Death - Need Help IDing the problem

[sleeby]

I have lost about ten fish in the last week. All four of my GBRs, an angel, an otto, a neon, a cherry barb a serpae tetra and. . .man, I forget who.

I lost two random fish three weeks ago when I noticed a neon with a small patch of white fungus on the shank of his tail (not on the fin). It looked like there was a bump inside the body that protruded slightly on both sides - like there was a BB in there and white fungus growing on the outside.

Removed Carbon and treated with melafix and pimafix for seven days. No affect at all. Found a female GBR with four small white dots on her forehead and a flame tetra with one or two on his side. Tried Jungle Fungal tabs - one dose, waited four days and then a second dose. no affect at all.

Returned carbon and began 48 hour water changes. Four days later was yesterday and I lost about five then - some with small amounts of fungus and some with no signs at all.

This is a 100g tank with a lot of fish in it and I don't want to lose any more.

No deaths yesterday but today I noticed a barb with a hint of white fungus on its tail shank - not the fin.

Temp 75F
Amonia/Nitrites are zero
Nitrates always below 20 and currently around 5.
PH 7.8 or 7.9 (stable)

This is not ich. Could it be a parasite and I am treating for fungal without affecting the problem??

Any help apprecaited!

Edit - I have corries, ottos and syno petricola - so salt is out iirc. Looking at antibiotics now - maracyn and tetracycline. Researching them anyhow.

Edit 2 - The first loss was about three weeks ago and was a male GBR with a protruding eye. I was unsure if it was pop eye or damaged. He died two days later. No signs of eye problems since then though.

[Fishalicious]

It's sounds like Columnaris to me.... internally and externally....

See if this rings any bells...

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So sorry you are going through this xxx

[sleeby]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Not sure. Internal maybe. Just that I have not seen any fin, gill or mouth issues. The ones with signs of fungus have been on the body or, in the one case, on the forehead.

The Male GBR with the popped eye. . .his mate turned totally pale and hide in the back after his loss. I assumed that this was mouring. She died a few days ago with the other pair. Probably not related at all but. . .if that male GBR was the first then she would have had the most contact with him before he died.

Perhaps general antibiotocs such as tetracycline or maracyn2 are the next step. . .going to head home now and will stop at a store to get something. . .will not add yet though.

[sleeby]

Found a dead otto last night when I got home. Examined him with a mag glass but found nothing unusual with his flesh or fins.

Picked up some gel-tek tetracycline in case I go the route of antibiotoc and some Prazipro (praziquantel) in case it might be parasitic worm or fluke.

Waiting and watching for at least another day. No sign of fungus or abnormality in the tank at the moment but I expect more deaths. . .hopefully not though.

[sleeby]

no one died in the past 24 hours but a barb I do not want to lose will not likely make it the night. Swimming poorly, hiding and showing fungus at the base of the tail shank. . .

No other signs of problems on the other fish.

What to do?? Try melafix and Pimafix again? Antibiotics? Parasite meds? Damnit!!!!

[sleeby]

OK. I'm planning to remove carbon and start adding Kordon Rid-Ich+ (malachite green and formaldehyde) for lack of a better idea. Gotta do something more than water changes at this point.

[sleeby]

Found the barb who had signs of fungal problems on its tail shank dead this morning. It happens so fast! He was 100% fine 72 hours ago and only noticeably not fine to my eye 24 hours ago.

Replaced 30-40%% water again today. Added second dose of Mel. green after.

Eight hours later I just found my sweet black angel dead. . .she was a favorite and was seemingly fine until dead. . .no external signs of trouble.

Will continue on with Ich+ mel green meds (it cures more than Ich; which I am not dealing with). . .stopped feeding all food and started feeding the gel-tek tetracycline meds I have just as a hail mary.

All fish in there appear and act normal at this time - which seems to mean near nothing.

[sleeby]

Not sure where the edit button went so gonna dbl post (not that it matters since I'm pretty much in this one alone anyhow).

Examined the black angel as best as able. Her flesh was perfect. Opened the gill covers and the gills were very healthy looking. No signs of problems on that fish that I could find with decent mag glass; other than being deceased anyhow. Was a young fish - I had her for six months and she was quarter size when I got her.

[sleeby]

Over the past two days I have continued to use rid-Ich+ (Mal. Green) each night and daily water changes.

I may have slightly OD'd the cories Sat night. Two were not right yesterday morning. Did an immediate 40% water change and then did not add meds for 12 hours and then at half dose.

I also noticed on Sun morning that the water had turned slight cloudy (white). Not sure if that was a minicycle from the meds and constant water changes or something else (no traces of ammonia or nitrites though). Perhaps it was the cause of the problems having all died off? Things are clear again now.

No losses since the angel on Sat night. The cories all seem normal again - very close call there. No signs of problems with anyone at this time.

Any advice as to how to proceed with the rid-ich+? My plan is to continue on at 75% doses once a day for the week. It's not ich and I have no idea what I have in there but assume I should continue on for awhile to make sure it's gone.