Issues with my tank! please help!!!!

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babygirl020173

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 15, 2014
8
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NH
Hello, This is the second time that I have had problems with this tank. About 2 months ago I lost an 18" 7 y.o Marble Sailfin Pleco, a 7" 7 y.o spotted "pim" pictus cat, a record size 7" 7y.o Rare Jet Black Red tail Shark, and a 7 y.o Tiger barb that was as round as a 14 oz jar top due to an aggressive bacteria called costia that was introduced into my tank when I 6 Black Skirts, 5 Giant Danios, and 2 new Tiger Barbs into my tank. It was so agressive that it set a cycle that I couldn't stop. I asked The "Aquatic Specialist" at Petco what to do. She asked what I had for fish I told her. She advised me to use Aquarium Salt and API Ich treatment in my tank. Knowing I had Scaleless fish. I was not aware that I could not use either of these substances at the time either. I guess you could say I was ignorant of the contents of the substances. Slowely exactly 2 weeks to the day of adding the new fish My shark was covered with the white spots you could barely tell he was Black. I 1st found my pim dead I thought it was stress then that night the Shark had white spots. The next day I was observing the new fish as they showed no signs of sickness and I watched 3 swiming and all of a sudden they just dropped to the bottom of my tank dead. I brought the 3 fish back to Petco along with a water samole and my numbers were zero across the board. Once again Knowing what I had in my tank for fish they told me to Coppersafe (a big nono for Plecos of any kind and Sharks) and then the next day my Extremly large Barb died. Then that day I went back to Petco and Informed them if my Pleco died there would be a law suit. The next Morning My Shark was dead and then that night my Pleco died. To make this long story short over $5000.00 worth of damage done between fish, tank orniments and filter media. Not including the cost of tank and Canister filter system. My tank has been set up once again for 5 weeks with fish and it has been running a total of 9 weeks. Now once again I have now lost 4 Albino Rainbow Sharks 1 female gold gourami, 2 rainbow Sharks and one black red tail shark. My new Marble sailfin started showing signs of white spots and so did my 2 remaining sharks so I put them in a hospital tank. I have 6 Tiger barbs, and 2 gouramis still in the large tank and they seem ok except 1 barb is swimming funny kind of like he has a swim bladder issue but that is it. What should I do? I have called marine specialists and they don't know what is going on. I cannot do salt bats to the Pleco. Any amount of salt no matter how small of a dose it is, is toxic to them and there is no safe ich treatment if this is what is going on. Nor is there any bacteria treatment safe for plecos either. What can I use and please don't tell my liquid Garlic or salt.
Thanks
Laurie
 
I will give you as much help as I can in no particular order.
First of all, I have used aquarium salt (from API) with plecos with no ill effects. Second of all, did you filter your tank before you set it up again?
Third of all, you overstock the tank both times. Fourth of all, your fish had ick, i believe, the first time and that's why they all died, and they have it again now. Fifth of all, you gave fish ick the first time with the addition of the tetras. Sixth of all, the ick probably stayed in the gravel until your new stock came in. Seventh of all, did you quarantine your new fish. Eight of all, are you sure it was a bacteria that did all of the damage? And last of all,.... the "aquarium specialist at any chain pet store is almost never a true aquarium specialist.
 
babygirl020173 said:
Hello, This is the second time that I have had problems with this tank. About 2 months ago I lost an 18" 7 y.o Marble Sailfin Pleco, a 7" 7 y.o spotted "pim" pictus cat, a record size 7" 7y.o Rare Jet Black Red tail Shark, and a 7 y.o Tiger barb that was as round as a 14 oz jar top due to an aggressive bacteria called costia that was introduced into my tank when I 6 Black Skirts, 5 Giant Danios, and 2 new Tiger Barbs into my tank. It was so agressive that it set a cycle that I couldn't stop. I asked The "Aquatic Specialist" at Petco what to do. She asked what I had for fish I told her. She advised me to use Aquarium Salt and API Ich treatment in my tank. Knowing I had Scaleless fish. I was not aware that I could not use either of these substances at the time either. I guess you could say I was ignorant of the contents of the substances. Slowely exactly 2 weeks to the day of adding the new fish My shark was covered with the white spots you could barely tell he was Black. I 1st found my pim dead I thought it was stress then that night the Shark had white spots. The next day I was observing the new fish as they showed no signs of sickness and I watched 3 swiming and all of a sudden they just dropped to the bottom of my tank dead. I brought the 3 fish back to Petco along with a water samole and my numbers were zero across the board. Once again Knowing what I had in my tank for fish they told me to Coppersafe (a big nono for Plecos of any kind and Sharks) and then the next day my Extremly large Barb died. Then that day I went back to Petco and Informed them if my Pleco died there would be a law suit. The next Morning My Shark was dead and then that night my Pleco died. To make this long story short over $5000.00 worth of damage done between fish, tank orniments and filter media. Not including the cost of tank and Canister filter system. My tank has been set up once again for 5 weeks with fish and it has been running a total of 9 weeks. Now once again I have now lost 4 Albino Rainbow Sharks 1 female gold gourami, 2 rainbow Sharks and one black red tail shark. My new Marble sailfin started showing signs of white spots and so did my 2 remaining sharks so I put them in a hospital tank. I have 6 Tiger barbs, and 2 gouramis still in the large tank and they seem ok except 1 barb is swimming funny kind of like he has a swim bladder issue but that is it. What should I do? I have called marine specialists and they don't know what is going on. I cannot do salt bats to the Pleco. Any amount of salt no matter how small of a dose it is, is toxic to them and there is no safe ich treatment if this is what is going on. Nor is there any bacteria treatment safe for plecos either. What can I use and please don't tell my liquid Garlic or salt.
Thanks
Laurie
Click to expand...
I don't understand what you are trying to convey in red.
 
Every thing in my tank was replaced new it filtered for a month before I put any fish in it I don't have tetras They are Tiger barbs which are Barbs not Tetras I have new Sand all my filter media is brand new. My fish were all quarantined for 3 to 4 weeks before they were added in with the 1st 6 new Tiger Barbs all is separate tanks per species when I got them. I have 2 10 gallans running at all times and they are changed when new fish are put in before they go into my community tank. and yes I am sure it was costia my Pleco was sent to a marine lab to confirm with in 3 hours of me finding him dead. And yes I now know I do not buy from pet stores anymore I go direct through an Aquatic specialist that is an affiliate of ATM here in NH. And they Quarantine all fish they work with the Aquariums around here or anywhere for that matter.
 
Well you are the first person I have every known to every have that bacteria.
I meant barbs, not tetras, sorry. Parasites and diseases can stay hidden on a fish for months and may only come out when the fish is comfortable That's why I quarantine my fish for about a month and a half before putting them into established tanks. The disease still sounds like ick to me. And your tank was overstocked. Try again with ONE rainbow shark. Remove the barbs that is swimming funny and quarantine him.
 
When my light is on the one barb swims like it is killing him. So now I only have the 6 Barbs 2 Gouarmis 1 black red tail shark and my pleco I will remove the Barb and watch him to see what happens. But in the mean time do you know of anything to treat my tank with? Have you heard anything good about Melafix and Pima fix. They both say they are safe for Scaleless but I am nervous about using anything anymore. I have never had issues with my tank before and I have had this set up for 7 years and I had a 55 before for many years and never a problem.
 
I thought it was Ich also at first. but when they started to die and I bagged them each one bled from the gills a major tell tale sign of the bacteria. So I was quite shocked myself. I ran so rampid through my tank every thing except for the petco fish (all but 3) survived because I removed them and brought them back where all the barbs died within 3 days.
 
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