# Help, I've lost most of my fish in a week!



## iluvfsh (Nov 5, 2010)

Last Friday, I purchased 2 zebra loaches to add to my tank. I have always loved them, and could never find them. Anyway, I added them to my 30 gallon tank with 5 neons, 4 platy, 4 odessa barbs, and a bristlenose plec.

By monday, it looked like the neons had ick. I was going to go get some meds for them, but later that day, they died. 2 days later the barbs went, 2 days after then, the platy's were all floating. This morning, I found on of the zebra loaches dead, and my plec looks to have green flecks on him.

So, now I have 1 loach, and my plec left. Have no idea what has happened, water is fine. Just kicking myself for not putting the loaches in a quarantine tank first, but nothing like this has ever happened before.

Any ideas?


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## April (Apr 21, 2010)

sorry to hear..ick spreads fast..and zebra loaches are very fragile for ick. 
also bleeding hearts. crank the heat up..to 84. first line of defense. salt helps..you cant use alot of meds on loaches. theres one you can..a natural one from kordons. 
a drop in temp will cause ick.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd treat the tank for Ick as you've seen infected fish in your tank. Especially if they habituated it prior to you introducing the real culprits, the loaches. Keep an eye out for more white spots on your pleco and loach, the loach will likely croak first I hear they are rather sensitive due to their small scales.

It seems this occurred rather quickly though, so ick might not be your only issue here.


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## TCR (Jul 13, 2010)

well as every one says.. 
how old is the tank (how long was it set up for and is it properly cycled)
water perems (ph, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and perhaps gh and kh)
were all the fish added around the same time (permitting the bacteria to adjust to the amount of ammonia produced)
what have you done in order to try to fix the issue


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

It could be a PH crash......a mini cycle if your parameters are off.

For the ick the one I used is Kordon's Ick Attach, its an organic one, and when I had snails, shrimp and loaches in my tank, and used this product I didn't loose any. 

Good luck


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## iluvfsh (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks everyone. My tanks been set up for over a year. the loaches were the only fish I've introduced in probably 4 months. I think they brought something in the tank with them.  I'll treat for ick and hopefully save the plec. Don't really care about the zebra loach, as I'm a little pissed at them for destroying my tank.! 


I will definitely quarantine any other fish I get. *sigh*


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## Sandy Landau (Jun 4, 2010)

I hope your loach survives, too. It's not the loach's fault that it had ich.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

The loach could be sensitive to the medication depending on what type you take, I had to cull mine when I had clown loaches.

Good luck, and definitely do your best to save your last long survivor the pleco!


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## iluvfsh (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks everyone...I do hope the loach and pleco survive...zebra loaches are so beautiful, and I was thrilled to get one.


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

iluvfsh said:


> Thanks everyone...I do hope the loach and pleco survive...zebra loaches are so beautiful, and I was thrilled to get one.


 Most loaches will die if you treat with medication (as they don't have scales). Just turn up the temp!!!!....


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## pisces (Apr 22, 2010)

sorry to head that!
new fish need sub to another tanks 2 days first~ 
or next time again, just turn your heater 30c + 1 spone salt, it wont have same happened again!


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