Some background: We had two 14" FLG in our 450 and recently recieved two more at around 18". The two newer ones looked a little rough when we got them, a little tattered and a little blood from the scales that I thought was from the rough handling they recieved to get into the tank. After a while they started to perk up and look better sans a little torn fins from our leporinus being a jerk. Well, yesterday morning before work I fed a bit of food and checked on everyone and all looked good. I came home to find one of the 18"ers floating dead and one of the smaller ones completely covered in fuzz, milky eyes, white, and a severely swollen tongue. I discarded the dead fish and did a 50% water change, but midway through, the gar spazzed and died. Now the two remaining gars are completely covered in fuzz and are lethargic. The strange thing is that all the tankmates: two 18" Limas, an 8" scomb, two little lace cats and a four line all look perfect. (we found a new home for the leporinus in fear of more damage)
I'm under the impression that if there is a bacteria present that the barbels on the cats would start to deteriorate, but they are flawless. They all ate about 5 handfuls of massivore and are still hungry today. The gars are the only ones affected. Is there a chance that the gars given to us had a bacteria that possibly adapted to only gars (they had no tankmates)? This may seem far fetched, but I have no idea why some of the sturdiest fish we own are being taken down. I also have no idea of what could do this in 11 hours!
Before WC (I have no idea how long the gar was dead before finding it)
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 60-75
If anyone has any input or knows of some super gar-killing virus, it's greatly appreciated!
I'm under the impression that if there is a bacteria present that the barbels on the cats would start to deteriorate, but they are flawless. They all ate about 5 handfuls of massivore and are still hungry today. The gars are the only ones affected. Is there a chance that the gars given to us had a bacteria that possibly adapted to only gars (they had no tankmates)? This may seem far fetched, but I have no idea why some of the sturdiest fish we own are being taken down. I also have no idea of what could do this in 11 hours!
Before WC (I have no idea how long the gar was dead before finding it)
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 60-75
If anyone has any input or knows of some super gar-killing virus, it's greatly appreciated!