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No idea why they're dying

captmicha

captmicha

Members
Like a month ago, I replaced clay pellet substrate with pool filter sand in three of my established tanks. I pre-washed it. I think it was Ace brand. The quartz stuff.

Each tank has about the same size layer of sand. Live plants. No CO2. PMDD ferts. Heated to around 78. Two have lighting, one gets window. Driftwood, bogwood and lava rocks.

In the 15 gallon, everything has been just peachy. No deaths. Not exactly understocked with one zebra loach, one whiptail catfish, one ancistrus, two kuhli loaches, and I think five fulk grown pig platys. And some guppy/endler fry. About five. A biowheel HOB filter. Can't remember for what size tank. Not huge.

In one 10 gallon, I've lost three of my Apistos (sensitive, I know) and an Endler. I had it stocked with around 5 male endlers, around 6 pygmy corydoras, and four small Apisto caucatoides. I have a DIY box filter AND a Whisper HOB for 5-15 gallons.

In the other 10 gallon, about 7 female guppies and endlers and two banjo catfish. Right now, I have a Whisper 5-15 in tank waterfall type filter. Previously, I had a DIY box and Whisper 5-10 gallon HOB. All had cycled media. I've lost around 5 guppies/endlers. Including one today when I just did a cleaning yesterday.

I do a 50% water change with gravel shifting a week. My water is well water. Tested and free of contaminants. Soft water fish have always done well in it.

So I did a bunch of tests for ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. The last two always come back at 0. The ammonia is coming back at 0 too, I think. It's hard to tell if it's 0 or the next reading (hard to read colors), but I think it's probably 0 bc I tested distilled water, and also a bucket of old tank water I let sit out for a week. I'm using API. Time for a new kit (2011) but it doesn't make sense to still be getting deaths following cleanings.

It could be ammonia, I guess, but I'm not seeing signs of poisoning (or any other illness either except for either dropsy or pregnant guppy/endlers). And the deaths just started around the substrate change.

But how could it be the substrate when everybody in my 15 gallon is just fine?

I haven't added anything else. I don't know of anything that could be leaching toxins and slowly killing fish.



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Becca

Becca

Members
I recently lost all of my apistos and the adult Nannacaras have all had swim bladder problems.

There was also some sort of untreatable virus one of my Rams had (lymphocystis?) that the smaller male Nannacara is also showing signs of, but my apistos never did. So far I haven't lost any fish to that, but it is sort of weird.

I used Ken's flake with Metronidazole and garlic to try to rule out any protozoan infestation and purchased the Immune Booster flake for follow-up.

It is probably not the substrate. When you changed out the water and substrate you probably ended up with some sort of cross-contamination of something infectious. It's almost impossible to prevent cross contamination when you have tanks close together, and still pretty hard when they're far apart.

The other option, given that the two tanks with problems have Whisper filters (not known for great bio filtration), is that you really impacted your bio filtration when you changed your substrate, but then you'd *probably* be seeing ammonia issues.
 
Greengirl

Greengirl

Members
There may have been some sort of chemical in the pool sand that can't be tested for either. Where did you get the pool sand? Is it used from somewhere or is it brand new?
 
captmicha

captmicha

Members
I got it brand new. It's a brand I read people use and like a lot in tbeir tanks. I also tested pH recently (getting desperate) but it's normal.

I thought I knocked out a lot of my BB but A. I should have seen at least some distress in my 15 gallon, B. It should be cycled now and I shouldn't have found two dead fish today, C. The test kit should have indicated something. The bucket of aged dirty water came back several levels high, although I know the test could be inaccurate to a degree now due to reagent nearing old age. My new kit should be here Wednesday.

If the sand was harboring chemicals, I should have seen a reflection of tbis in the 15 gallon too.

The Apistos were surface gasping before they died and thrashing and bobbing along the tank bottom, but then they're sensitive. The male endler never acted strange. A cory started to tilt but I did a water change and didn't see it happen again.

In the other 10 gallon, the female guppies/endlers would be listless and gasping near the tank bottom and probably dropsied AND pregnant. I found fry today.

So behavior is varied but points to water quality I think? But the test kit and 15 gallon's health don't indicate any water quality problems. Toxins or ammonia.

So maybe it is some viral thing? Guess it wouldn't hurt to treat. The only med I think I have on hand for viral infections is Seachem Polyguard. I'm worried about the last remaining Apisto being uber sensitive and dying from the meds. Should I dilute it?
 
Becca

Becca

Members
Polyguard doesn't treat viral infections. Honestly, I don't think there are anti-virals for fish. They barely exist for humans.
 
Becca

Becca

Members
captmicha said:
Wow, um, I feel pretty stupid. Duh, viruses. Sleep problems are rotting my brain.
Click to expand...

I know that feeling. It could be something bacterial - that would cause dropsy. What about Kana Flex/Kana Plex, whatever it is, in their food? I'm considering it for the tank where I'm having issues with swim bladder problems/lymphocystis/whatever. I just noticed an extra fat blue tetra in that tank and a wild-caught Ram that looks like he was punched in the eye. ARGH. Thankfully, it's only the one tank.
 
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