That's sad to hear. At least you can learn from these experiences. But i've had the same experience, when my fish have died i've cried as well. So your not the only one at all.
Something horrible happened today
- Thread starter BillyMaysChickenWings
- Start date
Our water has been remarkably stable for decades, until recently.
Not so much now...
I've used either API regular and Super Strength water conditioner or DeChlor for many years. Both are OK IMO. If you massively Overdosed with these, because you mixed up regular strength with extra strength, yeah . . . you can have issues.
Otherwise, I believe your water changed.
It may have had pressurized gasses like chlorine, or the products of chlorine vs bio-contaminant reactions. Let it age min 24hrs first. Smell the water regularly to determined if you can detect changes. If YOU can, the fish surely will suffer from a change.
This same thing cost me my tank of fancy snails. I did a normal water change and there was a sharp change in the water. I didn't determine this until the first ones started dying, and they are history. Because of the experience I recognized this again in time, when it happened in my Oscar tank. My oscar lost some slime, but most of the snails survived. Those snails are critical in keeping up with Oscar poop and ignored or spit up food.
It's like feeding a 6 mos old baby.
Not so much now...
I've used either API regular and Super Strength water conditioner or DeChlor for many years. Both are OK IMO. If you massively Overdosed with these, because you mixed up regular strength with extra strength, yeah . . . you can have issues.
Otherwise, I believe your water changed.
It may have had pressurized gasses like chlorine, or the products of chlorine vs bio-contaminant reactions. Let it age min 24hrs first. Smell the water regularly to determined if you can detect changes. If YOU can, the fish surely will suffer from a change.
This same thing cost me my tank of fancy snails. I did a normal water change and there was a sharp change in the water. I didn't determine this until the first ones started dying, and they are history. Because of the experience I recognized this again in time, when it happened in my Oscar tank. My oscar lost some slime, but most of the snails survived. Those snails are critical in keeping up with Oscar poop and ignored or spit up food.
It's like feeding a 6 mos old baby.
Update: I have done some renovating and my tank is recovering well. I of course dosed extra startup bacteria and melafix, and I've even placed orders for the following couple of weeks. When I replace the eel, I will post another thread showcasing it.
Good to see, I never throw any filter media away until it falls apart, your media is your life support for the tank.
Although beneficial bacteria grow on all surfaces of the tank, the most robust colonies are on your filter media where there is the most water flow, and if you throw too much away, its like discarding a major portion of life support for the tank.
This seemed to me to be the case when you clean your filter, its creating bacterial bloom manifesting in the cloudy water, and that bloom can use up a major portion of oxygen in the tank, while at the same time only able to consume a portion of ammonia put out by the fish (less O2, more ammonia, a double whammy)
I basically run two filters on my 2 big systems, but I never change both of them at the same time, and so I am always safe from depleting my bacteria.
I have learned never to change water and filters on the same day. Generally I will do a water change and then change the filters afterwards if necessary.
I have learned never to change water and filters on the same day. Generally I will do a water change and then change the filters afterwards if necessary.
There are few things worse than loosing a cool fish after a week or so because of a stupid mistake. I was thinking of moving my peacock gudgeon there but I'm glad I didn't
sorry that happened, we have all had them days though, remember one of those rena smart heaters broke on a 30 gallon i had, roasted the whole tank....
I hate glass heaters. I have removed them all now. I'm adding insulation and working on something less deadly like hot air.
