Mass BN deaths over the last 6mths.

[crajode4655]

Im kinda at wits end here with the missus BN breeders, in the last 6mths we have literally lost thousands of fry.

They seem to reach 2-3wks old and one by one drop like flies, like literally swimming mid water and then they just give up the ghost and hit the deck.

I purchased more tanks, cycled them all in and added the breeders hoping I could escape it and straight away lost LF/SF Albino/Common and Calico fry.

Tried all sorts of meds, light dosages of PP,pretty much everything for internal/external parasites, Promethasul, Tri-Sulphur, Meth Blue, Whitespot Treatments, Salt and Temp.

Anybody else experiencing anything similar????

[liljohn_83]

i have seen the odd fry do the mid depth shimmy to death no idear why , had 50 od do it all at once found out my dauter had pourd an ashtray full of juast ash in thair ,

[electric yellow cichlids]

i have seen the odd fry do the mid depth shimmy to death no idear why , had 50 od do it all at once found out my dauter had pourd an ashtray full of juast ash in thair ,

Jeez really ? hope you spanked her for that

[guest 11]

See smoking kills is so many different ways. Haha

[goneself]

Are you leaving the parents in there? I've found BN fry are much weaker if they don't spend their first month or so eating adult BN crap.

[crajode4655]

Its almost got me ready to sell out and enjoy my weekends off for the first time in ages, never thought bout it more seriously till the last couple weeks.

[the German]

Have you tested the tap or tank water before water change I had a problem with my tank water and this is where I would look first

[nativecollector]

Maybe strengthen your blood lines? Add another couple females... I've had the same problem before with weak blood lines and adding extra fish and swapping the pair/trios around did the trick.

[crajode4655]

Yeah been testing the water, all is okay.

Havent added fresh blood because these breeders were breeding perfectly fine before all this started and we are talking 2 trios of LF Alb, Two trios common SF, Trio common lf, 2 trios Albino SF and 2 pairs of Calicos.

Next thing to try and its my last resort is fire up the sumped system again now its been dry a week and install a 36w UV in the high pressure side after the pump. If that doesnt work Im out of ideas.

[crajode4655]

I did have africans on the same system that are/were breeding like crazy and not suffering the same affliction.

[crajode4655]

Are you leaving the parents in there? I've found BN fry are much weaker if they don't spend their first month or so eating adult BN crap.

Yeah mate, always leave em in there.

[syno2]

Try adding mystry snails in with them so the young can eat the snail waste. They have to build up their gut bacteria level or like you said they will drop off after about 2 to 3 weeks.Have the snail in the tank a couple of weeks prior to adding young. Don't have a too clean a tank for them, clean water yes, clean tank no.

Regards Chris

[crajode4655]

Thats an idea Chris, might give that a shot.

On an updated note, I feel we are dealing with a parasite of sorts or even more likely - dropsy, the better half noticed today the entire body of the fish is swelling to the point the fry actually explode. When they are swollen, the fry appear to be completely filled with clear fluid. It isnt bloat - seen that before. Feel we could be finally drawing closer to something.

Will test for nitrates & ammonia tomorrow.

Edited October 24, 2011 by crajode4655