# Help needed: Bottom feeders (corycats and plecos) dieing rapedly



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Hi Guys

Help needed ASAP. For some reason I discovered about 5 days ago that most of my assassin snails went up to the top of the tank and trying to escape it. almost right after that I lost my oldest corrycat that was in the tank for 5 years, next I lost corry that was in the tank for 3 years and today I lost pleco who was also in the tank for 3years. all those 3 were my largest fish in the tank. And it is looks like I'm going to lose another old corry soon (see attached picture with laser cory looking dead, hes in, just trying to get the air and don't have strings. I'm also posting a few pictures with assassins on top of the tank. My tank is 5 years old 30gl planted tank.
I tested my water yesterday and parameters are perfect.
Ammonia 0
No2 - 0
No3 - 0
PH - 7
Temperature 24C
Tested with API liquid kit
I've done 50% water change with gravel clean up but does not look like it is helping as pictures taken after water change. Also added bio-support just in case if bio filter is broken. The only change that happened about 2 weeks ago I planted criptocon and used under gravel fertilizer form The Plant guy
http://www.theplantguy.org/PlantGuy...-Fertilizer-100-tabs-free-shipping_p_853.html
I can not figure out what is going on. Any help is appreciated


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## brycon (Aug 5, 2014)

Looks like too much CO2 or you OD'd on Excel....been there, done that.


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Wow I am sorry to hear this 
You are obviously an experienced fish and plant keeper and your parameters are fine so this is truly confusing 
Have you considered some sort of toxic poisoning ? Was there any cleaning chemicals, bleach, etc anywhere near your tank that might have inadvertently poisoned the tank ?
Water changes are probably a good idea for now 
Also, I can house your fish until you get things under control - I'm a cory nut have have an empty 15 gal that is cycled and ready to go 
Keep me posted and good luck


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

brycon said:


> Looks like too much CO2 or you OD'd on Excel....been there, done that.


I agree 100%. Sounds like low oxygen in the water and that's why the snails are at the top trying to breath. Cories will usually go to the surface to get a gulp of air and can usually survive situations like this but obviously are also dying. 
--
Paul


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

Sorry to. Hear about your loss. 

How many of those fert tabs did you use from the Plantguy?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Scotmando said:


> Sorry to. Hear about your loss.
> 
> How many of those fert tabs did you use from the Plantguy?


2 tabs as I planted 2 criptocorn bushes


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

brycon said:


> Looks like too much CO2 or you OD'd on Excel....been there, done that.


I don't have CO2 besides dozing 10ml of excel every two weeks for 3 years now and never had any issues. What else may trier oxygen issue ?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Bullet said:


> Wow I am sorry to hear this
> You are obviously an experienced fish and plant keeper and your parameters are fine so this is truly confusing
> Have you considered some sort of toxic poisoning ? Was there any cleaning chemicals, bleach, etc anywhere near your tank that might have inadvertently poisoned the tank ?
> Water changes are probably a good idea for now
> ...


Nope. No chemicals beside that fertilizer. I'm vefy careful with this stuff. Eve when I clean the filter I clean the sponge in the aquarium water to not too lose the bacteria and other parts of the filter with tab water I newer use soap or anything like that.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Y2KGT said:


> I agree 100%. Sounds like low oxygen in the water and that's why the snails are at the top trying to breath. Cories will usually go to the surface to get a gulp of air and can usually survive situations like this but obviously are also dying.
> --
> Paul


I don't understand where execs of oxygen coming from ?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

General update. The corry on the picture died. I was doing small water changes for 3 days and situation improved, when I stoped doing water changes to not to stress fish too much it went back and I lost 5 guppies and 2 cardinals in those days. Any help still appriciated.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

MY 2 QUESTIONS ARE:

1. have you introduced anything new in your tank lately? Almost sounds like a very bad parasite or something. I lost all my LDA33 plecos that way,, and other fish,,, just all died suddenly and it was not oxygen, parameters or anything.

2. I noticed you have a heater, there is not current leaching into the tank when the element comes on.

that's all i can think of at the moment.

Sorry to hear about your inhabitants.


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## RevoBuda (Sep 3, 2011)

I had a similar experience about a this time of year last year. I chalked it up to the water treatment exercises in my area for drinking water by the municipality. The only other possibility is a bacterial / viral infection. Either that or if they are primarily bottom feeders that are turning belly up, maybe you had a stagnant gas/sludge area that was dislodge under the soil (i'm reaching here) that could have been loosened and caused such a loss. Sometimes, it's a "shit happens" situation. Good luck.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

fish_luva said:


> MY 2 QUESTIONS ARE:
> 
> 1. have you introduced anything new in your tank lately? Almost sounds like a very bad parasite or something. I lost all my LDA33 plecos that way,, and other fish,,, just all died suddenly and it was not oxygen, parameters or anything.
> 
> ...


Answer 1

Yes 10 days prior to is started to happen I planted 2 bushes of Criptocorn and used new root fertilizer from PlantGuy (link in my original post).

Answer 2

No. Not to my Knowledge it has been like that since I started the tank 3 years ago with no issues


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

RevoBuda said:


> I had a similar experience about a this time of year last year. I chalked it up to the water treatment exercises in my area for drinking water by the municipality. The only other possibility is a bacterial / viral infection. Either that or if they are primarily bottom feeders that are turning belly up, maybe you had a stagnant gas/sludge area that was dislodge under the soil (i'm reaching here) that could have been loosened and caused such a loss. Sometimes, it's a "shit happens" situation. Good luck.


This is possible as I planted 2 bushes of Criptocorn 10 days before it started to happen.


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

I noticed you have guppies in your tank. How are they doing? 

And also how are the assassin snails?


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Sorry to hear of the loss.I had an issue with pleco fry that died a day after I had remove some plants, I disturb the soil and I believe that I released some gases from under the soil which caused the die off. Maybe something here that we all can learn from, great to have a forum and spread the knowledge.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Scotmando said:


> I noticed you have guppies in your tank. How are they doing?
> 
> And also how are the assassin snails?


Assassin snails are still on top of the tank and guppies I'm loosing at least 1 a day. But at the moment it is the only fish that dieing all other fish there including plekos, corries and tetras are fine. What also interesting the guppies that dieing are all young adults.


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## JNSN (Nov 4, 2013)

bob123 said:


> Sorry to hear of the loss.I had an issue with pleco fry that died a day after I had remove some plants, I disturb the soil and I believe that I released some gases from under the soil which caused the die off. Maybe something here that we all can learn from, great to have a forum and spread the knowledge.


What gases can be released? I've stirred my soil every blue moon to get pests or food waste sucked into the filter with no harm.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

OK, So far only loosing Yong guppies now. All other fish is stable and less snails are on top. I've done 5 20% water changes during last week


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## Dutchland (Jan 9, 2012)

try putting an air stone in your tank


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Dutchland said:


> try putting an air stone in your tank


Did you mean Air pump ? I already have two filters in this 30Gl tank. AC30 and AC50. Is the pump going to help ?


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## Dutchland (Jan 9, 2012)

Yes an air pump with air stone it might help


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## Scotmando (Jul 10, 2011)

JNSN said:


> What gases can be released? I've stirred my soil every blue moon to get pests or food waste sucked into the filter with no harm.


When you stir your soil, do you do this with your hands & then let the filters suck up the debris?

Or do you use a gravel vacuum apparatus?

And a blue moon is exactly how long? 3, 4 months?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Dutchland said:


> Yes an air pump with air stone it might help


Installed air pump. has been running for a day now. No improvements, snails still up.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Scotmando said:


> When you stir your soil, do you do this with your hands & then let the filters suck up the debris?
> 
> Or do you use a gravel vacuum apparatus?
> 
> And a blue moon is exactly how long? 3, 4 months?


I always use gravel vacuum. I do regular maintenance on the tank every two weeks with 30% water change and gravel cleaning


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## chi (May 13, 2013)

Sorry to hear about your loss. I notice that the fertilizer you use contain copper. I do not know if the concentration is high enough to kill. However copper is poison to bottom dweller.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

chi said:


> Sorry to hear about your loss. I notice that the fertilizer you use contain copper. I do not know if the concentration is high enough to kill. However copper is poison to bottom dweller.


Now it makes sense. The only thing i don't understand why to use cooper in fertilizer if it is counter productive against plant grows. I removed all my cooper filter inserts for that reason. Also how to remove it now if it is even possible ? As this started 10 days after I put fertilizer


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## chi (May 13, 2013)

I believe water change would solve the problem. It might take a while to remove all the copper. I would remove snails out as well. 
I used to have a copper pipe in the tank for a long time. That kill my shrimps pleco and snails untill I found out copper is the course.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

chi said:


> I believe water change would solve the problem. It might take a while to remove all the copper. I would remove snails out as well.
> I used to have a copper pipe in the tank for a long time. That kill my shrimps pleco and snails untill I found out copper is the course.


Thank you. How often should I do water changes and how much of the water should I change ?


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## chi (May 13, 2013)

I would do 20% weekly for few months/until it is safe for snail.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

chi said:


> I would do 20% weekly for few months/until it is safe for snail.


Thank you. Today found my second pleco dead today. I did not have any dead fish for over week now.


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