You can call me fish killer....

[zurus]

Ok for months I was doing great and then all of a sudden I have lost 7 within the month, most of them within the past week. I think they have been a "tad" bit overfed in the last weeks which probably is the major problem..but I read on a few sites that overeating won't kill them - it's the build up of old food, etc. I have bottom feeders and those scavengers do a pretty good job keeping the bottom clean. I found a decomposing fish in one of the plants which would explain a few of the deaths but since then I cleaned out the plant and did a 50% water change. I have lost a few more since then. Should I keep doing water changes? My water parameters are all perfect. 

Could it be that the fish heard that I was thinking of changing to a Tang tank and/or salt water and they got depressed?! (ok, maybe not!)

[oenology]

Sorry to here about your losses! It sounds as if they may have gotten bloat. The series of deaths you describe fits the bill. Did you see any swelling of the abdomen or stringy white poo? Get yourself some metronidazol or clout and start treating the tank. That would be my suggestion anyway. You can buy the medication in the Ottawa fish stores, not in Quebec.

[zurus]

Yeah I noticed a couple of them look like they might have bloat...especially the willamsi but so far he is holding on (I am praying he makes it as he is my fav - even though he killed his "wife"). The ones that have died so far didn't even look bloated!

Should I make the others fast??

[zurus]

ok is the scavenger hunt to find finding clout or metronidazol (or ANY kind of bloat medication!!) suppost to be a punishment for letting your fish get bloat?? SP recommended and sold my husband "maracyn-two" which is suppost to help but I dunno..........

SP also recommended that I give frozen food with spirulina to clean out their system (they have been eating spirulina all along). Anyone think this is a good idea? They have been fasting so far today with the maracyn-two medicine.

[Adam]

Don't feed the brine shrimp enriched with spirulina...

I'm guessing your fish are vegan mbuna.  How often do you do water changes?  Is the substrate sifted ever (ie vacuumed)? Do you push out the detritus under your rocks?  When was the last time you cleaned your filter?  What are your parameters..?

If you've been feeding only spirulina, I can't see it being bloat.

Adam

[cory]

Good questions adam!

[zurus]

That makes me think of something. Their regular food (spirulina) just ran out a few days ago so I was feeding them the regular tropical flakes for a few days since I didn't have time to get a refill. Could it be that the tropical flakes gave them bloat?

Water changes are every weekend, the bottom gets vacuumed every once in awhile but not every time we do a water change. I have 2 canisters. I know one is due to be cleaned, the other was cleaned a month or 2 ago..

[catfishsteve]

one word

Prazipro !