Help, I'm losing fish!

[luvmypets]

Hello all, this is my first post on AC - happy to be here. So, here is my problem (possible problems). About 3 weeks ago I made a newbie mistake. I added 10 new guppies to my 50 long and stressed out my fish. (My QT tank had a betta in it and I didn't want my new guppies eaten). Lesson learned and now I've been dealing with the after math. I noticed that 2 fish were missing and I found them dead. I took out my API freshwater kit and found that my nitrites were VERY high - 2.0. Everything else was within normal limits. I did a 50% water change, did a substrate vacuum, added API freshwater aquarium salt and added 5 times the normal dose of seachem Prime as directed on the back for "nitrite emergency." I then put the moon lights on. The next morning I tested again. This time my nitrites was .25 and again everything else was within normal limits. I did a small water change and added 1 capful of prime and turned the moon lights on so they could "relax." The next morning I tested again and happily everything was within normal limits, including my nitrites.........nitrites 0, nitrates 0, ammonia 0, PH 6.7. I thought I was out of the woods but a few days later...ICH! I treated with copper safe (I knew it would kill my snails and ghost shrimp but I was ok with it, as long as I didn't loose a fish!). Of note, my ghost shrimp made it, tough little guys :) I chose coppersafe as it was less work for me (I have neck and back problems). Anyway, I treated as indicated, turned the heat up to 86F and did a good vacuum. Everything looked fine. Now, I'm seeing fin rot - I thought it was fin rot but someone at the petstore told me it was simply just slits in my guppies tail and I shouldn't w!orry about it. Well, I'm worried about it because it has gotten worse and I'm seeing tail damage on my other fish. I'm also seeing what appears to be ich......looks like salt on one of my mollies! I turned the heat up to 86F and started treatment with tetra lifeguard as it appears I have many things going on in my tank so I thought it best to treat several things at once. This morning, my bala was dead :( I truly don't know what to do anymore........I figure I'm going to continue the tetra lifeguard treatment (I removed the carbon as directed) but am not sure if I should be doing anything else.......it's a 5 day treatment, am I supposed to be vacumming or doing water changes or wait until the end of the treatment????? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

In case you need to know, here's what I have: 50 long, freshwater, with one bala shark left, rainbows, neons, mollies, platties, dwarf gouramis, cichlids, ottos, neons and guppies and a betta. I have a sand substrate and it is a planted tank. Ghost shrimp are still alive - not sure if they will make it through this treatment. For filtration I have two ac70's (like I mentioned I have neck and back injuries and the extra filtration helps me keep my tank clean).

Many thanks everyone!

[Hardy85]

Based on what you have rattled off in your stock I feel like that could be a major issue...

1. Bala Sharks need to be in schools and will outgrow that tank pretty quick
2. How many rainbows do you have?
3. You should only have 1 dwarf gourami and they are territorial plus it won't work with a betta
4. What type of cichlids do you have... many of them would be too aggressive for this set up

5. Which fish are dying

[luvmypets]

Based on what you have rattled off in your stock I feel like that could be a major issue...

1. Bala Sharks need to be in schools and will outgrow that tank pretty quick
2. How many rainbows do you have?
3. You should only have 1 dwarf gourami and they are territorial plus it won't work with a betta
4. What type of cichlids do you have... many of them would be too aggressive for this set up

5. Which fish are dying

I had two balas.......so peaceful. I know I've mixed multiple fish together but they have been great....I watch them very closely. No aggression other than a dalmation molly that ate all the food - i donated him to a pet store. I have 2 dwarf gouramis who in the beginning chased each other for a day or two and now are fine. My betta is great with all the fish and has adopted a hole in one of my fake trees as his home. He's social, no flaring. my cichlids are very small and won't get bigger than 4 or 5 inches - they are "no common name cichlids." They haven't shown any signs of aggression and swim out in the open with my other fish. They even eat side by side with other fish when I drop a veggie wafer in the tank. I have the regular rainbows, 2, that will grow to be 6 inches. I put a lot of thought into my stock........and spoken to others that have this combination or a slightly different combination and have been keeping aquariums for years. Can't seem to get a hold of anyone about my current problem though. I have lost a guppy and a gourami (he's been replaced) and now a shark. The gourami I believe died from the high nitrites........he had all the classic signs. I am aware about the sharks.....but thanks for the info. I ended up taking them in from someone and was planning to get a bigger tank just for them and then all this "stuff" happened and one shark died.

[Cliff]

I chose coppersafe as it was less work for me (I have neck and back problems). Anyway, I treated as indicated, turned the heat up to 86F and did a good vacuum. Everything looked fine. Now, I'm seeing fin rot -

As you already had salt in the water, you basicall combind two very different treatment methods (heat & salt with a copper based med) then it sounds like you did a water change right away. Sounds like you are moving a little too fast. It is never a good idea to combin different treatment methods as the same time not tell what can happen. Also, when puting meds in the tank and raising your temp, you will lower the oxygen level in the water. Most people add air stones to help with that.

I would say your treatment method lead to at least some of your problems here

[luvmypets]

As you already had salt in the water, you basicall combind two very different treatment methods (heat & salt with a copper based med) then it sounds like you did a water change right away. Sounds like you are moving a little too fast. It is never a good idea to combin different treatment methods as the same time not tell what can happen. Also, when puting meds in the tank and raising your temp, you will lower the oxygen level in the water. Most people add air stones to help with that.

I would say your treatment method lead to at least some of your problems here

Ok, yes, I do agree....... i know i panicked when I saw the high Nitrites. I have two air bubblers and a bubble wand for aeration. So, what do you recommend......just treat with the tetra safe and nothing else? Do I keep the heat up......I was told that will help kill one stage of the ich that happens.

Also, I have no intention of replacing or adding any fish at this time. I added the dwarf gourami when everything seemed to be good.

[Cliff]

I would pic one option to treat the ick for your fish and allow that one treat to run it's full course, either:
A) use salt and higher temps for a least a week past the time you saw the last spot of ick disappear, or
B) use a ick med (changing nothing else about your tank) closely following the instruction on the bottle

[luvmypets]

ok, thank you. I'm going to return my heat to 78F and continue treatment with tetra lifeguard.

[Cliff]

I would suggest a very large water first (get the already added salt out of the water) and then you should set to use meds

[luvmypets]

I would suggest a very large water first (get the already added salt out of the water) and then you should set to use meds

I would but I already started the lifeguard last night at 8 pm. I've had atleast 2 water changes (15 gallons each and a vacuum) since adding the salt. Do you still think I should do the large wc and if so, how large? Right now I'm thinking I should probably leave the water since I already started treatment and instead of jumping down immediately to 78F I will turn the temp down to 80F. Would you agree or disagree?

[KevinVA]

Agreed with Cliff... too much happening at once. Overdosing probably led to stress and fish death. Sorry for your fish. =/

Something to note: If your fish are stressed, it can lead to sickness/disease. Sometimes, other sicknesses/diseases can lead to secondary infections or breakouts. Many times, these diseases will lay dormant until a fish is stressed. It's not altogether rare for this to happen, but you should understand that stress (which can occur from overstocking or stocking incorrectly) can lead to these breakouts. Many of the fish you have in your tank are extremely territorial: Bettas, Dwarf Gouramis and cichlids (depending on the cichlid). Just something to think about.