PICS! 20 long, dwarf compressiceps

[barrettsline]

I know you need to diagnose the problem--it's in your blood. You can spend so much time worrying about it that it's not fun. When I lose a fish I get upset and even frustrated....what could I have done differently I ask myself. Instead of focusing on the recent loss I think about how good I felt when I first got the fish, how I cared for it and fed it and how much I enjoyed keeping the the fish. I focus on the enjoyment part more.<br />
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I don't have much experience with wood except when I had some really nice african root in a discus tank. I read alot of stuff about wood and how it can easily absorb good and bad stuff and can release what's inside the wood. I know HAW is a reliable place with quality stuff. Maybe, just maybe something got on or inside that manzanita wood. <br />
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When I brought my african root home my first inclination was to scrub it down real good and let it air dry outside for a few days. I used a good bristly brush and scrubbed it down really good and then placed the lot inside large buckets and weighted it down with some aquarium stones I had used in previous set-ups. I let the african root sit outside submerged for at least a week to be sure all the cooties were released. My water actually turned a brownish, tea color. I took the root out and placed it outside for a couple of days in the hot sun to let it thoroughly dry.<br />
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Everything else you placed in the tank was checked, cleaned pretty well. I think the fish got stressed out from the trip. The seller should offer you larger new fish at a discounted price. I have had a couple of guys lose newby fry from malfunctioning heaters and they cooked their fish--not my problem, but theirs. But I also know losing a few F1 mobas at $25-$40 each hurts so I offered to sell them fish at a much lower price. One time I replaced the newby fry at no cost because I felt so bad for the guy. In the end, I just want folks to enjoy their new fish and be successful keeping them.If I had some dwarf comps they would be yours B. <img src="http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="81" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="81" class="inlineimg" /> <img src="http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" smilieid="81" class="inlineimg" /> Never know when I might end up in your ER room!!!

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What he said. That's why my signature says it not a hobby it's a lifestyle. If it were a hobby you could just quit and move on. When it's a lifestyle you put more care and effort into what you do.

[Complexity]

Just read this thread. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I wish there was something I could offer, but you've covered all the bases so there's really nothing to explain what's happening. I just wanted to let you know that I'm hoping things turn around for the better soon.

[aquabee]

I know you need to diagnose the problem--it's in your blood. You can spend so much time worrying about it that it's not fun. When I lose a fish I get upset and even frustrated....what could I have done differently I ask myself. Instead of focusing on the recent loss I think about how good I felt when I first got the fish, how I cared for it and fed it and how much I enjoyed keeping the the fish. I focus on the enjoyment part more.

Everything else you placed in the tank was checked, cleaned pretty well. I think the fish got stressed out from the trip. The seller should offer you larger new fish at a discounted price. I have had a couple of guys lose newby fry from malfunctioning heaters and they cooked their fish--not my problem, but theirs. But I also know losing a few F1 mobas at $25-$40 each hurts so I offered to sell them fish at a much lower price. One time I replaced the newby fry at no cost because I felt so bad for the guy. In the end, I just want folks to enjoy their new fish and be successful keeping them.If I had some dwarf comps they would be yours B. Never know when I might end up in your ER room!!!

You're a peach, Ron. Thanks for the encouragement. Actually, you know this particular seller, and he's a really standup guy. He is growing a trio for me but has also ordered me some stappersii. He's agreed to hold them til the tank stabilizes.

Never in my life have I had problems with contaminated wood, and I've had it in every single tank of mine except one. If it leaches anything, it's usually just tannins. I scrubbed this wood really well and soaked it for 2 weeks. I recognize that I probably have contaminant from somewhere, but I just can't reconcile myself with the possibility that it might be coming from the wood. Who knows though... I'm probably just shooting myself in the foot somehow by leaving it in there. Maybe I will take it out when I do a water change later today.

Ron, if you or anyone in your family ever ends up in my ER, heaven forbid... it's VIP STATUS!!

[aquabee]

I think what I'm eventually going to do if the fish don't recover is take the rocks and the wood out and replace them with new stuff. The thing is, no one is deteriorating. The white clouds are still hovering at the surface, not active, not eating, but not dying. The remaining comp is still alive and not eating. The plecos are being plecos. I'm going to do another major water change later today and see how they handle it. Maybe I'll even take the wood out and see if they slowly start recovering after that.

BLAH.

[SunnyHouTX]

Why wait to take the wood out?

[aquabee]

I'm not waiting. I'm goin to bed cuz I worked all night but I'll do the water change and remove the wood this afternoon.

[SunnyHouTX]

Sounds good B :)

[barrettsline]

Patience, patience.... Like I'm one to talk. Hahaha. Let us know how it goes. I have always done the same with the wood I have bought but I also soak mine in some watered down bleach water. Then let soak in clean water for a couple of days dry out in the sun for a couple I days or under a shop light. I've never had problems but this situation has me flat out stumped!

[Complexity]

What do you guys think about adding Melafix and Pimafix to the tank? They're not harmful to anything in the tank, including the bacteria colony, and can help repair damage to tissue. IF something has caused gill damage, it might be helpful. I have never heard anyone report that it was ever harmful, and it's commonly used in planted tanks. These are not harsh chemicals. Might be worth a shot.

Melafix: http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Pr...x?ProductID=56

Pimafix: http://aquariumpharm.com/Products/Pr...x?ProductID=57

[barrettsline]

Give it a try. I would say it can't hurt. Just stick to the dosage and let us know how it turns out. Hopefully it will help.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.255629,-95.212553

[aquabee]

Wood removed, massive WC done. Last comp died about 15 minutes later.

The wood had a little fungus on it, which means the plecos aren't really eating either.

Interestingly enough... after removing the wood and the huge WC and the death of the comp... the white clouds are moving around a bit for the first time in weeks. I still wouldn't call them normal but they're actually swimming as opposed to hovering. I think I even saw one chase another one for a second, which is awesome. But I'm still too nervous to get my hopes up.

Vicki, I think I'm gonna try your melafix/pimafix suggestion unless the white clouds and plecos start eating again by tomorrow. It's a really good idea.

[eklikewhoa]

Maybe it has something to do with the new water, none of my tanks were cycled and I didn't have any problems.

The fungus is normal, I've had tanks full of plecos and ocats and it would still grow like wild fire.

I've had white clouds before and even overdosing co2 or any drastic change never really bothered them. This is really odd for you to have these problems. Maybe there's some sort of harmful metals leaching in the water or something with your plumbing/pipes at your place.

With melafix/primafix make sure you increase oxygenation when dosing.

[aquabee]

Maybe it has something to do with the new water, none of my tanks were cycled and I didn't have any problems.

The fungus is normal, I've had tanks full of plecos and ocats and it would still grow like wild fire.

I've had white clouds before and even overdosing co2 or any drastic change never really bothered them. This is really odd for you to have these problems. Maybe there's some sort of harmful metals leaching in the water or something with your plumbing/pipes at your place.

With melafix/primafix make sure you increase oxygenation when dosing.

New water? What do you mean?

If it were a water/pipes problem, my other two tanks would most likely be suffering too. They have far more delicate fish in them than hardy white clouds and BN plecos, and the other tanks don't even have carbon, just sponge filters.

At this point, I feel like it was either the dying comps that stressed everyone else out or it was something in the wood. I still have to wait and see if the white clouds start eating tomorrow. But at least they're moving around a little tonight.

[eklikewhoa]

That's a good point. I don't think the dieing comps would have an effect on the others unless it was something the comps were carrying cause I've had tanks of fish dieing and the tankmates could careless.

It has to be something different from the other tanks... maybe something in the filters or the substrate? This is starting to really bother me as well cause I've used deco with just a quick rinse and never come across such problem and even pushed my luck and started tanks, fully stocked with no cycle and using tap water, heck I do almost 80% water changes with tap water and filters off while it refills and haven't had a loss.

[aquabee]

That's a good point. I don't think the dieing comps would have an effect on the others unless it was something the comps were carrying cause I've had tanks of fish dieing and the tankmates could careless.

It has to be something different from the other tanks... maybe something in the filters or the substrate? This is starting to really bother me as well cause I've used deco with just a quick rinse and never come across such problem and even pushed my luck and started tanks, fully stocked with no cycle and using tap water, heck I do almost 80% water changes with tap water and filters off while it refills and haven't had a loss.

What's different from the other tanks is the filter, circ pumps, heater, rocks, sand, and wood. The only thing that made sense to me that could have something potentially bad in it is the wood. So I took it out before changing the water. But what bothers me is that all this stuff was in the tank nearly 2 months (except the circ pumps) and the white clouds never had a problem. River rocks sold at LFS's typically don't leach anything. So the only thing left that leaches potential contaminants very slowly is the wood.

Argh. This is frustrating.