# All my fish died suddenly HELP!!!!!!!!!!



## upstatelife

I have had a 40 gallon tank for 2 years now. Last night I fed my fish like normal watched them for a while and went to bed. I have a pretty steady tank and have had many of the fish for a while. Mostly plattys mollys and a couple emerald catfishes. Anyway last night I did my normal routine and the fish all looked healthy as ever. This morning I woke up and had a nightmare on my hands all but two fish were dead. I was in shock! How is this possible. They were all covered in this white fungusy stuff almost as if they were frozen. Can anyone tell me what this is. How can this happen so sudden? I have been upset all day over this. Any help or information you can give is appreciated. 

Thank you, 

Tammy


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## Sprite42

Did you check your water stats? What is/was your water change routine?

It sounds like some sort of fast moving columnaris infection.


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## harif87

The white "fungusy looking" stuff might not be fungus.... if the fishes were dead in the tank overnight that growth is definately due to thier decomposing bodies (sorry). I doubt that white stuff has anything to dp with their deaths.

As for their deaths; do you have any kids that might have played with the tank while you were asleep? They COULD be the culprit but agian thats an "if" not a "because"


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## upstatelife

Thank you so much for the tip on the columnaris infection I read the below article and looked at the pictures and it shows the white stuff exactly as were on my fish that died. Especially the picture on the black Molly that is right on target. Please see the following web page below it answered alot of my questions. 

Tammy

http://www.ibmring.com/guppy/articles/diseases1.htm


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## upstatelife

I think that the heater is the culpret though because my reading today is 79 and yesterday it was 76. I havent moved the heater, and there are no children in my house. On the columnaris disease it states any slight temperature increase will cause the disease to manifest. But to happen so sudden. Today the other fish died also. So now my tank is empty. Does anyone have any suggestions. How should I decontaminate the tank? when and if should I start the tank up again?


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## violet

Is your setup one which you could just pour bleach into and let it run for a little while to kill everything?


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## upstatelife

All the fish are dead so I suppose I could how much? I was told to drain the water remove all decorations spray them with a solution of 90% water 10% rubbing alchohol and let dry. That is how Petsmart cleans their tanks but I dont want to say they are experts or not. Any recommendations are appreciated.


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## emc7

I'd guess about a cup of bleach per 5 gallons (Anyone agree with me?). If you let it run overnight and then drain everything and let it dry, everything wiill be pretty much dead. Of couse, when you start up again, it will be like a new tank. If you're sure it was columnaris, I guess you could treat the tank with meds just for that, then change 100% of the water and still have some biology left to start over with.


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## harif87

Meds will kill most of the bacteria


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## goldiefish16

If you have a fish that dies and you want to buy another one do you have to change all the water? take out everything and clean them?(If yes with what?)


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## PetMax

goldiefish16 said:


> If you have a fish that dies and you want to buy another one do you have to change all the water? take out everything and clean them?(If yes with what?)


depends on why it died, if you can medicate it, and if its worth your time.

As far as taking everything out to clean, ive always used bleach. No real mixture, just alot of bleach and ssome water. And after scrubbin away, just rinse it out until you cant smell bleach anymore. has worked for me for years with no problems. Fake Plants and decorations i soak in pure bleach for an hour, then rinse them. Takes algae off REAL quick. LOL


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