Help! I have a couple issues, and struggle at diagnosing/treating fish diseases?

[melanochrysum]

Hi! I've had some misfortune in my aquarist journey when it comes to fish disease (some incurable and contagious stuff, I think it was a virus? Either way, I did a whole bleach overhaul after losing everything in a power outage and that hasn't been an issue, but that's a story for another time XD) So I would like to ask about what I should do as I have had trouble and always have trouble diagnosing/treating.

I have a 55 gallon and had a stocking scheme of several fish most of which have died from whatever is afflicting them. The fish don't always show clear symptoms. Here's the chemistry: 

PH: 7.8
Nitrates: ~ 40 ppm (about to do a siphon, and it's an older test)

Hardness: ~7dGH

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Ammonia: 0 ppm

KH/Buffer: It's around 12dGH 

Water Temperature: 76-78 degrees F. (Varies, its a long tank)

(Sry I wrote so much) 

So I have had a 55 gallon tank set up for a while, stocked with livebearers. Did well for the first two years, as can be expected. Population declined over time, as swordtail fry were mostly male (my bad with the temp) and predated on lots of fry from others. Long story short, I finally got more fish. Made it a mixed community tank, guppies, swords, mollies (more of what I had), cory school, 6 cherry barbs, and a plecostomus (had developed a ton of black hair algae, and the pleco is the only one thriving now), quarantined them. I added them to the tank, then realized I forgot to medicate them. Yeah.... And that's when everything broke loose. I did typical treatments (with regular and large water changes in between), levamisole, marasyn, praziquantel, garlic and some antib/dewormer in food. This all did not help. I am not exactly sure what the issue is or was, or if it was a combination of diseases? The most odd thing is that most fish over the two month span would get better after treatment, become active in behavior and normal and then 2 days later typically suddenly stop moving almost instantly. I'll add pictures of what several dead/near death ones appeared looked to have looked like. Some showed no symptoms (water chem that I replace with is remineralized r/o with similar temp and chemicals), some emaciation, most red gills, fin rot (but this is only when I got them, much better now), white blotches on a couple (not ich pretty sure). I'd say red gills on the cherry barbs are the most notable symptom currently, and one guppy emaciated. I am preparing to do a potassium permanganate treatment (and run through filter) and use bacteria from established/new filter media to rule out bacterial agents (red gills are worrying me) and then after that follow up with more levamisole and I thought about trying Angels Plus deworming fish food to see how that helps. Also as mentioned the pleco and remaining fish don't look as rough, they seem to be dying one by one, versus multiple at a time (I also have less fish now, may be why) 

Any advice or suggestions is so so so much appreciated. Disease is always the most stressful part of the hobby for me. Thanks in advance and I hope you have a good day! (and that your fish are in good health!)

(Photos are just examples. The swordtail was dead, I promise, but it was right after (get what I mean by no symptoms 😕) I can't find others but I know I took some, and I can send more if that helps too)

[Colu]

Could a parasitic infection you can the odd random deaths weeks apart with the emaciation you described could be wasting disease have you notice any rapid breathing hanging out near the surface lethargy flashing spitting food out sunken belly white stringy poop @melanochrysum

[melanochrysum]

Hi!

A) Thank you so much for your help! And 

B) Yes. The rapid breathing happens often before death. It used to be lethargy, but haven't noticed that since the levamisole treatment I think. I have seen spitting food, but not more than I think normal, usually on very small fry. Some sunken belly, hit or miss, usually on dying ones, and white stringy poop on a few early on, not as much now (but still some).

C) Are there tests to see if I've been the vector for something like mycobacterium all along? That would explain some large bumps that appear for months at a time (and I'm on lots of immunocompromising meds)

D) In the meantime, do u recommend a potassium permanganate treatment for mycobacterium and then also for parasite treatment what do you recommend? I've used most of my typical meds. 

[Colu]

On 4/26/2024 at 1:00 AM, melanochrysum said:

Hi!

A) Thank you so much for your help! And 

B) Yes. The rapid breathing happens often before death. It used to be lethargy, but haven't noticed that since the levamisole treatment I think. I have seen spitting food, but not more than I think normal, usually on very small fry. Some sunken belly, hit or miss, usually on dying ones, and white stringy poop on a few early on, not as much now (but still some).

C) Are there tests to see if I've been the vector for something like mycobacterium all along? That would explain some large bumps that appear for months at a time (and I'm on lots of immunocompromising meds)

D) In the meantime, do u recommend a potassium permanganate treatment for mycobacterium and then also for parasite treatment what do you recommend? I've used most of my typical meds. 

Yes there's a test for mycobacterium vet would need to euthanize one of your fish showing symptoms and do histology acid fast staining cultures I think your dealing with a parasitic infection what I would do is @Odd Ducktreatment protocol for parasitic infections it can take multipul treatment with appropriate time between doses to deal with  potassium permanganate it will help with  external parasites it wouldn't help with internal parasite it wouldn't it be an effective treatment for mycobacterium 

Edited April 26 by Colu