Weirdest thing

[amcgee2842]

I had a 2 1/2 inch Aulonocara stuartgranti Chiwindi ''Blue Neon'' that seemed perfectly healthy on Sunday then last night i was sitting down watching TV and out of my peripheral vision I see a fish darting around in my tank as a took a closer look the fish was darting upside down and sideways. It was like he was spazzing without any control. After spazzing he would rest upside down on the bottom of the tank. I went to go get my net and as soon as I touch him he spazzed one last time and he came to rest again. I scooped him up and put him in my fish breeder box where he darted in there for a moment and came to rest again with barley and movement. After about 10 mins he was dead. I check his body there was no sign of physical damage to him. My ammonia is 0 my nitrite is 0 my nitrates are a little high at 80. I have a coralife 36w turbo twist (with about 2 months left on the light before it needs replacing) attached to my 2217 which at that flow rate should kill bacteria and parasites so I'm at a loss. I have about 10 other peacocks 13 dwarf mbuna and 2 plecos everyone gets along for the most part there is a chase here and there but no physical damage to anyone. All the other fish show no signs of sickness. I introduced two new peacocks yesterday that's the only thing that was different. I put some prime in the tank and stress reducer until I can do a water change tonight after work. Anyone have any ideas?

[Austy16414]

Usually that erratic swimming is a sign of parasites. Did you notice him rubbing against any substrate or decor? When my fish got velvet they had similar behavior

[amcgee2842]

Would the UV filter prevent this? I have seen some rubbing but nothing excessive. How do know if its velvet and how do you get rid of it? Should I be worried for my other fish?

[Austy16414]

You'll see yellowish to brownish coloring on the fish as it progresses. Definitely need to be worried about your other fish. I used copper sulfate to kill off mine, but methylene blue works too (don't use it in a main tank)

[Austy16414]

The UV filter will only kill free floating organisms, not anything that is attached to your fish

[Austy16414]

If I'm not mistaken, Seachem has a copper product that is safer than copper sulfate

[amcgee2842]

copper will kill pleco's though correct?

[Austy16414]

Yes. You can always set up a small temporary tank for them, treat with copper, then remove the copper and add them back

[amcgee2842]

Is paraguard effective or should I use Cupramine (seachems copper)

[Austy16414]

I would go with cupramine, personally. And then cuprisorb to rid the copper

[amcgee2842]

Thanks so much will goto fish gallery to see if they have cupramine in stock. I hate buying from there because there so expensive but its next to work. How long should I treat for?

[Austy16414]

Of course. You can try City Pets or HAW as well, it might save you some money

[Austy16414]

I'd be lying if I told you I knew how long to treat

[Fancyfish]

It should give the treatment time on the medication. Also, if you remove the plecs and don't treat them and then put them back you will likely re-infect your tank as they probably have some parasites on them as well.

[amcgee2842]

Yea I decided to go with Paragaurd since I have plants and I can leave plecos in there. Also I don't think it was velvet the more I study my fish they all seem fine but i shined a flashlight on them and I don't see velvet. One or two have some whitish grayish scales but I thought it might be from fighting or running in to things but it could be a fungus. I cleaned my whole tank removing ever thing and rearranged decor. Cleaned all filters and removed chemipure elite and purgein and started the paragaurd. It was so weird how that fish died never seen anything like that.