I have a 180 gallon tank that has about 40 fish in it about 3 weeks ago I went to my lfs and bought a new filtration system. Which is so much better than what I originally had which were 2 aquaclear 500's. After I added the new filters and added some new tank tops, I started losing fish In 4 days I lost 16 of my biggest fish. I was doing water changes each day thinking maybe it was an ammonia spike or something. That was not it at all. I went to my lfs and had them check my water figuring my own test might be wrong and the water tested perfectly. So my lfs thought that maybe it was that i was filling the water too high and they were now no t getting enough oxygen. so i just took the tops off since then i have not been losing 4 or 5 fish a day now it has been 1 every other day. Originally when they were dying they were like my large blue zebras, socolofi and other blue fish. Now in the last 2 days it has been the labidos. The thing is that the dead ones seem to have no symptoms and they just wake up dead. This is driving me nuts. Oh, and when I added the new filters I did not remove the old, so it cant be a new cycle and this tank has been set up for 5 years. Can it possibly be a parasite? Also I have a labido that has a growth on his tail thats been there for years which seems to be getting bigger, could it be that? but hes fine.
fish dying doesnt make sense
- Thread starter cwill78295
- Start date
If the die off numbers really dropped off when you removed the tops, i would think it might have to do with low oxygen. I think your fish might hang out at the top or be gasping for breath with heavy breathing. If those two things are not happening then it is likely something else. But not sure what it could be. Since you said that this started after setting up a new filter could the new one have been contaminated with some type of residue ? Try taking and putting new carbon in the filter incase you have a unknown contaminant.And do a big water change (50 percent or more) When ever i have unexplained die off i try to do a big water change right away. It would be very rare for a water change to hurt the situation unless the problem is from your water source or additives you put in for those water changes. You can also raise the oxy level by lowering the water level and let the outflow from your filter cascade like a waterfall into the tank . I have my water level a inch or two lower than the outflow and my tanks always have superior oxygen. (It is a bit loud with water splashing sounds though). Hope this helps you out.
cwill78295;1677059; said:
the only thing i can think of is the water. did you condition the water before you put it in or after? i dont know, but that sounds like a ammonia spike to me! it just doesnt make any sense. you got it tested and came out clean!
so did you replace the aquaclears with a canister filter or another type of filter? for the record the aquaclear filters are the best when it comes to hob's. its a mini canister filter that hangs.
Okay, do you have an air pump? with a lot of fish you will need it...
Water changes? How often? amount?
Fish die off in large numbers means water problem... something was in the new filter... I would continue the water changes...
Water changes? How often? amount?
Fish die off in large numbers means water problem... something was in the new filter... I would continue the water changes...
mike dunagan;1677562; said:
I totally agree with all of you. When i first started getting the die off i was doing 50% changes every day actually one day i did it twice. I actually added a lifeguard fluidized bed filter 900, an ocean clear 340, and an 1800gph pump. However as i said before I did not remove the old filtration from the tank figuring i would let the new system cycle first. As far as air pumps, yes I have the water pumping back into the tank using a venturi effect however they really shouldn't help much since it is DO that i would need. I am definitely leaning towards something being in that new filter system. which means more and more water changes.
^^^ are we talkin air pump (bubbles)? the only thing that air pumps are good for is disturbing the surface on the water and we all now its not much. get something that creates "water movement" (powerhead) which make more surface area.
addicted2cichlids;1678237; said:
Huh? So you are telling me that there is not extra surface by putting in say even a hundredth gallon worth of bubbles in one minute... So lets see, 1 bubble about = 1/32 in diameter = 4/3*3.14*(1/64)^3 about 10^-5 cb in.
1 cb ft to 7.5 gallons => .01 gallon = .00133 cb ft (rounded down)= 2.3 cb in
So then 2.3/10^-5=230,000 bubble
So them 230,000 bubbles times surface areas of the bubble = 230,000*3.14*(1/64)^2= 176=1.2 sqrft. So, yes there obviously has to be some extra air being exchanged... And honestly I would guess that most people have pumps that are more like the rena 300 which is about .8 gallons per minute => 18,400,000*3.14*(1/64)^2= 98 square ft of extra surface per minute... Hence if you do start seeing odd things I too would toss a bubbler in there as first precaution.
(Sorry I had to do the math... I am a physicist sometimes I just can't let something easy like that problem not be done.)