Fair warning, this thread will be a fairly long read and very disheartening.
Over the last week I've lost around 75% of my fish, mostly due to my negligence, overconfidence, and failure to adhere to many of the basic principles of fishkeeping preached on this forum. I couldn't be more ashamed, but feel I must be honest.
Some variety of incredibly deadly bacterial infection manifested and spread throughout the entire stock of my newest tank after I introduced my greater community to two new additions. I've dealt with infections in my tanks before, but never something that killed my fish as quickly as this.
3 weeks ago I purchased two large lents from a local keeper, here they are acclimating to their new tank:
I quarantined and observed them for 2 weeks before adding more fish to the tank. They appeared to be doing well but were not eating my pellet variety.
Last Friday morning I added some fish. I had originally intended to only add my two large balas but got greedy because I was in a hurry to get on with my next project, a reconfiguring of the 170 gallon tank which held my community. In other words, I threw every fish from my community tank in with the lents:
I count the rushed quarantine and hasty introduction of so many fish as my first big mistake in this ordeal.
They seemed to all be doing well, coexisting peacefully. On Saturday I threw some pellets in and as the the greater community frenzied, the big lents even started to taste some pellets and spit them out. "Success" i thought.
Sunday morning I went down to feed the tanks. First fish to greet me were my two severums, covered in ick, looking altogether pitiful. I netted them, but instead of setting up a quarantine I just threw them in the sump. I just had way too much going on to dig out one of my spare tanks and set it up. This was my 2nd mistake.
I went into my standard procedure for clearing ick. Ive successfully dealt with an array of health problems in the past, and was confident this would not be a major problem.. Performed a large water change, cranked up the heaters to 86, even added a 400w heater to expedite the process, reduced the flow/turnover, and salted the tank. Problem solved I thought, but the only problem was that after the water change, I completely forgot to plug the heaters back in. Third big mistake.
I woke up Monday to roughly half of my fish showing infection, and realized my mistake with the heaters. My large balas were visibly losing their slime coats. The big male lent was laboring at the surface, struggling to breathe by the looks of it, while his mate appeared to be trying to keep him upright. A heartbreaking scene.
I was dumbfounded by the tenacity of whatever I was dealing with. I've never dealt with an infection that spread so quickly, or as I would soon learn, was so lethal.
I went into panic mode, treated the tank with 300 gallons worth of API general cure, but before doing so performed another large water change. I don't know if this was a mistake or not. Its possible that I just stressed out the fish more vs helping them.
By that night the balas were belly up, the big male lent followed the next morning.
From there the bodies just piled up. The api general cure had no effect ime, or maybe I was just too little, too late. Wednesday afternoon at my compost pile:
It was at this point, when my pim ornatus kicked it (my apologies
Jexnell
), I noticed my prized group of Tetragonopterus argenteus, some of the hardiest fish I've ever kept, were showing symptoms of infection, and I accepted the fact that the tank was altogether doomed:
Thursday afternoon:
Total losses thus far:
3x crenicichla lenticulata
6x Tetragonopterus argenteus
1x chalceus macrolepidota
1x pimelodus ornatus
2x severums
1x flowerhorn
2x bala sharks
1x raphael cat (almost 10 years old)
1x blackskirt tetra
At this point the only fish remaining are two of the argenteus tetras. I don't know if they will survive, they appear frail and skittish, obviously stressed. I've removed all of the contaminated media and decor from the tank, changed copious amounts of water, and adhered strictly to the salt and heat treatment for 4+ days now. If these two survive ill call it luck at best though. Like I said this was the most lethal fish pathogen I've ever dealt with.
Anyways, its been crazy to deal with, definite learning experience of what not to do in terms of quarantine and controlling pathogens. But there's always a nascent silver lining for me; Once I get this tank straightened out I'll have room for my other fish, room to expand. Hopefully not commit the same mistakes again.
Over the last week I've lost around 75% of my fish, mostly due to my negligence, overconfidence, and failure to adhere to many of the basic principles of fishkeeping preached on this forum. I couldn't be more ashamed, but feel I must be honest.
Some variety of incredibly deadly bacterial infection manifested and spread throughout the entire stock of my newest tank after I introduced my greater community to two new additions. I've dealt with infections in my tanks before, but never something that killed my fish as quickly as this.
3 weeks ago I purchased two large lents from a local keeper, here they are acclimating to their new tank:
I quarantined and observed them for 2 weeks before adding more fish to the tank. They appeared to be doing well but were not eating my pellet variety.
Last Friday morning I added some fish. I had originally intended to only add my two large balas but got greedy because I was in a hurry to get on with my next project, a reconfiguring of the 170 gallon tank which held my community. In other words, I threw every fish from my community tank in with the lents:
I count the rushed quarantine and hasty introduction of so many fish as my first big mistake in this ordeal.
They seemed to all be doing well, coexisting peacefully. On Saturday I threw some pellets in and as the the greater community frenzied, the big lents even started to taste some pellets and spit them out. "Success" i thought.
Sunday morning I went down to feed the tanks. First fish to greet me were my two severums, covered in ick, looking altogether pitiful. I netted them, but instead of setting up a quarantine I just threw them in the sump. I just had way too much going on to dig out one of my spare tanks and set it up. This was my 2nd mistake.
I went into my standard procedure for clearing ick. Ive successfully dealt with an array of health problems in the past, and was confident this would not be a major problem.. Performed a large water change, cranked up the heaters to 86, even added a 400w heater to expedite the process, reduced the flow/turnover, and salted the tank. Problem solved I thought, but the only problem was that after the water change, I completely forgot to plug the heaters back in. Third big mistake.
I woke up Monday to roughly half of my fish showing infection, and realized my mistake with the heaters. My large balas were visibly losing their slime coats. The big male lent was laboring at the surface, struggling to breathe by the looks of it, while his mate appeared to be trying to keep him upright. A heartbreaking scene.
I was dumbfounded by the tenacity of whatever I was dealing with. I've never dealt with an infection that spread so quickly, or as I would soon learn, was so lethal.
I went into panic mode, treated the tank with 300 gallons worth of API general cure, but before doing so performed another large water change. I don't know if this was a mistake or not. Its possible that I just stressed out the fish more vs helping them.
By that night the balas were belly up, the big male lent followed the next morning.
From there the bodies just piled up. The api general cure had no effect ime, or maybe I was just too little, too late. Wednesday afternoon at my compost pile:
It was at this point, when my pim ornatus kicked it (my apologies
Jexnell
), I noticed my prized group of Tetragonopterus argenteus, some of the hardiest fish I've ever kept, were showing symptoms of infection, and I accepted the fact that the tank was altogether doomed:Thursday afternoon:
Total losses thus far:
3x crenicichla lenticulata
6x Tetragonopterus argenteus
1x chalceus macrolepidota
1x pimelodus ornatus
2x severums
1x flowerhorn
2x bala sharks
1x raphael cat (almost 10 years old)
1x blackskirt tetra
At this point the only fish remaining are two of the argenteus tetras. I don't know if they will survive, they appear frail and skittish, obviously stressed. I've removed all of the contaminated media and decor from the tank, changed copious amounts of water, and adhered strictly to the salt and heat treatment for 4+ days now. If these two survive ill call it luck at best though. Like I said this was the most lethal fish pathogen I've ever dealt with.
Anyways, its been crazy to deal with, definite learning experience of what not to do in terms of quarantine and controlling pathogens. But there's always a nascent silver lining for me; Once I get this tank straightened out I'll have room for my other fish, room to expand. Hopefully not commit the same mistakes again.
