Guest nimajneb Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Really weird thing JUST happened. It's been a bit subdued in my tank recently but not sure why, but you know when you just get THAT feeling something's up?! Movement caught my eye and one of loaches, Smalls, started torpeedoing round the tank barrel-rolling throughout at high speed then just dropped to the bottom dead. He didn't get involved in feeding an hour previously which I thought was strange. When I took a close look at him under his gills and mouth he looked a little reddish but with a pearlescent hint that isn'n normally there. I'd tested my water only 2 hours ago and my Am=0, Ni=0 but Na=50. Ph is a steady 7.5. My Na just won't go down(so much so it ALWAYS reads 50 and I believe I may have an inferior Na test) whenever I check but I did an unscheduled mid week change at the same time and changed 20% as I do a regular 50% WC every saturday. There's about 15-16 UK gallons(ummm Pixie... forgotten the conversion again, doh). But it's 60 litres and I've got 800lph churning out in there too from the filter. The tank's been up and running for 2 months and the 800lph filter in there for a month. No new fish have been added. There's been no medication added ever. There's no salt in the water as the Loaches are intollerant to it. Not GF I know but I know some others here have Dojo's too. Anyone else experience anything similar? Sudden deaths - what a B@*!?/d. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member thoughtsofjoy Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 So everything is normal, but your loach just rocketed across the tank and dropped dead? That is very odd. I have no answers for you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bob the Goldfish Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 (edited) nimajneb, please open him up. The problem would seem to be internal. Edited August 13, 2008 by Bob the Goldfish 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin koko Posted August 13, 2008 Admin Share Posted August 13, 2008 The only other time I have seen a fish do this is my Samuel years ago....he was an Oranda... What happened was he started to dart around the tank running into things. Spun out of control, then when I tried to pick him up blood came out of his gills then died on me....I truly believe that fish can have heart attacks just like us. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member lynda441 Posted August 13, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 13, 2008 Yah, first I'd say get a reliable test kit, then I'd say, if the tests all read good, I, too, believe that fish can just have heart attacks sometimes. I know I've had that happen when I kept tropicals. Swim frantically, then, BAM!, dead. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nimajneb Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Sorry Bob, I'm not one for dissection - I don't know what I'm looking at and to behonest, don't think I want to. You know what guys, at the time I thought something similar about a sudden event eg heart attack. He'd been quiet for 24 hours and then just, well....boom. Watching every movement in there now. The other 2 were a bit frantic for a brief time, as if they knew but seem to be calming down. Hope they are ok in the morning. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Bob the Goldfish Posted August 15, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 15, 2008 I say open him up anyway, and then post pictures for the experts here to look at. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nimajneb Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 You're either a Biology/vetinary student or you have an unhealthy obsession with Jack the Ripper. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member arabpaso Posted August 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 17, 2008 Yep, I had the same thing happen to a betta--fine one minute then swam all around like a crazy man and died about 2 minutes later. It was very distressing to see--sorry for your loss. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member cheekylemur Posted August 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted August 17, 2008 There are numerous reasons something like that can happen, which doesn't make it easier. The first thing to check, like always, is the water. Could fumes have gotten into the tank that poisoned him? Could there be stray electrical voltage from any of your equipment? I do know of koi who've just gotten spooked and banged into something head first and died as well. I had a fantail who periodically exhibited spastic behavior and frantic swimming, and was found dead suddenly, necropsy revealed a serious internal infection spread through all organs, and it may have been affecting his nervous system. Parasites can certainly also cause jumpiness if they are irritating the fish, although I'm not familiar with them in loaches. Not everyone is emotionally comfortable cutting into a deceased fish, but it can often give you a better idea of what happened and give you a chance to treat the rest of the tank appropriately. In the case of the internal infection in my fish, because I did dissect him, I knew how to sanitize the tank, and could make a reasonable decision about how to treat the other fish that had been in there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nimajneb Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 even so, whilst appreciate the potential benefits it's not something I have any clue about so won't be trying. It's a bit late now, he's no longer on hand to look at anyway. The water levels are reading the same as always (I test with drop kits). The internal filter is only about 6 weeks old but it's possible I suppose but why would it affect just one out of 4 fish IF it was that. No, I think it was a biological issue. All seems ok there in there now so gonna have to put it down to being just 'one of those things' unfortunately. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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