Loss of yoyos

[Azmeaiel]

Hi I was wondering if anyone could help explain the loss of some yoyo loaches. Had them around 4 months. they have been happy and healthy with no sign of illness up untill their death.

water parameters.

ph :6.8-7
ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: .10-.25

55gal

tankmates: guppies, endlers, angels, clowns, ancistrus, BGK, SAE, female betta, pictus. No other fish dead or ill, no obvious fighting.

feed: frozen bloodworm, algae wafer, shrimp/algae/shellfish frozen meals, commercial crumble fish feed (as used in salmon and trout feeds).

only change made near time of death was a 15% water change. Extra chlorine remover added because chlorine was at .77 (have been doing this for months though) and fed some zuccini to the ancistrus.

[mikev]

Sorry to hear this.

I'd suggest that you try to trace back your steps and see if there was a possibility of contamination. For example, some cleaning liquid in the water change bucket.

What is interesting is that a heard a very similar story recently elsewhere: not a novice fishkeeper, five yoyos dead overnight after five months in the tank, no symptomes, and the other fish not affected (the other fish included loaches, I think striatas).

Having two episodes like this makes one think that yoyo's may be very sensitive to some contaminant, and it would be important to find which one....

[shari]

Your water parameters look good, but it sounds like you have alot of fish in that tank.

If the deaths occured after a water change, I'd suspect something went amiss that seemed to have affected only the yo yos. What that could be only you would be able to determine, I fear.

[Azmeaiel]

There is definitly something amiss with our supplied water. Besides chlorine at a high .77 my guppies have come down with something, this sickness is slower but appeared a few days after I posted. symptoms exactly the same as nitrite poisoning ( lethargy, gasping at surface). I have around 4 tanks that didnt get a change and moved the fish to them. They were ok within about 10 mins and rushing around like nothing happened, both tanks that had the waterchange have sick fish (guppies) but no other fish (including black ghosts, pictus and clown loaches) have anything wrong with them. I have had a similar problem with guppies at this time of year for several years. it is also late summer and quite hot, water levels are low so I am guessing they are adding extra or different treatment to the water. Unfortunatley it doesnt seem to be treated by chlorine/chloramine treatments. Some shops are also having trouble with guppies, most die within days. Water parameters in the tank are still normal. Besides the mystery guppy illness and dead yoyo's nothing is amiss, the betta are raising 2 new spawns in the tank.

[shari]

I'd give the water company a call.

Bettas are pretty tough little fish and can tolerate alot of nastiness in the water, but if your guppies and yo yos are dying somethings up...