Help please - disease or parasites?

[Corymad]

Hi

Some of my cories are presently flicking in the sand rather a lot - no rapid gill movement(yet) , no sign of gill flukes (no microscope though).

I've just lost 14 fish (Tetras, a Ram and 2 Cories) - I believed that the Tetras had Ich, but the Ram and Cories showed no sign of disease - they just developed rapid gill movement and later loss of balance. They died within 24 hours. The tank is 260 litre at a temperature of 80 (to increase the life cycle of Ich whilst meds are in) PH 6.8 GH and KH OK, no nitrite, nitrate 10ppm, cycled for about 3 months, less than half stocked, sand substrata, bogwood and live plants. I treated for Ich (Waterlife Protozin) - last meds went in yesterday (on day 6)

Has any1 out there any diagnosis? Whatever the cories have appears to be spreading. Should I just do a water change (20%) and treat for gill flukes? (Waterlife Sterazin)

There's no redness around gills, no excess mucus, no fish looking ill. I'm woried about doing nothing as I've lost 2 cories and don't want to loose more or my L66 plec.

I'm not new to fishkeeping and have kept tropical and marines for oh so many years. I've never lost fish before with no sign of disease.

Thanks 4 any help / replies

[pturley]

Gill Flukes would be a probable diagnosis based on your descriptions.

Still have to find some of the this Sterazin stuff. It's not marketed here in the states.

[Mike_Noren]

Hi

Some of my cories are presently flicking in the sand rather a lot - no rapid gill movement(yet) , no sign of gill flukes (no microscope though).

I've just lost 14 fish (Tetras, a Ram and 2 Cories) - I believed that the Tetras had Ich, but the Ram and Cories showed no sign of disease - they just developed rapid gill movement and later loss of balance. They died within 24 hours.

Death within 24 hours is awful fast for gill flukes.

When I've lost fish that quickly it's been to poor water quality - you're sure your medication hasn't knocked out your filter bacteria, so the tank is suffering an ammonia spike?

The symptoms you describe sounds like ammonia poisoning too.

[Pidge]

Hi Corymad,
I'm currently having exactly the same problem with my cories, water conditions all fine but the cories (panda and pygmy) are flicking against the sand and plants. Despite the flicking they are very active and behave normally. I've installed a more powerful filter and been treating with melafix. The situation has improved slightly but not much. I'm going to try relpacing the silver sand with fine gravel next. As the water readings are ok my guess is the sand is compacting and becoming toxic, irritating the cories as they look for food in it. Please let me know how you get on.

[Pidge]

Sorry, should have mentioned I've tried Sterazin with no effect.

[Corymad]

Hi Pidge

Have had another Cardinal die and Adolphi cat now has a sore on his head and is breathing really fast. I post to another forum quite often and moderator there suggested Columnaris Flexibacter and secondary infection from Aeromanas bacteria. Took the only sick looking cory to my LFS and they took a scrape this morning to view under a microscope. Looks like Inchworm mightbe right in her diagnosis - she recomended Interpets Antifungus and Finrot or Waterlife Myxazin. LFS seemed very knowledgable and said that fish had too many bacteria on / in his slime coat. Guy said that it wasn't Flexibacter, but named another two bacteria (apparently there are four types of bacteria that can cause problems). He's sold us Tetra Medica General Tonic which states on it that it teats bacterial infections.
We did a 20% water change - all parameters fine, no nitrite, no ammonia, PH6.8, GH KH etc fine and have dosed the tank - water is bright green at present. Adolphi is on his way out ( rapid gill movement) but LFS advised that when the gill movement is so rapid, the fish is usually beyond saving. Hope this new med helps all the rest though.

Have seen a lot of posts from people who use sand - if you keep sand < 1" deep, you shouldn't have a problem with anarobic spots. We turn oursand over at the front of the tank with a cane (2 foot deep tank and my arms aren't long enough to reach the tank bottom comfortably)

Will post outcome of meds (good or bad)

Corymad

PS Thanks for all other replies.

[Corymad]

Hi Mike

thanks for your reply. No ammonia or nitrite. I might have an answer - see above post. Fingers and toes crossed new meds work.

Corymad

[Pidge]

Cheers Corymad,
Good luck with the treatments, hope your Adolphi pulls through. Cheers for the tip with the sand, I've been finding spots where the sand has gone black each time I do a water change and rake through the sand. I think this has been the source of my problems.
Pete.

[Corymad]

Hi Pidge

Can't believe the difference meds have made to the Adolphi - thought he was on his last few breaths last night, but overnight he really perked up - enough to jump out of his breeding trap into the main tank (only put him in there so his dead body would be easy to find). Meds seem to be knocking filter about a bit - just a minnute trace of amonia. Hope you decide to stick with sand - the cories love it so much. Only problem I find is having to hoover it daily (messy L66).

Corymad

[Corymad]

Hi

Bad news

Thought tank was getting better - back to square one - another cory dying. Anyone know what I can try next?

Corymad

[Corymad]

Said I'd post outcome of meds

Well, Tetra Medica Tonic (for bacterial infections) seems to have worked. Have hoovered sand daily, and done another 20% water change today. Am now crossing my fingers for the next few weeks.

Thanks to all whom tried to help

Corymad