It all started when I replaced the gravel in my 50 gallon tank. I did get rid of four of my larger fish before I did this. I kept two large dishes of the old gravel in the tank to provide biofilter and seed the new gravel. I expected a cycle and got one; I did a couple water changes and used amquel to bind some of the ammonia. Nonethless, I did lose two tiger barbs. A month after I changed the gravel and the cycle evened out, I went and got six new barbs. (I had only three to start with.) I lost a couple more barbs (all other fish doing fine...african reedfish, algae eater, two clown plecos, albino shark), and couldn't figure out why; I couldnt SEE any ich or anything. Then a week later I could see the ich. So, I began treating with Kordon's Rid Ich (
malachite green and formalin) which I have used successfully several times before in my fishkeeping years. I awoke on the second morning after treating to a very cloudy tank and three more barbs on the brink of death, with ammonia testing around 2.0-3.0ppm. They twitch, breathe heavily, and can't stay upright, along with their fins rotting away. I did a 40% water change, added ammonia binder and carbon to absorb the medicine.
Water tests for very low ammonia at the moment. Now I am just kind of sitting, waiting wondering what to do, if anything. Most of the fish are doing just fine, eating etc (of course with the chaos I am barely feeding them and when I do its with blender mush soaked in zoecon and beta glucan), but the barbs are just driving me crazy with all the dying and fin rotting. I did get them from the same place, but they looked healthy in the store. Anyone have any insight???
