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About 2 years ago, the tank I have labled as saltwater was freshwater and had started with barbs. The barbs weren't working for us, so we waited a little longer and then bought 3 mollies, 1 male (seemingly a cremecicle lyretail, according to petsmart), and 2 females (a black one and a sliver and black lyretail). We also found ourselves with 2 red-tailed sharks, followed by 2 bala sharks. The first to go were the red-tailed, but that had been due to a fungus. So a few weeks after we had gotten the mollies, one of them, the dalmatian lyretail, had given birth. We had a net full of fry that kept getting fuller. And then, after one batch of young, the black molly died, along with the remainder of the sharks. When the fry were large enough, they were released back into the tank. Eventually, we didn't bother catching the babies anymore, as they had already managed to save themselves by hiding.
As well as plenty of fish, we had at least two live plants, one of which needed to be trimmed regularly. But after a while, the cremecicle died as well and left behind an abundance of children. Now, it was getting harder to tell mama from her children and grandchildren.
After a certain span of time, the water chemstry began to take an odd change. We had expected the ammonia spikes from so much waste, and had performed frequent water changes for that cause. But with each water change, the water got worse and we kept loosing more and more fish. Soon after the changes occured, second generation fish began appearing with bellies curved inwards, giving them a thin and weak appearance. Many died of ammonia poisoning and all that showed signs of a curved belly went as well. Eventually, there were only 5 or so of the previous 100 that possibly roamed the tank. Even after the death of many and frequent water changes, we were left with that little. And the death of every fish but the 3 I took to my own tanks came upon us. And again, 2 of the 3 remaining of a long chain of relatives succumbed to their weak selves. Fin, the lone survivor was placed into a tank with my current platys Ray and Mickey/Rickey where she went along well. But one day, she began showing signs of some weird ailment I have never before seen in a fish. She curved like an "S" in a sense and seemingly could not remove herself from that position. I isolated her just in case. And along she swam curved in the spine running the length of her. And then I had lost her too.
Ray had soon given birth too, aparantly bought pregnant ("surprisingly"), and I placed her fry into a breeding net. When they developed, I noticed a trend: every Mickey Mouse platy born of her had had the same curve in their spines as Fin had. Only the Mickeys! I quarantined them and they all died as well, leaving me with only 1 perfectly fine one and 4 remaining sunbursts.
What was the mystery plague that stretched back through the generations that are still causing havoc on my fish today? Was it the plants that caused the ammonia spike? Could it have been the new treatment of the tap water we replaced with conditioner after each change? Was it this odd ailment that I assume to be "Fish TB", as told by others when I asked? Or was the extinction caused by the overpopulation of the tank? Am I still plagued by this mystery illness or injury and what exactly is it?
Maybe one of you can answer the question as to how all my fish suddenly stopped living?
(P.S. Thanks for even reading my long post:thumbsup
Molly tank-72g, planted, parameters were perfect leading up to the sudden spike.
Platy tanks-10g each, unplanted
As well as plenty of fish, we had at least two live plants, one of which needed to be trimmed regularly. But after a while, the cremecicle died as well and left behind an abundance of children. Now, it was getting harder to tell mama from her children and grandchildren.
After a certain span of time, the water chemstry began to take an odd change. We had expected the ammonia spikes from so much waste, and had performed frequent water changes for that cause. But with each water change, the water got worse and we kept loosing more and more fish. Soon after the changes occured, second generation fish began appearing with bellies curved inwards, giving them a thin and weak appearance. Many died of ammonia poisoning and all that showed signs of a curved belly went as well. Eventually, there were only 5 or so of the previous 100 that possibly roamed the tank. Even after the death of many and frequent water changes, we were left with that little. And the death of every fish but the 3 I took to my own tanks came upon us. And again, 2 of the 3 remaining of a long chain of relatives succumbed to their weak selves. Fin, the lone survivor was placed into a tank with my current platys Ray and Mickey/Rickey where she went along well. But one day, she began showing signs of some weird ailment I have never before seen in a fish. She curved like an "S" in a sense and seemingly could not remove herself from that position. I isolated her just in case. And along she swam curved in the spine running the length of her. And then I had lost her too.
Ray had soon given birth too, aparantly bought pregnant ("surprisingly"), and I placed her fry into a breeding net. When they developed, I noticed a trend: every Mickey Mouse platy born of her had had the same curve in their spines as Fin had. Only the Mickeys! I quarantined them and they all died as well, leaving me with only 1 perfectly fine one and 4 remaining sunbursts.
What was the mystery plague that stretched back through the generations that are still causing havoc on my fish today? Was it the plants that caused the ammonia spike? Could it have been the new treatment of the tap water we replaced with conditioner after each change? Was it this odd ailment that I assume to be "Fish TB", as told by others when I asked? Or was the extinction caused by the overpopulation of the tank? Am I still plagued by this mystery illness or injury and what exactly is it?
Maybe one of you can answer the question as to how all my fish suddenly stopped living?
(P.S. Thanks for even reading my long post:thumbsup
Molly tank-72g, planted, parameters were perfect leading up to the sudden spike.
Platy tanks-10g each, unplanted