Re: dying fry.......

[LeeH920226 at aol_com]

Carrie,
    Your description sounds like something toxic, but why the lineatus and 
not eh striatum? Both species are pretty tolerant of water variations, so I 
don't think it would be just some sensitivity to the exact water parameters. 
the toxic substances that i can think of in order of my experience are:
1) chlorine/chloramine. If your water company is dealing with algae 
taste/smell and adding more chlorine, perhaps you need to test for chlorine 
before and after dechlorinating. I have killed fish that I have changed water 
because I did not add enough dechlorinating solution. Get a test kit. Any 
trace of chlorine can be toxic.
2) Ammonia. If the waste products build up and the pH is raised by addition 
of new water, ammonium salts are shifted toward a higher concentration of 
free ammonia -- also very toxic. Another test kit is called for.
3) Drastic change in dissolved salts especially toward a lower concentration 
will cause cell rupture by osmotic pressure differences. Here a test probe is 
needed to measure conductivity. No value is sacred, what is important is that 
it not be changed drastically and suddenly.
4) Other chemicals and changes can also be toxic -- copper, iron, nitrites, 
etc.

    In summary, more deaths are caused by water quality than by infectious 
diseases, although sometimes the fish are weakened by the water quality or 
changes in water quality and succumb to an infectious disease because of 
their weakened immune system.


Lee Harper
Media, Pa
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