10G and tiger barbs = BIG die-off. Help!

[chuckf]

:help: Well, disaster overtook one of my barb tanks. It started when one barb died. I figured that it was shock, then in rapid succession two more died, one with white fuzzy spots all over it. The two plecs I had started acting odd, swimming in the front corners of the tank. That was 2-3 days ago. I checked the tank last night and every single fish except for a tiny SAE died.

What happened? I assume the white dots were ich, but does this disease affect corys and pleecos too? Can it kill a whole tank in a matter of days? I have to get some tester kits but - help! :help:

[Deleted User]

Hi

Sorry you have had such bad luck.

How long has your tank been going ?

[Eddie]

How long was this tank running prior to placing these fish in/had it been properly cycled?

How many fish did you have in your 10 gallon?

How fast were they all introduced?

[chuckf]

How long was this tank running prior to placing these fish in/had it been properly cycled?

How many fish did you have in your 10 gallon?

How fast were they all introduced?
I had this tank running for about 2 months with two plecos, a cody , a algae eater and three zebra danios with a number of snails and live plants (Java Moss and Elodea) before I added 4 tiger barbs.

[tanks4thememories]

I had this tank running for about 2 months with two plecos, a cody , a algae eater and three zebra danios with a number of snails and live plants (Java Moss and Elodea) before I added 4 tiger barbs.

sounds like you overloaded the tank and the toxins killed the fish. The ich and other deseases were just symptoms not the cause. There are all kinds of bad stuff in the water all the time just like for humans but when your fish are healthy thier immune system protects them. When water quality gets poor or any other stressful event happens your fish get stressed and then the nasties take hold. Do you have any test kits? When did you change water last? Did you change water when first fish died?

[Eddie]

What sort of filtration do you have?

[troy]

What is a cody?:confused:

[chuckf]

sounds like you overloaded the tank and the toxins killed the fish. The ich and other deseases were just symptoms not the cause. There are all kinds of bad stuff in the water all the time just like for humans but when your fish are healthy thier immune system protects them. When water quality gets poor or any other stressful event happens your fish get stressed and then the nasties take hold. Do you have any test kits? When did you change water last? Did you change water when first fish died?
So I guess it was balanced on the edge and the barbs pushed it over? I changed the water before I put the barbs in but there was only days after I saw the first dead fish and the big die-off. I have an old AquaClear 50. I was buying the test kit the next day.

[Owlbehere]

What is a cody?:confused:
I think it was a typo for a cory

[chuckf]

I think it was a typo for a cory
Sorry, I meant cory. DIdn't know that ick could kill them

[tanks4thememories]

So I guess it was balanced on the edge and the barbs pushed it over? I changed the water before I put the barbs in but there was only days after I saw the first dead fish and the big die-off. I have an old AquaClear 50. I was buying the test kit the next day.

yup
sorry:scry:

[Lady Hobbs]

Ick and fungus is very common in fish that are stressed and nothing will stress them faster than a tank with toxins. Are you doing weekly water changes?

[chuckf]

Ick and fungus is very common in fish that are stressed and nothing will stress them faster than a tank with toxins. Are you doing weekly water changes?
No, I do them once or twice a month. Now, I'm curious, if I wanted to start over with this tank can I just drain it, rinse it and refill it or should I throw out all gravel, decorations and plastic/real plants and start with new? ALso should just go with the third option and toss everything out, tank and all?