Please help me figure this out...

[Krisvalkyrie]

Got a bad case of infection in two of my tanks - Have probably lost 15-20 fish in the past two days - it has affected my plecos, guppies, mollies, rainbows and apistos - I just thought some of the dropping was from stress - changed filters - but no - so now I am treating it.  It has me really stressed out though.

I had to rip apart my 75 gallon planted tank and my 55 gallon semi planted tank to take out the plants.  I moved all the fish into the 55 so I could treat them all at once and not go broke on medicine - figured out what meds I needed and got some thanks to Dan at HAW....

Found some of my dwarf crayfish that I thought died - got some from HAW several months back and put the surviving two in that tank.  The female was berried and was chased down by another fish - I haven't seen them since, so I thought they got eaten, but apparently they survived.  I found the 2 adults, then saw a funny looking "shrimp" Turns out it was a baby dwarf cray - so far I have rescued 4 from the tank.  I am hoping to find more. Guess there is a silver lining to the cloud after all.

[Krisvalkyrie]

Re: yikes -

Ok, I am still having trouble -

I have dosed them with tripple sulfa, which was recommended to me, but they are still dying.  I have lost a huge number of fish, now including one of my discus.  I just don't know what to do and I am freaking out.

I dosed them with 6 packets of it a day and this is the 4th day now.  yesterday and today I have done 25%water changes as recommended on the package.  I have used aquarium salt and epsom salts in the tank to help them.

I am seeing a variety of symptoms.

Some fish have a reddish color under their scales, then a patch of scales turns white and flaky. then they die

Some appear to have their guts come out their abdomen, or when I find them dead, the abdomen is gone.  

They are found without a mark on them, spine somewhat twisted, fins sticking straight out.

Some have a reddish color under their gills.

What did I do?  

What should I use?

These fish were getting multiple water changes a week!  They are all dying now, and I am getting so discouraged.  My house is trashed because all I have been doing is taking care of the fish!

[wesleydnunder]

Re: Please help me figure this out...

Kris, it sounds like septicemia to me. Unfortunately, once a fish is that full of infection, they seldom survive. I've had good results with a combination of Mardel's Maracyn and Maracyn II used together. One treats gram positive bacteria, the other gram negative. The rest of your regimen sounds good...lots of fresh, clean water.

Mark