My 3 florida Gars, All dead in 3 weeks...WTF happened?!?!?!

SSmokinn SS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 20, 2009
163
1
0
NY
I am beyond clueless about this one. It all started 3 weeks ago when I can come and my smallest gar was dead. He was 13".

the following week, my biggest gar was dead. I went to sleep and he was acting normal. Woke up and he was dead on the bottom. He was almost 20".

Now, as I am sitting here I am literally watching my last and longest owned gar, die infront of me. Again, randomly. Came home from work after 5:30 and he was fine. Literally 20 minutes ago I walked into the room to see him twitching on the bottom, upside down. He is 16".

I had all 3 of these gars, for almost 2 years. I did a gravel cleaning once a week and a 20% water change during that. I have never had a single problem with my fish dieing, like this. My tire track eel that I have owned for almost 2 years, just died last week as well.

here is a old video of the gars. RIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5opga8434KY
 

Polypterus

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2005
2,839
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You clearly have a serious poisoning issue.. What is going on with your water? I'm not saying your negligent I'm saying what is going on with the water you are putting in there.. Test the water out of the TAP... Has there been any insecticides used around where you live? Anything you can think of that might have changed lately?
 

Angler

Polypterus
MFK Member
May 8, 2007
6,736
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Colorado
Dang, sorry for your losses. I agree with Pejelajarto. There's gotta be some new factor. Perhaps you are dealing with parasites. When was the last time you introduced other fish? Do you use feeders?
 

SSmokinn SS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 20, 2009
163
1
0
NY
Dang, sorry for your losses. I agree with Pejelajarto. There's gotta be some new factor. Perhaps you are dealing with parasites. When was the last time you introduced other fish? Do you use feeders?

I dont use feeders. I havent for years. I always fed them krill or Tilapia. I would slice up the tilapia and feed them.

for a few weeks I noticed they all stopped eating. Parasites were my first reaction as well. No I havent introduced any other fish in that tank, besides my rtc that was in my other tank, but the two other gars died before he was even in there.
 

SSmokinn SS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 20, 2009
163
1
0
NY
You clearly have a serious poisoning issue.. What is going on with your water? I'm not saying your negligent I'm saying what is going on with the water you are putting in there.. Test the water out of the TAP... Has there been any insecticides used around where you live? Anything you can think of that might have changed lately?

I have a test kit here, but how do I test the water out of the tap?

if it was the tap water tho I was using for the water changes, wouldnt my arowana's and rtc be affected as well tho?
 

floridagar

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 18, 2010
630
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chicago
did you notice anything abnormal about how they were breathing before they died?? because i agree something was wrong with the water being put into the tank.
 

SSmokinn SS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 20, 2009
163
1
0
NY
did you notice anything abnormal about how they were breathing before they died?? because i agree something was wrong with the water being put into the tank.

nope. The only thing I noticed out of the ordinary was they were hovering at the top alot more. They use to hangout mid level or on the bottom.
 

Polypterus

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2005
2,839
8
68
49
Detroit
I have a test kit here, but how do I test the water out of the tap?

if it was the tap water tho I was using for the water changes, wouldnt my arowana's and rtc be affected as well tho?
They might be affected very soon if that is the issue.. For as much as people think Gars are really hardy they really are very sensitive to some things. Chemicals such as chlorine, and anti parasite meds and insecticides do them in very quick. Aro's and RTC are not really as sensitive to these things and can suffer a bit more through it. Really think hard about what has been going on around the tank lately and if you have noticed anything with the water out of your tap.
 

piranhaman00

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Sep 15, 2009
1,917
553
150
Wisconsin
I have a test kit here, but how do I test the water out of the tap?

if it was the tap water tho I was using for the water changes, wouldnt my arowana's and rtc be affected as well tho?
mmmm you would think...so it must not be water?
 
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