An unknown disease I had, with a horrible smell.

[Nabbig2]

I know it's late, but I really want to know about this. Quite a few months ago, in my 10g, I had some guppies and a little pleco. They started to dissapear, and I found out that the pleco's poop seemed to have some guppy remains in it...the tank started to smell bad, and, if I remember right, all the fish died quickly.
The tank smelled very disgusting, like rotten eggs, or dead fish, or something, and it infected my whole room, and I had to remove the tank and get my room sprayed. So a while later, I got 3 black skirt tetras and a guppy. A couple weeks after, they got sick again, and the aquarium started to smell very bad again. The fish seemed to have some white skin falling off of them, and I put them seperately into plastic bowls. One tetra, and the guppy made it, but they aren't alive anymore right now.
I got rid of the filter, and the gravel, and washed the tank thoroughly.

I'd really appreciate it if I could find out what the hell this problem is. If I go smell the 10g right now, it doesn't smell so good, but it's not a problem now, and I only smell it when I open the top and almost touch my nose to the water. Thanks.

 

[soulFish]

sounds like bacteria

 

[Nabbig2]

It could be, I have no clue. I need to find out how to prevent it.

 

[Nabbig2]

I think it's appropriate to bump this now, it's been very long.

I can also start to smell it again, not good...if I could get help, I would really appreciate it. I have a male convict in the 10g, and I just added some water yesterday (with the dechlorinating chemicals), it's starting to smell a little bad again.

 

[Euge]

What are your Water parameters like?

 

[Nabbig2]

My pH is about 6, and the temperature stays in the mid 70's. I'm sorry, I don't know the nitrates, I have never had a test kit for one. I just have one convict male that is about 4 inches. I researched on the internet, and I think it might be from bacteria in the gravel or something, maybe because of overfeeding?

I've never known what this problem is, it's really strange and it's haunting me again. It is starting to stink up my whole dang room. I'm posting this on MFKers, because most people are very knowleagable, maybe somebody can help, that would be very appreciated.

 

[Lupin]

Anaerobic bacteria on compact substrate. What are your ammonia and nitrites?

 

[guppy]

It sounds like you need more tank maintainance, esp. gravel vac. The smell is from hydrogen sulfides which is very toxic. As lupin said, this is usually from anerobic bacteria in the substrate, also in undisturbed pockets of accumulated waste.

 

[Nabbig2]

Oh, okay, thanks. So I guess I will have to vaccum clean the gravel. But how does this form, just from waste like food falling to the bottom? It seem like something is wrong...what can I do to permanently get rid of this?

 

[arkmann]

Disclosure: This post may and can be taken be out of context so I am providing a disclosure regarding my aim not to derail the thread in any way.

When, I first read your thread title I thought that you had a debilitating disease like leprosy or something similar. You did mention YOU had an unknown disease. I almost laughed out loud when I read the body of the thread....

Regarding the "disease" or bacteria that in your tank, hopefully, the knowledgeable members of this site can help you with that.