HELP-Dying Fish!!

[PJ's Mom]

Robyn, it wouldnt hurt for you to investigate all the fish stores in your area. Look at the fish and make sure they aren't overcrowded. Make sure the store is clean and the tanks are clean and don't have a strong fishy odor. It can be a daunting task, but looking at all the fishies is fun and you can learn a lot by talking with knowlegeable fish keepers. When you find a LFS you can really trust, the isolation (quarantine) can be a little shorter. Try not to buy your fish at a place like Petco or Petsmart if you can avoid it.

[carrie]

soooo agree with that - go with "fish people" not pet stores.

My hubbie has moaned and groaned about driving 60 miles to just have a look at a fish, rather than go twenty minutes down the road to buy the same fish..

Internet searches for local fish enthusiasts/breeders can open up a whole new world for you!!!!

[DogLover9501]

Thanks for all this advice-it's very helpfull!!

It's been a few hours, and they are back in the tank, with clean water, and are all alive

Also we gave the "trouble fish" to my cousin, since he has no other fish, so that should be fine.

[DogLover9501]

The Pleco is gone He was my favorite!

Also our big Koi is just about gone too.

[IRescue452]

I would not keep them in metal pans or in teflon. try a plastic container like an ice cream bucket for each fish. The metal can hurt the fish and even kill them. Are there any other symptoms besides turning colours?

[PJ's Mom]

It would help to know all of the symptoms. Unless they're babies, it takes a lot to kill a pleco.

Any white spots, color changes, floating/swimming funny, gasping, etc?

[DogLover9501]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
Any white spots, color changes, floating/swimming funny, gasping, etc?

The kois are turning red/orange and the medium sized one looks like his head is flaking, and the big one is staying near the bottom and does seem to gasp sometimes.

The Pleco, however, didn't seem to have anything wrong with him, so I was expecting him to be ok

No white spots, but they do swim a bit funny, the big Koi seems like it tries to swim up but keeps sinking?

Maybe if I took pictures/video?

[My Peanuts]

You added too many new fish too fast. Fish poop gives off ammonia and it can kill the fish. Your tank has good bacteria that takes care of the ammonia, but when you add too many new fish the good bacteria can't handle all the new ammonia. I know you already took action, but 20% water changes will reduce the ammonia until the good bacteria has a chance to grow.

Also, “feeder” fish carry a lot of disease. You should quarantine the new fish for about a month. Look for ick (white spots), or anything out of the ordinary with the new fish.

Since it seems like a healthy tank went bad so fast, I'd bet it was the ammonia.

[PJ's Mom]

Good point. Robyn, how long has your tank been set up?

[DogLover9501]

Wow we've had our tank for 5-6 years, we've cleaned it out alot though, of course

Also, does it help if I mention that we got these new fish about 3 weeks ago, and this only happened now? I forgot that

[IRescue452]

Sounds like you have several problems. The big koi sounds like a bacterial infection because of colour change, the smaller one sounds like dropsy or possibly ick. Three weeks is time enough for many different diseases to build up and you got the jackpot. I always quarentine for three to four weeks before adding new fish to the pond. Here is a good website to look up symptoms and diseases, hope it helps.
http://www.bristol-aquarists.org.uk/...o/diseases.htm