bacterial infections, which are more common, while erytheomycin treats gram positive, but that clears up most cloudy eye stuff
Edit: also, any chance your tap lines have been flushed/cleaned recently?

 

I am so sorry to hear about your fish not doing so well. Cloudy eye and lack of appetite are signs of stress.

1.) Is there enough oxygen?
2.) Are you sure ammonia and nitrite are at zero?
3.) Did you dose the correct amount of erythromycin and general care?
4.) What is the current temperature?
5.) Can you tell me a little bit about your routine?

1- I have an air bubbler and a 6600gph power head pointed at the top of the water as well as fx6 output jets on each side of the tank.
2- 100% sure
3- I followed dosing directions to the T and did a routine treatment on all of my tanks, no issues in them.
4- 79f
5- they are on a constant slow drip water change that I have deduced maintains the tank at 10 nitrate with filter cleaning every two weeks - 2 fx6 filter- bio ceramic media in the other 2 fx6 is left alone

 

Oh man, so sorry for your loses I don't know much about these kinds of fish, but this does sound like some massive disease got in with the snook, possibly a protazoa like Chilodonella. Were they rubbing on anything?

Actually surprised the erythromycin didn't wipe out your cycle, but you sound like you're on top of it on that front. Where does the water for the constant drip-change come from? Do you have an RO reservoir?

 

1- I have an air bubbler and a 6600gph power head pointed at the top of the water as well as fx6 output jets on each side of the tank.
2- 100% sure
3- I followed dosing directions to the T and did a routine treatment on all of my tanks, no issues in them.
4- 79f
5- they are on a constant slow drip water change that I have deduced maintains the tank at 10 nitrate with filter cleaning every two weeks - 2 fx6 filter- bio ceramic media in the other 2 fx6 is left alone

Sounds like it's safe to say that water parameters are where they should be then. I'm suspecting that the snook may have had some sort of contagious disease. Just wondering have you checked the PH lately? Where does the source of water from the drip system come from? Could there be a possibility that there has been a change in PH?

 

IF you have a strong enough stomach and the right equipment, doing a necropsy could help you a lot in understanding if there is a disease behind all this. Even just examing the gills, scales and liver for damage or parasites might help you Fish Necropsy

 

Sounds like it's safe to say that water parameters are where they should be then. I'm suspecting that the snook may have had some sort of contagious disease. Just wondering have you checked the PH lately? Where does the source of water from the drip system come from? Could there be a possibility that there has been a change in PH?

The pH should be steady the tap is a well line run through an rodI system that water I just recently checked runs out at 7.1

 

I don't mean to sound snikity but do you know that Arowana are illegal in the US

 

I don't mean to sound snikity but do you know that Arowana are illegal in the US

My understanding is that silver arowanas are not regulated on the federal level.
However, localized city, county or state laws may restrict their ownership.

 

My understanding is that silver arowanas are not regulated on the federal level.
However, localized city, county or state laws may restrict their ownership.

Yes, but Asian Arowana are highly illegal, and I wasn't sure which type she had

 

Yes, but Asian Arowana are highly illegal, and I wasn't sure which type she had

Asian arowana are highly restricted to import. Silver arowana are not banned on a federal level, although there are some local governments that have banned them. Asian arowana and silver are easily distinguishable.

 

I have a tendency to want what I cannot have.
That's one of my few flaws. LOL !!!
Having said that, I would absolutely love to have a red asian arowana.

You and me both LOL!!! Nobody's perfect right?

 

I believe Australian arowana are also legal, as are black arowana.
OP, do you know the source the snook came from? Was it wild caught or farmed?

 

I'm putting my money on the snook. Its a marine fish, although it CAN tolerate some brackish and short periods of fresh water, it is a saltwater fish. It lives in a completely different environment than the Peacock Bass or Oscar, so who know what type of parasites, bacteria or disease it could have been carrying.

 

I have a tendency to want what I cannot have.
That's one of my few flaws. LOL !!!
Having said that, I would absolutely love to have a red asian arowana.

I'd love to have a setup large enough for an arowana. But I'd probably just fill it with guppies *sighs*



But yes. OP said it's a Silver Arowana--legal in the US.

 

I believe Australian arowana are also legal, as are black arowana.
OP, do you know the source the snook came from? Was it wild caught or farmed?

Yes, you are correct. Black arowana (osteoglossum ferreirai) and JardinI arowana (scleropages jardinii) are both NOT banned on a federal level.

I'm putting my money on the snook. Its a marine fish, although it CAN tolerate some brackish and short periods of fresh water, it is a saltwater fish. It lives in a completely different environment than the Peacock Bass or Oscar, so who know what type of parasites, bacteria or disease it could have been carrying.

I know it probably doesn't matter but I thought the red bay snook cichlid (which I'm just assuming is the "snook" the OP is referring to) is a freshwater fish that originates from lakes and rivers in Mexico. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I know it probably doesn't matter but I thought the red bay snook cichlid (which I'm just assuming is the "snook" the OP is referring to) is a freshwater fish that originates from lakes and rivers in Mexico. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Could be. When I hear the term "snook" I assume the person means common snook. Especially someone from Florida where snook are everywhere and a huge game fish.

 

Could be. When I hear the term "snook" I assume the person means common snook. Especially someone from Florida where snook are everywhere and a huge game fish.

Oh I see, the assumption makes sense.

 

Yes red bay snook lol I didn't think I would have to specify not the saltwater kind my brother picked it up at a lfs and added it without quarantine without my knowledge as a surprise.

 

Is there a fish veterinarian in your city? This sounds like 1000's $ of fish, you need to see a veterinarian.

 

I have a tendency to want what I cannot have.
That's one of my few flaws. LOL !!!
Having said that, I would absolutely love to have a red asian arowana.

BTW: I also want a BugattI Veyron.

OMG!!!! That is GORGEOUS!!!!

 

Is there a fish veterinarian in your city? This sounds like 1000's $ of fish, you need to see a veterinarian.

It is around $3500 worth of fish but sadly no there are not any within an hour or more drive.

I'm not even going to comment on what legal and what's not I just want to save them so that is not helpful whatsoever. I just lost a large redshoulder severum and my King Kong parrot.

 

I would be so sad! All I can say, you know more than me, is air, and water changes!

There is a youtube video where a fish doctor anaesthetises one a big koi I think and does an operation. I think that you need to get totes and put them in each with airstones like a hospital ward and don't try to treat them all together but treat them separately. The really sick ones might die, but the less sick ones might live.

 

I would add furan 2 to the medication list.
It is safe and commonly used with kanamycin for cloumnaris and other similar bacterial issues.
Do you have any experience with potassium permanganate?
You might want to shut off the water drip during treatment time to keep the meds at full strength.

 

I would add furan 2 to the medication list.
It is safe and commonly used with kanamycin for cloumnaris and other similar bacterial issues.
Do you have any experience with potassium permanganate?
You might want to shut off the water drip during treatment time to keep the meds at full strength.

I just ordered kanaplex to be here speed shipped by tomorrow, I live in a small town with no aquatic anything so I have to order specially meds. Do you believe furan would help? I'm stuck I'm a cycle of if I shut the water change to treat the nitrates raise, I have to do a major water change that being a 400g tank I have to use straight well water which is 72 f which is stressful because I do not have a 200 gallon Reservoir. I can't even identify what this is to be sure I'm treating with the right meds and not knowing if medicating them is more stressful than giving constant clean water and stress guard

 

can you use a bathtub as a reservoir, a pond pump to move the water? Silly thought but just throwing it in there.

 

I don't believe kanaplex required extra water changes as it dissapates after 24-48 hours, not even necessary to add carbon to remove it. I don't know about Furan 2 though, sorry, no experience there.
See if you can contact/call a professional, look at universities and highly rated fish vets. They should be able to give you a rough idea over the phone, I've done this with specialized reptile vets. They may not be able to tell you exactly what it is, but they should be able to get in the general area and name some good meds

 

Good luck with your fish!!!! I hope they feel better soon!!!

 

Important - A HUGE list of aquatic vets
Try giving some of these people a call, see what they say

 

As a forum we should be more organized and be better at staying on topic. I apologize kaleyconniving if any of us made you feel like if your fish current condition isn't important. I know what it feels like, trust me, I was in a similar situation with my fish years ago. But you will get through this.

Now on to the situation, I honestly believe that you are dealing with some sort of disease that was contracted due to the unquaritined snook cichlid. As already stated by a member, I would dose with furan as well, if not then at least the kanaplex. Dose, keep water pristine, and hope for the best.

 

We are VERY sorry!!! We hope your fish feel better!!!

 

The OP has a good point. As a forum we should be more organized and be better at staying on topic. I apologize kaleyconniving if any of us made you feel like if your fish current condition isn't important. I know what it feels like, trust me, I was in a similar situation with my fish years ago. But you will get through this.

Now on to the situation, I honestly believe that you are dealing with some sort of disease that was contracted due to the unquaritined snook cichlid. As already stated by a member, I would dose with furan as well, if not then at least the kanaplex. Dose, keep water pristine, and hope for the best.

I appreciate it, you recommend API furan-2 or hikarI bifuran? I've never really dealt with it before, never had these kind if issues..

Oh man, so sorry for your loses I don't know much about these kinds of fish, but this does sound like some massive disease got in with the snook, possibly a protazoa like Chilodonella. Were they rubbing on anything?

Actually surprised the erythromycin didn't wipe out your cycle, but you sound like you're on top of it on that front. Where does the water for the constant drip-change come from? Do you have an RO reservoir?

No rubbing, the ones that are a bit active swim towards the jets and kind of shake.. there seems to be slime coat stripping on them or something strange going on there

 

The thread has been cleaned up.
It is really not fair to divert attention from the Op’s problem, stay on topic.
Any further posts not on topic will be removed & if necessary warnings issued.

 

 

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I am so sorry. Are any still alive?

 

I am so sorry. Are any still alive?

Only the 12" bass, all my big bass are dead. All catfish, Jaguar, Oscars, severums, and 1 arowana is left. Why would the biggest beefiest fish die first?

 

Yes red bay snook lol I didn't think I would have to specify not the saltwater kind my brother picked it up at a lfs and added it without quarantine without my knowledge as a surprise.

... *reaches through the internet to Gibbs-smack your bro*

That is heartbreaking. I am so sorry, and wish I could be of more help. I don't think a protozoa would have killed everything so fast--they can take months to become established, and weeks to several days to kill. But if you can, even calling a vet for a consult might be the best.

 

wow I'm sorry about your loss! I'm sure keeping at 400g tank is not easy and I can't even imagine losing all those nice fish!

 

Sorry for the loss. Shocking how it’s happening so fast. I would suggest moveing what’s left into a different tank and maybe raising the temp high enough to kill the parasite maybe add salt too. Again just suggestions. Also call the place where the snook was bought. Just to see if the rest died and if they might know what happened.