# My fish are dying!



## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

Hello everyone! First time on this forum but I have been posting on another one for a while but it has since died. Anyways a little background: I have had my current 30 gallon freshwater tank for about five years now, had the discus for four. Here is my situation:



Anyways my panda garra died last week, I found two of my cory cats dead (two are missing) and I just found my farlawella dead this morning. They had all been in the tank together for years (at least three that I know of) and had no problems. I thought it was a loach I just got to clean out a snail problem since he was really aggressive but I had since gotten rid of him last month.

My friend thinks its my flying fox, who, after my discus is the biggest fish in the tank and is attacking everyone. I honestly have never seen him attack any fish like I did with the loach.

Could there be a bigger issue with my tank, or should I try removing the flying fox and see how things go? I only have a 30 gallon tank so territory might be scarce now that the flying fox has gotten so big. 

Current fish in my tank now are: discus, cory cats (2), cherry barbs (3), banjo cat, flying fox and a little catfish that looks like a flounder.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

One thing that stands out is the tank is overstocked for a 30 gal. Discus needs to be in a group of at least 3 to 5 and your tank is no where big enough. The flying fox can get pretty aggressive and will have the tendancy to latch on the discus slime coat.


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## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

susankat said:


> One thing that stands out is the tank is overstocked for a 30 gal. Discus needs to be in a group of at least 3 to 5 and your tank is no where big enough. The flying fox can get pretty aggressive and will have the tendancy to latch on the discus slime coat.


Yah like I said I have had all these fish together for years now but the flying fox has gotten much bigger. I think I am gonna get rid of him and see how things go.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I think you're on track, but it's still a wee bit small for a discus. With good care, you can get away with it, as you have been doing. 

The little catfish that looks like a flounder would not by chance be a hillstream loach? I had Sewellia lineolata a few years ago, and while people keep telling me they are peaceful, I had one that killed half a dozen tankmates. It really went for Corys and other catfish....


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## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

navigator black said:


> I think you're on track, but it's still a wee bit small for a discus. With good care, you can get away with it, as you have been doing.
> 
> The little catfish that looks like a flounder would not by chance be a hillstream loach? I had Sewellia lineolata a few years ago, and while people keep telling me they are peaceful, I had one that killed half a dozen tankmates. It really went for Corys and other catfish....


Thats the name! It escaped me, thanks . That little guy is a killer? Hard to believe he could wipe out my corys, farlawella and panda garra.


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## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

And btw I do a pretty good job I think of maintaining things. I do bi weekly water changes and a 75% change every six months. The only additives I add in are blackwater extract for the discus. 

The discus, flying fox, and corys have all been together for years. I added the cherry barbs later, same with the hillstream loach and banjo cat.


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## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

But than again is the hillstream loach even capable of attacking anything? It doesnt even have any teeth!


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## Rod4Rodger (Jan 2, 2012)

Things change. I cringe at the thought of Discus with all the others, and not at least three Discus, but if they once were fine... maybe it is your dispreportinately growing fish, maybe it is that your water has changed. I assume, and you said, for that many fish, and keeping a Discus alive for years, that you do regular change outs. Have you considered that your make up water may have changed? I only keep Discus. My water has changed. Houston, Tx, has gone through a draught and the population is growing so the municipal water supply is constantly changing. I have noticed the base hardness and PH has changed significantly, several times, over the last two years. Perhaps that is the root of your problem.

Oh, I do have a Placatamus and some loaches to clean up a bit, but the tank is mostly Discus with 20 something three to seven inch babies.


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## Rod4Rodger (Jan 2, 2012)

Two Discus if they are paired... really only one Discus? It must shoal with the others. Has it lost shoal mates? Is it still shoaling or alone? If it is alone, it will die. ... Can you tell I love my Discus? They do not school, so in theory it is possible they can live without other Discus, but the only way I think it is possible is if they fill the need for other Discus shoal mates by shoaling with the other fish. If you have lost the ones it hung with, you will lose it too. They die of lonliness for no aparent reason.

P.S. ... My brain still turning... is your flying fox the Discus' shoal mate? If he is, losing him will kill your Discus. If he is the source of your deaths, he will probably eventually kill your Discus... Catch 22. BTW ... if you do the water changes and you pay attention a 29 is plenty big enough for Discus, I have two 29s and a 240. I keep the population to a conventional wisdom insane level of up to six (maybe 3") in the 29s, but I do a 50% change from the big tank once a week. ... PSS, wife corrected me, I change out 85 to 90% no less often than once a week and usually more often because I change it every time it looks dirty... sigh, I make about 110 gallons a week to change out the big tank and most of that goes through the little ones, so she may be right.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

With my hillstream loach, it constantly chased other bottom dwellers, and attached to them. I might have had a nasty individual - every one else I know who has kept the fish has loved it.


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## CenturionElite (May 8, 2012)

I have some bad news to report. Came home from work tonight (about five minutes ago) and found my discus dead at the bottom of the tank. Kind of bums me out cause he was the life and soul of my tank, everything I put in there and did was for him.

Now I know something serious is going on. Probably a disease but what?

Also I know this might sound farfetched, but is it possible I could have gotten a tainted supply of bloodworms? I was feeding them flakes for a good six months and than I went back to bloodworms a month ago because I had store credit and just decided to get them. Now this happens when I started feeding them bloodworms.

Ah Im so bummed!  Whats the logical next step to take? Drain my entire tank and start over?


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## Rod4Rodger (Jan 2, 2012)

I am so sorry for your loss. It is possible the bloodworms can carry parasite infections. The fish love them but they have little nutritional value so I do not use them. I feed Tetramin because it is balanced, they have learned to love it, and it is not too tank messy. I feed beef heart for growth and as their favorite treat. Look on the bright side, you have learned how to keep Discus. Once everything has straightened out get about three little ones and grow them up as your babies. They are the heart and soul of a tank because of their personality.


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