My Fish Death Log - It's Fungus!!!

Mar. 3
I changed the food in the auto feeder to having more granules than flakes. I have never done this before.

Mar. 4
I painted a bathroom on the main floor, which shares a wall with my living room where my tank is located. I did not cover the tank, but I ventilated the bathroom.

Mar. 5
In the evening my swordtail died at the bottom of the tank. He seemed weak as he took his last few breaths. He died quickly. I scooped him out, looked him over, saw no signs of obvious illness. Water parameters were good, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 20 Nitrate.

Mar. 6
This afternoon, I discovered one of my guppies had died in the same spot as the swordtail, except I had gotten to him too late, as just his torso remained. I'm doing a water change tonight, just in case there are toxins in the water. I'm also going to revert back to having more flakes than granules in the auto feeder. Also important to note, the fish seem normal and happy, Rainbowfish are coloured up, one turquoise showing yellow.

Mar. 7
This morning everyone seemed to be great. Afternoon, noticed a grey patch on my betta who then appeared to be hiding, a small patch on a turquoise rainbow, and a raised white patch on a boesemanI - both rainbows were swimming around as normal. Appears to be fungus. Removed carbon, did a 50% water change, treated entire tank with API Fungus Cure.

Mar. 8
Betta is out of hiding, swimming around. Everyone else swimming around as normal. No deaths

Mar. 10
Everyone still happy and alive.

 

I don't think it would have been the change in diet, but I do know that pellets are a lot more dense than flakes so you would normally feed a lot less. However if the fish showed no signs or bloating or being overfed I don't think it would have been that.

I have never painted while fish are nearby so I don't know if that could cause problems but id do a water change just in case.

 

I don't think it would have been the change in diet, but I do know that pellets are a lot more dense than flakes so you would normally feed a lot less. However if the fish showed no signs or bloating or being overfed I don't think it would have been that.

I have never painted while fish are nearby so I don't know if that could cause problems but id do a water change just in case.

Thank you! It could be the pellets (I hope), I actually didn't decrease the feeding. Thank you for that

 

I can't see the paint having that effect on the tank, especially if the bathroom was ventilated. To be on the safe side do a 50% water change and gravel vac. Use Prime to condition the new water.

 

I can't see the paint having that effect on the tank, especially if the bathroom was ventilated. To be on the safe side do a 50% water change and gravel vac. Use Prime to condition the new water.

Thanks! I'm really hoping it wasn't the paint, because I still have a coat to do. Yes, prime and stability

 

If in dought when you do the next coat of paint throw a blanket over the tank

 

Curious...why are you using an auto-feeder?
Some other details were left out. Have you ruled out water parameters?

 

What other fish are in this tank....the whole "only torso left" has got me scratching my head.

 

What other fish are in this tank....the whole "only torso left" has got me scratching my head.

I have a controversial community, all juvis or young adults and 3" or smaller. Everyone is mostly peaceful, never any nipping, the odd chase away and that's it. But that's one thing I always keep an eye on, especially with my alpha/queen betta:

Female Bettas x 4, Guppies x 5, Danios x 5, Ghost Catfish x 4, Denison Barbs x 6, BoesemanI x 3, Turquoise Rainbowfish x 3

FYI - everyone is alive and well this morning after the 50% water change and food change and reduction

 

Ok my update is fungus. Not apparent on the two that died. But I see a patch on my betta and on two rainbows. Only thing available is API Fungus Cure. I have no choice, I'm on it. If anyone is free and experienced, should I quarantine the few, or treat the whole 72gal tank? Thanks for your help!

 

I'd treat the whole tank honestly.

 

I'd treat the whole tank honestly.

Thank you x million

 

no problem!

 

I’m not saying it’s not fungus, but I’d be cautious about cause and effect here. There may well be fungus, but that doesn’t mean that’s the problem u need to solve (though if u have it, it’s now a problem u have to solve).
Fungus would have set in in response to some stress. Paint fumes, overstocking, etc. If that’s the case, and u don’t resolve the primary problem, the fungus (or some other secondary issue) will continue to plague u.

 

I’m not saying it’s not fungus, but I’d be cautious about cause and effect here. There may well be fungus, but that doesn’t mean that’s the problem u need to solve (though if u have it, it’s now a problem u have to solve).
Fungus would have set in in response to some stress. Paint fumes, overstocking, etc. If that’s the case, and u don’t resolve the primary problem, the fungus (or some other secondary issue) will continue to plague u.

Thank you for that. I'll continue to keep an eye on things. Considering what I now know, my best guess might be the fungus came when adding the 3 turquoise a week back. I am wondering if the fungus came with them, or if all of the excitement in the community caused it.

Between my bathroom and the living area, there's a door for the bathroom and a full wall, it's not an open space, nor did I paint much, and I ventilated the bathroom. I think the likelihood of the paint fumes is low.

Overstocking I wouldn't say that for now, just because the fish are all tiny and have a lot of room. Even with the large stock that I have, it isn't obvious that there's a lot of fish unless I identify them all.

But still, I'll keep an eye on things, and try not to rule anything out until some more time passes. Just to be safe.