# New bugs and sick fish



## HappyMitsu (9 Aug 2016)

Hi. Yesterday I noticed that my fish was lying on the tank floor and struggling to swim. Following advice, I have done one 15% water change a day but he is not improving. Today, I noticed little bugs slowly moving around on the glass. Could they be connected to the fish's condition? Just for information, the tank has been running for several years and we have not introduced any new plants or ornaments in that time. I have attached photos of the bugs. Thanks.


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## HappyMitsu (11 Aug 2016)

Unfortunately, the fish has now passed away so I will not require any advice.


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## PARAGUAY (11 Aug 2016)

Sorry about the loss is it a open topped tank, did you test the water?


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## HappyMitsu (12 Aug 2016)

Thank you for your reply. We did test the water and everything was normal. We went to pets at home so I don't have any exact readings to share. The tank is not open topped. We fed the fish peas and bloodworm to clear any blockages and kept him quarantined in "fish hospital" but he only lasted a few days following the onset of symptoms. The bugs seem to have vanished too.


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## tim (12 Aug 2016)

The bugs look like limpets, harmless I believe, so not the cause of fish death IMO.


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## HappyMitsu (12 Aug 2016)

Thank you.


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## HappyMitsu (12 Aug 2016)

Just another quick question. The tank also contains a shrimp and a snail, do I now need to feed them to compensate for the loss of the fish?


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## alto (12 Aug 2016)

More information on tank set up & livestock would help

eg,
a snail
a snail
a shrimp
a shrimp



In general any livestock benefit from regular water changes & daily food




HappyMitsu said:


> the fish has now passed away


sorry for his loss ... perhaps it was part of the aging process ... if tank has been running for several years, this is quite possible, some tropical fish are "annual" fish, others may have life expectancy ranging from 1-3 years or 8-10 years or longer ... some fish live longer in aquaria, others shorter, much depends on the water quality/suitability, tank dimensions, tankmates etc etc


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## HappyMitsu (12 Aug 2016)

Thanks for replying. The tank is cold water and 20 litres with one live plant. The fish lived alone. We are now left with one ghost shrimp and one horned snail.


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## alto (12 Aug 2016)

HappyMitsu said:


> We are now left with one ghost shrimp and one horned snail.


then feed *very* lightly

I'd do several 25% water changes with substrate etc syphoning to ensure that tank is "clean" - it's very easy in a lightly stocked (or overstocked) tank to end up with considerable debris in the substrate, also sponge filters can hoard an astounding amount of grunge. 

A 20 litre tank is an excellent size for a single Betta & few snails/shrimps but you mention that it's cold water so not really suitable if tank temp falls much below 24C 

It's really too small for goldfish & many of the "small" fish which might do well in cooler temps should really be kept in groups of 6-10 individuals & do better in longer tanks re active swimming room



HappyMitsu said:


> The tank is not open topped. We fed the fish peas and bloodworm to clear any blockages and kept him quarantined in "fish hospital" but he only lasted a few days following the onset of symptoms.



I cant imagine what sort of fish would respond to bloodworms for blockage - frozen brine shrimp is the more usual recommendation, peas are often suggested for fish that naturally eat a more vegetarian diet (gold fish, Mbuna etc).
It's also important to distinguish between "bloat" swelling vs excess food/undigested food swelling, the former is very difficult to treat as it usually indicates organ involvement (ie very sick fish), the latter often just clears if food is withheld for a couple days, also make sure that tank temp is appropriate for fish - digestion/processing of food depends on water temp as fish have no means to regulate their internal temp, also suitability of food for the type of fish: fish that naturally eat a more vegetative/invert/insect sort of diet often struggle with more "meaty" foods (especially in the long term) ... while the dried fish foods often offer more vegetable or more "fish/meat" based ingredients, they seldom include the degree of "roughage" found in natural foods (think crunchy shells )

Hospital tanks should include some sort of filter for oxygenation & to prevent/limit ammonia etc buildup.

I hope some of this was helpful.


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## HappyMitsu (12 Aug 2016)

The fish was a black moor and we had him for 4 years. It seems as though the tank was too small for him. However, when we bought him, I stressed the small size of the tank and the aquarium staff reassured me that he would be fine. Maybe they were looking for a quick sale rather than thinking about the welfare of the fish. The comment about bloodworms is rather worrying, as they were suggested by pets at home! Thank you for the advice. I will definitely monitor the temperature with the next fish.


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## alto (13 Aug 2016)

Black Moors (& most fancy goldfish) can reach 8 - 10 inch when mature - not including tail!  I believe they grow to 4-6 inches fairly quickly, with growth slowing thereafter.
A 30 gal tank is often suggested as the minimum tank size for 1-2 goldfish (don't quote me on this, I'm not a gold fish keeper  )
It's unlikely your tank was too cold for a goldfish, they really do better at lower temperatures ... I suspect the small tank size was the greatest challenge for this fish - that he lived 4 years in a 20 litre tank suggests that you took rather good care of this fish 


Sadly many fish shop employees (especially at the big box shops) have limited fish knowledge.


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## MrHidley (13 Aug 2016)

alto said:


> Black Moors (& most fancy goldfish) can reach 8 - 10 inch when mature - not including tail!  I believe they grow to 4-6 inches fairly quickly, with growth slowing thereafter.
> A 30 gal tank is often suggested as the minimum tank size for 1-2 goldfish (don't quote me on this, I'm not a gold fish keeper  )
> It's unlikely your tank was too cold for a goldfish, they really do better at lower temperatures ... I suspect the small tank size was the greatest challenge for this fish - that he lived 4 years in a 20 litre tank suggests that you took rather good care of this fish
> 
> ...



I'm in agreement with this, not only does keeping a goldfish in such a small tank cause growth stunting. It is also very hard to keep the water quality high as goldfish are incredibly dirty and produce a lot of ammonia. But as Alto says you must have done really well to keep him alive for 4 years in such a small tank.


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## HappyMitsu (13 Aug 2016)

I'm pleased that we were looking after him properly then. Alto, I know you suggested keeping a betta but not at low temperatures. Are there any other cold water fish that I could keep in such a small tank?


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## alto (13 Aug 2016)

What are the dimensions of the tank?
what sort of light? filter? temperature range?


eg, temperature range suggested for Bettas is 22C - 30C, if it drops occasionally to 20C, fish will be fine - my house is often 18 - 20C (hotter in summer of course) so I add a small heater to any Betta tanks. Note you can now buy quite economic (unbreakable) small heaters for these smaller tanks that just increase the water temperature a few degrees above ambient - these are often marketed with a Betta photo


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