# Need fish help



## MagPie (Feb 3, 2012)

I feel a little silly asking for fish help on a rabbit forum, but I'm not on any fish forums hah.

Anyway I have a 10 gallon planted tank that I set up over a year ago. I've had 3 danios (of some sort) in there for less than a year. They've been doing great. Way active, eat great. So I decided I wanted to add one smaller fish, some sort of dwarf gourami. I bought one from Petsmart (never again) about a week ago. It seemed to be doing good in my tank, eating, active. Yesterday I noticed long stringy clear poop from him. This morning he was dead. I noticed on one of the danios it had the same stringy poop. The danios are acting normal.

Far as I can tell, it's likely an internal parasite. I can get meds for them tomorrow, cause I'd really hate to lose them. I am also going to do a larger than normal water change tomorrow too.
Any suggestions on medication? Or maybe any other thoughts on what this might be?

Thanks


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## Nancy McClelland (Feb 3, 2012)

Some of our fish used to do that too with no problem other than we were feeding a little too much. I'd get a parasite treatment and I'd also go back with the dead fish and tell them you'd like one that is healthy. Your Danios are proof that it's not the environ.


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## Watermelons (Feb 3, 2012)

Bump your temps up a little (slowly).
What are your water specs? Danios are hearty little fish that can survive crummy conditions, and grouramis are quite delicate IMO.
It may have been that the fish was less then perfect, but it also may have been the water. 
Stressed fish can be prone to illness as well, So new delicate fish introduced to a new tank, affects its immune system, it catches something, gets sick and dies. And maybe the change in the water that happened when the gourami died affected one of the danios.


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## MagPie (Feb 3, 2012)

I do have a blue green algae problem going that I've been pulling out every week. Working on that one.

I do water changes usually about every week or so. I don't know my water specs off hand. I'll take a look at that.

I've had luck with gouramis before. And he looked like he was fine, he even perked up when I put him my tank.

Larry I already flushed him. I'm not buying from petsmart again. The Petco and Petsmart don't normally have a good stock of fish. And the place I got the Danios (pretty little fish even tho they aren't as flashy as zebras) closed down. It was a nice store too. Which is why I haven't added new fish in such a long time.


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## Bunnylova4eva (Feb 4, 2012)

Sweetie on here has helped me a bunch with my fish-maybe try sending her a PM? 

My fish have had issues with long stringy poop, but not entirely clear. (My gourami and the mollies). I didn't know what it indicated. I've decided one things for sure though with my fish, and that is that I'm not getting more mollies. =P I've had 5 now in the last couple months and only one is still alive. We've had all sorts of issues. I'd like help figuring out about them always having long stringy poop too. I've been worreid about mine. There's a fish forum Sweety recomended, I just haven't had much chance toget back on there, maybe I'll go post this on there.


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## MagPie (Feb 4, 2012)

Yeah Mia let me know what you find out. Yeah the Mollies also have some poor breeding too.

So far my guys are still acting normal. I saw normal poop on one fish, not sure if it was the same one or not. They don't like to sit still. Plus when I get near the tank they get more excited. Anyway another, I think the same one from yesterday, had some stringy poo again, but it wasn't clear today. I'm going to also try some medicated food since they are still eating.


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## Nancy McClelland (Feb 4, 2012)

There used to be a fish place in Emeryville in an old warehouse. You name it, they had it and were fish people, not just store owners or franchise holders. Good luck.


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## fuzz16 (Feb 4, 2012)

Do you have a test kit? If no, then take your water, a baggies, to petsmart and ask them to test it. Nitrates and nittites and ammonia should be 0 ph should be 6-7 
danios are Goldwater fish. Not tropical, can not mix them comfortably wit a gourami.
how did you acclimate the fish to your tank?


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## MagPie (Feb 4, 2012)

I don't have a test kit, I'm going to petco later tonight to have it tested. I have my tank at 75. Actually with my plants there should be some nitrates which isn't as harmful to fish as the other two.


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## fuzz16 (Feb 4, 2012)

True. I try to keep mine under 15 ppm but I run co2 and.have high light. But depends if you run co2 and ferts by column or root. 

You never said how you acclimated the fish. 
Also, the danios could have stressed gourami to death.

Could be for many reasons it died, but mostly the cause was stress of shipment the store. Less likely your fault if your tank is within conditions


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

Magpie:
In order to post your problem on fishforums.com I need the following information:

Your water parameters/levels, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH
Send a pic via email of the fish with stringy poop
Tank size, what fish you have in the tank, previous fish that were in the tank

My email is [email protected]

You can register on fishforums.com but it will take a bit to get approved. You won't be able to post until you get approved as they have had trouble with bots. So I can post for you until you get approved. They are very nice people and knowledgeable also.

Mia is right, I have helped her with her fish and getting on fishforums.com.

It does sound like it could be an internal parasite. I will post this thread on fishforums and see what they think but I will need the info above that I asked for.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

Also I would buy the liquid test kit, I would not get the petstore to test your water as they will tell you that everything is fine.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

It has been posted. It usually takes about a day to get a response from someone. I will post back here when I get a response.

It is under diseases and titled Need fish help.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

NickZac should see this. He helped me with my fish when she was sick with three illnesses. I have a pic in a thread in this forum of my fish. She was very sick but she fought and got well, and now she is very happy. The fish that was sick was my biggest clown loach: Baby Girl.

I am happy to help if I can. I hope your fish get better soon.


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## MagPie (Feb 5, 2012)

Thanks Sweetie.  Anyway I float the bag with the fish in the tank for about 30 minutes. The danios from what I could tell were leaving him alone. They would pretty much just interact with each other.

Anyway got my water tested at petco, they said it was good. I bought a test kit and tested it when I got home, I also got good results.

ammonia = 0ppm, nitrite = 0ppm, nitrate = 0ppm (ah might need to higher for the plants, don't have co2), pH = 8.2 (definately a little higher than I would like it, but unless Petsmart is using good water it might be the same)

Send a pic via email of the fish with stringy poop, haha I definately will try. They don't like to sit still.

Tank size, what fish you have in the tank, previous fish that were in the tank. 
It is a 10 gallon tank. I've had it running for a little over a year. Before I had some platy in the tank. When they died I let the tank sit for a couple of months without fish, just in case there was something the platys had. March of last year I got the 3 danios (not sure what type they are) but they are an inch at most. I haven't added any fish until this gourami about a week ago. Still some stringy poop, so I got some meds and medicated fish food for them, since they are still eating.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

You're welcome MagPie. I hope that your fish will get better. I have posted what you just posted on the thread on fishforums.com. As soon as someone posts a reply, I will let you know.

The way I get a pic of my clown loaches is by sitting by the tank and waiting for them to settle down which they usually do and then slowly bring up the camera and take a pic of them. Hope this helps you get a pic of your fish.


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## MagPie (Feb 5, 2012)

Hahaha I will definitely try that. They don't seem like they like to stop moving. And they are tiny. I saw some big fat zebra danios at the store last night.

So much for trying to add more fish. It might just be their tank. haha.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

Maybe but I wouldn't add anymore fish until you know what this thing is that is making them sick and you get it under control or cured.


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## MagPie (Feb 5, 2012)

Oh definitely. Which is why I didn't add more fish in such a long time. The danios were doing good. The tank was doing good. So I'm thinking I'll just leave it a danio tank.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

That is what I would suggest that you do. Danios are pretty cool and they are hardy fish as I have been told.


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## fuzz16 (Feb 5, 2012)

have you tried a water change yet?
pH is high, but fish can have a VERY hard time adjusting to it. the pet stores possibly use RO/DI water. you can add some peat to the filter, or even some driftwood to help soften the water a bit. avoid the powders/additives to lower pH. 

dont be discouraged by one loss, or itll ruin the hobby for you, once you figure it all out you could have a nice tank going. instead of a dwarf gourami, try something a bit hardier. dwarf gouramis are a popular fish, so bred a lot, and they loose their ability to fight off disease and stress. 

have you looked into a betta maybe? or some guppies? their small but colorful


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## MagPie (Feb 5, 2012)

Yeah I did a water change this morning, about 30% to 40%. Yeah those powders don't do much if anything. I'll look into finding some peat or drift wood. My ph is good for cichlids, but my tank is niether big enough and it's planted.

Oh it hasn't ruined it yet, considering I've had tanks off and on for about 10 years. I've just never had a fish that's died within a week, especially one that wasn't acting sick and died before I could help the bugger =/. It's a little annoying and I've had gouramis before that do good. Especially since all the good pet stores are closing. I really don't mind it being a danio only tank, since 10 gal isn't really all that big.

I've had lots bettas, I would have to decrease the flow for him and I'd worry about the danios getting a little nippy with them. They cute little guys and lots of attitude.


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## Sweetie (Feb 5, 2012)

Yes bettas are very cool. I have two male bettas, they are in separate tanks. My doubletail is cycling my 10 gallon tank right now; and, my halfmoon is in a 2.5 gallon I believe, hey he loves it.


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## fuzz16 (Feb 6, 2012)

your using a betta to cycle...pretty cruel.


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## Sweetie (Feb 6, 2012)

fuzz16: it is called a fish cycle and no it is not cruel to do a fish cycle. It actually is faster to do a fish cycle than a fishless cycle. Besides bettas are very hardy fish and can withstand just about anything.


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## Sweetie (Feb 6, 2012)

MagPie: I got a response to your post. TheOldSalt said that it is a parasite called Hexamita. That is what he thinks it is.


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## MagPie (Feb 6, 2012)

Hmmmm Thanks Marsha. Did he mention any sort of medication I should use?

That does sound familiar. I think I saw that on the anti-parasite food I got.





Oh I had meant for this tank to have a betta in it once it was cycled. But never got to it. And all the bettas I saw didn't look too good. =/

I'm actually going to check out a couple of fish stores tomorrow and weds and see if they are better than Petsmart/Petco.


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## MagPie (Feb 6, 2012)

My god was he hard to photograph haha. Anyway I hope these help. They still aren't great.











Ooooh and if anyone has any idea on what type of danio he is let me know. I haven't found them any where else but they sure are pretty.


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## Sweetie (Feb 6, 2012)

Ok I posted on fish forums. Someone should respond. As soon as they do I will let you know.

Remember bettas are hardy fish, they are not sensitive at all. They are not like angelfish, clown loaches, who are sensitive fish.

Once my 10 gallon is cycled I will be putting other fish in it. I have been looking at fish that stay small and are going to be really cool to watch.


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## NickZac (Feb 6, 2012)

fuzz16 wrote:


> You never said how you acclimated the fish.
> Also, the danios could have stressed gourami to death.
> 
> Could be for many reasons it died, but mostly the cause was stress of shipment the store. Less likely your fault if your tank is within conditions



^This.

Gouramis die very easily. They are slow moving fish (unless startled in which they can move fast but this is bad if you see this a lot) where as danios never stop moving and can be aggressive feeders. While they may not have gone after the Gourami, just their activity can stress a Gourami that had been poorly taken care of (by the store) out badly. They are also air breathers...was the top of the tank well ventilated? While the 8.2 pH is higher, Gouramis can do fine in it if acclimated properly...however, a pH change of as little as .2 can send some fish into shock hence the importance of the acclimation. However, if your store was local, the pH was likely the same as big box stores rarely treat their water with anything but the basic dechlorinator. Most likely this was the big box store's fault as Gouramis are VERY easily stressed to death. They take awful care of their fish in both the shipping process and the care process, and they use community filters that leads to the spread of the disease. The astronomical amount of stress they place on these fish in itself can send them into terminal shock. If not, it frys their immune system leaving them vulnerable to disease. Casualty rates for Gouramis are around 50% even before they make it to the owner. The ones which do make it to owners are in rough shape from the start and many are very, very sick. I would personally only buy fish from a trusted and reputable local store, especially the more fragile fish. They are more humane, they know more, they take pride in their livestock, they stand behind their product, and they can give you useful advice, such as what their water stats are. When buying new fish, ALWAYS ask for water parameters on their own water. Then you already know the pH difference and can plan accordingly in how to match it (I kept my pH at 6.8 with Gouramis when I had them). Furthermore, if they test it in front of you and get high ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate readings, or a pH which is wayyyy off for that fish, don't buy it as it is likely stressed. If the parameters look good, then the fish is likely a better, healthier one to buy.

As far as the danios seeming to have contracted a disease, this is where the importance of a quarantine tank comes into play. That Gourami had been exposed to literally thousands of other fish, as big box stores and factory farms use community water, which means one massive filter can power 20, 100, or more tanks all packed to the brim with fish. If just one was sick, the Gourami could have contracted it. Given they are known to eat dead fish, this increases this chance. If you put a fish that is possibly sick in your main tank, then you could risk wiping out your entire tank in as little as a few days. You don't know how healthy the fish is by just looking at it so you need to quarantine it for a week or so to observe it and be sure it does not die or get sick. Don't let the water, nets, decorations, or anything else mix between the two tanks. Assume any new fish is potentially diseased and handle it accordingly. Also, by isolating the fish in its own tank, you have immediately reduced its stress by not having it actively compete with other fish for food and territory. Therefore, if the fish is stressed or sick, you boost its recovery in itself.

As for the parasite medication for the danios, they are about the hardiest fish on the planet. Levamisole will work fine (although note that I do NOT recommend using it for ALL fish). The cheapest thing it can be found in is Jungle Anti Parasitic Medicated Fish Food, which is pretty good stuff for the price. Garlic can also exert some antiparasitic action and stimulate appetite, although I doubt appetite will be a problem given they are danios.

Finally, do not overlook the importance of trace elements in food. Fish are not that different from people in the respect that we both need certain (but different) vitamins and minerals to thrive. Without them, we are at greater risk to injury and disease, and our life span can even be shortened. High quality foods, such as New Life Spectrum or Hikari (among others) contain the elements fish need to thrive where as many lesser foods simply do not (many cheap foods have the main ingredient of a corn or flour based product). A high quality food in itself can help reduce stress and certainly boosts the immune system, helping to prevent diseases outright. Again, this is why big box stores should be avoided, as they often use cheap quality flakes instead of high quality pellets (flakes are bad because fish often go to the top and 'gulp' in air which can screw up the swim bladder).


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## MagPie (Feb 6, 2012)

Thank you Zac. The store is a local one. I live about 5 minutes away from it. However I am looking for a good little fish store, since my favorite went out of business. Hmmm well ventilated? I dunno, maybe.

Yeah a quarantine tank would have been best but I live in an apartment, so there is a limit on the number of gallons of water I can have. Hense why I have a 10 gallon, even tho I would love a bigger tank. I could possible do a 5 gallon quarantine tank, if that's not too small.

I did get some of that Jungle Anti Paracitic food, which they gobbled up. I had to crush it up since they have small mouths. One was even carrying a larger chunk around in its mouth like a dog haha. Appetite is definately not a problem. I did have a little giggle about the warning on the food.

I'll look into those brands when I get them more food, they are running low. I know Hikari, good stuff. I also feed them mysis shrimp once in a while.


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