Fish stressed/die after water change

Fish often die in nature due to GBD (gas bubble disease.)

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RD. said:

I'm well aware of that, but this is an aquarium, and that isn't what caused these deaths. The OP happens to live an hour north of me, and our tap water is pretty much identical. It hasn't even gotten cold up here yet, probably going to set a record for temp today & the gas in our lines is minimal at the moment.


Davis - your fish are dying from ammonia poisoning, which is why they were gasping - their gills were burning. Edmonton water is treated with chloramine (approx 2ppm), so you need to use a water conditioner that will render both chlorine, and ammonia, safe for your fish. Nutrafin is basically just sodium thiosulfate which will neutralize chlorine, but not ammonia. I know that the label says it will treat both, but it doesn't. My guess is that your biofilter bacteria suffered somewhat in the move and is still establishing itself, hence the ammonia resulting from a 100% water change is simply too much for the bio bacteria to utilize in a timely manner, and the result is an ammonia spike with each water change resulting in ammonia toxicity to your fish.

Use Prime, it will render the ammonia safe for your fish, and even more economical is the dry powder version, Seachem Safe.

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