This might be an odd question/issue I added as much info as I could:
I'm actually a fish caretaker at a Pets Supplies Plus store. Four weeks ago we received a shipment of fish that was horribly infected with, what I assumed to be, a bacterial infection. Most of the new fish died within 36 hours. Gradually, all of the fish units were infected with the illness. I had perfectly healthy fish that were doing extremely well (rainbows, neon/cardinal tetras etc.) annihilated within a week. The issue seemed to calm down a bit only because most of the fish died. Unfortunately, I'm still seeing symptoms and experiencing above normal fish loss. I received a new shipment last Tuesday and got very healthy fish, probably because I called and complained. Our supplier is Segrest Farms if it matters. However, a few of my African cichlids and guppies have died from a vicious tail rot that rotted away the fins in two-three days. I've actually started taking sick fish home and treating them in 3 separate 10 gallon tanks. I've been treating them for a week today and still seeing issues (no deaths thankfully). Which is why I'm making this post.
Here's some background info
The tanks are the Marineland retail setups that are 98-100 gallons a piece run by a sump. The systems have been running for 13 months. The fish load is .75 fish per gallons for livebearers + tetra-like fish and .10 for larger fish/cichlids. I do 25% water changes on them weekly. The temps are set at 75 but two units have broken heaters and sit at 69-72. The temperature difference between the units has not influenced the rate of infection or fish mortality. The ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates are 0 for all of the tanks and I test bi-weekly. The pH is very high at 7.6 and an issue I've been trying to correct for the past 3 months. The previous fish keeper had crushed coral as the substrate for all tanks which has been removed aside from the African cichlid/livebearer unit. The fish were doing excellent despite the high pH.
The symptoms are primarily clamped fins and awkward swimming with a feint white haze in patches or covering the whole fish. There has also been a few cases of fin hemorrhaging, a couple cases of eye "fungus" that forms a cone over the eyes, and one or two cases of fish twirling out of control (kinda like ammonia poisoning). I have received multiple gouramis in shipments that have ulcers on their sides. I have not noticed rapid breathing or red gills in these fish unless they're very close to death. The fish with symptoms actually perk up and aggressively feed when fed. I have also never observed scratching or loss of color in any of the fish. There were a few fish, mostly liverbearers, that noticeably lost weight. There was a very mild ich infestation, but that's nothing out of the ordinary and cleared up very fast.
The treatment I initially did was Melafix as directed for two weeks. I switched to Maracyn mostly because our stock of Melafix ran out, lol. I removed the filter carbon from all of the units and dosed for 100 gallons. I have not tried aquarium salt yet due to sensitive fish and my work schedule will make it difficult to perform water changes more than once a week. At this point I'm willing to try anything. I should also add that I am the only employee that knows anything fish related and they don't want anything to do with the tanks. Supportive team members, right? Hah. The treatment I am doing at home in the 10 gallons is Maracyn as directed with a 15% water change every other day. The temp is set at 76. No fish have died and I have seen some improvement in these tanks but still a few fish have clamped fins/foggy patches.
I do not have pictures at this point but I can try to snap a few at work tomorrow. I will also try my best to answer questions for additional information.
I've been keeping aquaria for 15 years and had a 4 year break before taking this job. I just don't know if I'm forgetting something that's obvious or going at this the wrong way. I've never experienced an infection this bad. If anyone can give insight, recommendations, slaps in the face, it would be appreciated.
I'm actually a fish caretaker at a Pets Supplies Plus store. Four weeks ago we received a shipment of fish that was horribly infected with, what I assumed to be, a bacterial infection. Most of the new fish died within 36 hours. Gradually, all of the fish units were infected with the illness. I had perfectly healthy fish that were doing extremely well (rainbows, neon/cardinal tetras etc.) annihilated within a week. The issue seemed to calm down a bit only because most of the fish died. Unfortunately, I'm still seeing symptoms and experiencing above normal fish loss. I received a new shipment last Tuesday and got very healthy fish, probably because I called and complained. Our supplier is Segrest Farms if it matters. However, a few of my African cichlids and guppies have died from a vicious tail rot that rotted away the fins in two-three days. I've actually started taking sick fish home and treating them in 3 separate 10 gallon tanks. I've been treating them for a week today and still seeing issues (no deaths thankfully). Which is why I'm making this post.
Here's some background info
The tanks are the Marineland retail setups that are 98-100 gallons a piece run by a sump. The systems have been running for 13 months. The fish load is .75 fish per gallons for livebearers + tetra-like fish and .10 for larger fish/cichlids. I do 25% water changes on them weekly. The temps are set at 75 but two units have broken heaters and sit at 69-72. The temperature difference between the units has not influenced the rate of infection or fish mortality. The ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates are 0 for all of the tanks and I test bi-weekly. The pH is very high at 7.6 and an issue I've been trying to correct for the past 3 months. The previous fish keeper had crushed coral as the substrate for all tanks which has been removed aside from the African cichlid/livebearer unit. The fish were doing excellent despite the high pH.
The symptoms are primarily clamped fins and awkward swimming with a feint white haze in patches or covering the whole fish. There has also been a few cases of fin hemorrhaging, a couple cases of eye "fungus" that forms a cone over the eyes, and one or two cases of fish twirling out of control (kinda like ammonia poisoning). I have received multiple gouramis in shipments that have ulcers on their sides. I have not noticed rapid breathing or red gills in these fish unless they're very close to death. The fish with symptoms actually perk up and aggressively feed when fed. I have also never observed scratching or loss of color in any of the fish. There were a few fish, mostly liverbearers, that noticeably lost weight. There was a very mild ich infestation, but that's nothing out of the ordinary and cleared up very fast.
The treatment I initially did was Melafix as directed for two weeks. I switched to Maracyn mostly because our stock of Melafix ran out, lol. I removed the filter carbon from all of the units and dosed for 100 gallons. I have not tried aquarium salt yet due to sensitive fish and my work schedule will make it difficult to perform water changes more than once a week. At this point I'm willing to try anything. I should also add that I am the only employee that knows anything fish related and they don't want anything to do with the tanks. Supportive team members, right? Hah. The treatment I am doing at home in the 10 gallons is Maracyn as directed with a 15% water change every other day. The temp is set at 76. No fish have died and I have seen some improvement in these tanks but still a few fish have clamped fins/foggy patches.
I do not have pictures at this point but I can try to snap a few at work tomorrow. I will also try my best to answer questions for additional information.
I've been keeping aquaria for 15 years and had a 4 year break before taking this job. I just don't know if I'm forgetting something that's obvious or going at this the wrong way. I've never experienced an infection this bad. If anyone can give insight, recommendations, slaps in the face, it would be appreciated.
