Down to Three Fishes....T_T

[Majah]

Yes...I just lost 4 fishes. Two this morning, one the other day, and one a couple of days after I returned from my trip.

I thought when I lost the first fish that it may be normal due to an illness since I remember him having a redish color in the gills before I left. It was my bigger albino krib. A few days after I saw him with the gills...it returned to normal..so I thought that whatever it was, its not there anymore. Then when I got back from my trip...he's gone...floating at his sides. It was a shame coz I've had him ever since he was barely half an inch.

But still I am used to loosing fishes...so I've accepted it quite well. I didn't change the water for quite a while so it could also be a factor.

After that I finally changed the water.. 50% ...large quantity due to the death. Applied my usual water conditioner and anti-chlorine. But...then...
the dying didn't stop!

Death Chart:
Wednesday: lost an albino krib
Thursday: lost my favorite clown loach! (I had him for a year in a half! another fish which i first have barely an inch...he's almost 3 inches when he died. you know how slow clown loaches grow. and to think he is the brightest among the bunch crying )
Friday: No deaths
Saturday: lost another albino krib and my little yellow lab cichlid!

This is not normal. I'm loosing my fishes one by one. That's why I thought I should post here...asap.

This morning when I woke up...there was some kind of small white residue floating on top of the tank's water. Could this be the cause? If its a chemical from our tap water...didn't the anti-chlorine and water conditioner handled it?

Observing the dead fishes' bodies, here's what I got:
First Albino krib: had a touch of reddish color at the gills area (could be parasite? ) not that red...just a light blush..it is easy to see since he is white.
Clown Loach: gills fine, body fine...but his fins where tattered. I don't see him loosing his fins the night before he died. it could very well be that the other fishes bit him after he died.
Second Albino Krib: fins intack...but also has a light reddish color in the gills.
Yellow Lab Cichlid: He looks fine...aside from the fact that he lost his color.

What I've done so far:
- change the water (2nd time this week) a massive 70%-80%
(i want to get rid of that floating residue)
- the usual dose of water conditioner
- salt (taking in account a possible parasite)

As for other medicines...I don't know what to put...so I am playing safe and wait for you guys to reply. The other fishes seems to be doing fine...except for one elongatus cichlid which seems to be loosing its blue color.

BTW, I live in a tropical country and its summer; A very hot summer...one of the hottest. Would it be possible that during afternoons, the tanks temperature goes up...could it be a factor of the deaths? My tank is outside...so its normally hotter there. But I believe cichlids and clown loaches are warm water fishes.
(for the exception of one koi...don't ask why he is there...coz I wouldn't know how to answer you.)


I'm getting worried. This is the first time I've lost fishes day by day.  

[supercoolbandgeek]

I've lost quite a few fish (probably because my tank is so new), but I tried using maracyn and that helped (I'm pretty sure they were dying because of fin rot). Also, later on there was a parasite in my tank (I only saw one), so I put coppersafe in, and I haven't seen it since. Don't know if that's really any help to you since I'm not sure what your fish are dying from.  

[Majah]

i don't think it is from fin rot...but i would like to analyze more before putting in coppersafe.

Too much chemicals may not be good.  

[Sandi21]

[ Message temporarily off-line ]  

[falcons_dark_star]

hmmm... that is odd... my mom has been loosing all of her angels and gruamis... they have all gotten some sort of bug or something...it statrs with a little sore that almost looks like a burn or bite mark, then it slowly spreades and becomes a hole that you can see into their bodies through, then they die. by time we catch it, they are too close to dead to do anything. we have gotten every medicine the fish store told us to,change the water, even did compleate tank changes, but nothing works. within 3 months, she has lost 10 fish. the really odd thing is its only the angels and gruamis...  

[Majah]

Sandi21

What are your nitrates, nitrites and ammonia levels at??? And how big is this tank? Was it ever properly cycled? How much do you usually (when there are no deaths) remove when doing a water change and how often? The high temps would probably only affect them if it was over like 87?F. If you tank gets so hot in the summer get some kinda cooling fan or you'll boil your fish.

Is your tank in the sun? What kind of filtration are you suing?

I don't own a kit to check the levels. It's too expensive (from where I live) I don't think its the cycling. Coz it is not a new tank. It's been running for a year and half now with no problem. Oh wait...It did have a problem before but with my angels getting finrot. I lost two coz I wasn't able to get the medicine. The last angel got treated, though...but he is not in that tank now.

This particular tank is only 15 gal. It has small cichlids and of course, the clown loaches. I can't transfer them to a bigger tank yet coz I think we might be changing residence.

87F? What's that in C? We use C in our country. I, most of the time. change water every week.(20%) then 50% every month and a half. But recently I wasn't able to change the water for 2-3 weeks (I think...I got busy with work) That's why I did a 50% when I got back. I have an overhead+submersible filter/motor. Also an undergravel...but I only use its base to hold pebbles.

The tank doesn't get direct sunlight. There is shade protecting it from the sun.

As for report: There are no deaths today....thank gawd...but the fishes are behaving strangely. They seem to be scared of people. This is unsual for them, since the tank is outside, people in the house just go about and pass by...the fishes were used to it. They even come close to you when you stop by the tank. But now...everytime someone stops by...they swim far away. I've looking at the surroundings...for a new object that might be frightening them...but nothing...everything looks the same.

Plus...I drop them bloodworms this morning. Before, they would meet the food...half-way...now they just stayed low in the water...waiting for it to come down on their face. I think they are eating less. And to think that I didn't give them food yesterday. (Ei..this is the first time I skipped giving them food...I just felt that the water condition needs to settle in)

Don't tell me they are depressed for loosing their tank mates.
(Is there such a thing? )  

[The Magic Pimpbus]

Once, I lost four fishies overnight! gonk And that day we were going to the aquarium... It made me sad and I wanted my fishies back D:  

[Majah]

Tuesday: another fish died...

Here's the pic of the dead fish. If anyone can give me some input...please...I'm so worried.









Worst comes to worst...I'm going to cycle another tank and take them out from that one. I just hope that the cycling in the other tank will be done before everyone in that tank dies.  

[WindBlownBeauty]

That happened to me. I loved those fish and *BlooP* dead. The previous fish had lasted five years +, those others, five days tops. ;-; But I kept buying them and naming them and they would die. After I went through about nine, I gave up.  

[Majah]

I've lost fishes before...who doesn't anyway? But the thing is...this is the first time I've been loosing them a day after another. crying  

[Chemicat]

Wow, you've lost a lot of fishies.

I'm afraid I can't help, since I don't know as much as most of you guys... but I hope that whatever is happening in your tank, stops soon! crying  

[Kansai_Gal]

I don't know how to help. Are you sure no stores will water test for you? sweatdrop

Maybe it's like... fishy TB or something.  

[Majah]

I don't think the small petstores near me has testers... i see these stores as those that goes by their own intuition in regards to water conditions.

Anyway, I have a friend (the one that got me into fishes ) and he told me that my tank probably got infested with something. He will be giving me a medicine (I forgot the name) which he claims is the first-aid when something like this happens. He says it might help.

Now on the side note: My grandmother has her own analysis. She still claims that the tank gets way hotter than it should be during the afternoons. Do you know what she did yesterday? (I was at work) She dropped two large cubes of ice in the tank.

My analysis this morning:

No fish died, and it seems that they are eating better. The last cichlid I have seemed to have regained his blue and stripes color.

Could grandma be right about the temperature? Or is this just a coincedence? If it's only the temperature...then should I still place the medicine my friend's going to give to me?

(tnx by the way for posting and symphatizing...I saw the pics of my old tank setup with every fish and live plants inside...I felt so sad that it was now reduced to a few fishes. I even took out the live plants...)  

[Majah]

Ok...I spoke too soon. I lost another fish when I arrived home from work tonight.

Wednesday: another elongatus died

That was...my last cichlid... crying And here I thought he is doing well since his color went back...but no...I found him at the bottom of the tank...pale...very pale... xp

What;s left is koi, 2 clown loaches and a small pleco. That's about it. crying  

[Kansai_Gal]

Besides the obvious shock from the temperature, would your grandmother have put in undecholorinated ice? sweatdrop I'd at least add some decholorinator ASAP.
Some aquarium salt might not be a bad step either, it's kind of a tonic for fish because it keeps them from wasting their energy avoiding osmosis.