Is this an infection?

[Matthew T. Carpenter]

Hi. I have a well established 30 gallon freshwater tank with an under
gravel filter and a Penguin biowheel 170. The pH runs about 7. I
keep somewhat less than a tbsp of salt/5 gallons. I keep the
temperature about 80F. There is no ammonia or nitrites etc. I have
mostly second and third generation platys, mollies and guppies, with a
few residual harlequins, that get fed 1-2 times per day. The fish
load is reasonable I think. Maybe 6 months ago the water qulaity
deteriorated badly due to infrequent water changes and a lot of my
first generation fish died. I learned my lesson and now do 30-50%
water changes weekly, vacuuming the gravel. I have not bought any new
fish for more than 6 months, although I recently added some ghost
shrimp, and fed the tank some live brine shrimp from the LFS. However
my problem predates these additions.

Starting about a month ago I have steadily been losing fish that were
young, < 6 months old, bred in the tank and previously healthy. They
have been dying 1-3 per week. It crosses all types: platys, mollies
and guppies. Just today I noticed I am missing a harlequin. The
first thing I see is they stop feeding so vigorously. Then they start
to be stationary and sort of hover at an angle, right side up but face
listing to the tank bottom. This list becomes more pronounced over
1-2 days and then they die. The body exterior appears normal. 4
month old platys, 6 month old guppies, 9 month old mollies. Newer fry
seem exempt. But I just lost my largest female platy to this ailment,
who was no more than 9 months old and who had just dropped fry .

Frankly I'm not sure what to do and hope someone here has some ideas.

Thanks, Matt

[Gizela]

Sounds a bit like swim bladder disease....don't know why all you fish wold
be affected though....

I will post this for you on a fish forum and see what they say

Cheers

Angela
"Matthew T. Carpenter" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi. I have a well established 30 gallon freshwater tank with an under
> gravel filter and a Penguin biowheel 170. The pH runs about 7. I
> keep somewhat less than a tbsp of salt/5 gallons. I keep the
> temperature about 80F. There is no ammonia or nitrites etc. I have
> mostly second and third generation platys, mollies and guppies, with a
> few residual harlequins, that get fed 1-2 times per day. The fish
> load is reasonable I think. Maybe 6 months ago the water qulaity
> deteriorated badly due to infrequent water changes and a lot of my
> first generation fish died. I learned my lesson and now do 30-50%
> water changes weekly, vacuuming the gravel. I have not bought any new
> fish for more than 6 months, although I recently added some ghost
> shrimp, and fed the tank some live brine shrimp from the LFS. However
> my problem predates these additions.
>
> Starting about a month ago I have steadily been losing fish that were
> young, < 6 months old, bred in the tank and previously healthy. They
> have been dying 1-3 per week. It crosses all types: platys, mollies
> and guppies. Just today I noticed I am missing a harlequin. The
> first thing I see is they stop feeding so vigorously. Then they start
> to be stationary and sort of hover at an angle, right side up but face
> listing to the tank bottom. This list becomes more pronounced over
> 1-2 days and then they die. The body exterior appears normal. 4
> month old platys, 6 month old guppies, 9 month old mollies. Newer fry
> seem exempt. But I just lost my largest female platy to this ailment,
> who was no more than 9 months old and who had just dropped fry .
>
> Frankly I'm not sure what to do and hope someone here has some ideas.
>
> Thanks, Matt

[Gizela]

OK....have been doing some reading....do the fish, before they die show
bloating around their abdominal area?


"Matthew T. Carpenter" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi. I have a well established 30 gallon freshwater tank with an under
> gravel filter and a Penguin biowheel 170. The pH runs about 7. I
> keep somewhat less than a tbsp of salt/5 gallons. I keep the
> temperature about 80F. There is no ammonia or nitrites etc. I have
> mostly second and third generation platys, mollies and guppies, with a
> few residual harlequins, that get fed 1-2 times per day. The fish
> load is reasonable I think. Maybe 6 months ago the water qulaity
> deteriorated badly due to infrequent water changes and a lot of my
> first generation fish died. I learned my lesson and now do 30-50%
> water changes weekly, vacuuming the gravel. I have not bought any new
> fish for more than 6 months, although I recently added some ghost
> shrimp, and fed the tank some live brine shrimp from the LFS. However
> my problem predates these additions.
>
> Starting about a month ago I have steadily been losing fish that were
> young, < 6 months old, bred in the tank and previously healthy. They
> have been dying 1-3 per week. It crosses all types: platys, mollies
> and guppies. Just today I noticed I am missing a harlequin. The
> first thing I see is they stop feeding so vigorously. Then they start
> to be stationary and sort of hover at an angle, right side up but face
> listing to the tank bottom. This list becomes more pronounced over
> 1-2 days and then they die. The body exterior appears normal. 4
> month old platys, 6 month old guppies, 9 month old mollies. Newer fry
> seem exempt. But I just lost my largest female platy to this ailment,
> who was no more than 9 months old and who had just dropped fry .
>
> Frankly I'm not sure what to do and hope someone here has some ideas.
>
> Thanks, Matt

[Matthew T. Carpenter]

"Gizela" > wrote in message >...
> OK....have been doing some reading....do the fish, before they die show
> bloating around their abdominal area?
>

Nothing dramatic, but yes there is slight abdominal distention in at
least some of the fish

Matt

[Gizela]

In this case then it sounds like swim bladder problems...usually caused by a
contagious virus. I am thinking that the fry aren't affected as their swim
bladder isn't well developed till they get a lot older. As for a remedy, I
sahll see what I can find for you

Your friend in fishkeeping

Angela

"Matthew T. Carpenter" > wrote in message
om...
> "Gizela" > wrote in
message >...
> > OK....have been doing some reading....do the fish, before they die show
> > bloating around their abdominal area?
> >
>
> Nothing dramatic, but yes there is slight abdominal distention in at
> least some of the fish
>
> Matt