# Fish Seizure or heart attack???



## SupeDM (Jan 26, 2009)

I was cleaning my 75 gallon mixed large africantank today and my fossochromis rostratus all of the sudden went around 100 mph from one to the other and back again acouple times and flipped over and was dead. all other fish are fine water parameters are all within the normal levels for my africans. I hadnt gotten to putting in any new water yet. was just removing rockwork so I could vacumme the gravel. any Ideas?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Well, do you think he startled and rammed into something? (Or did it happen too fast to know?)

If he was perfectly fine before this, that is the only thing I can think of.

I'm sure a "heart attack" is possible...Anything is possible...I've often thought they have something similar to seizures or strokes, but I've never read any actual confirmation on it.


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## SupeDM (Jan 26, 2009)

I dont think I startled him as he was very used to my hands in the tank. I was also well into moving the rockwork and he had actually attacked my hand a few times. He was a beautiful 8" fish. I could actually hand feed most of these larger fish krill. Everyone else in the tank is still just fine. I suppose without an autopsy theres no way to tell if it was a heart attack. I am going to miss being attacked when I clean the gravel.


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## squiggly (Mar 22, 2007)

Possibly he was exposed to a gas pocket while moving rock?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

squiggly said:


> Possibly he was exposed to a gas pocket while moving rock?


That is a possibility.

I'm sorry you lost him...


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## cindylou (Oct 22, 2008)

A gas pocket :-? Almost makes you afraid to clean your tanks..Is there something that could be done to try and avoid such a thing :-?


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## squiggly (Mar 22, 2007)

It is scary cindy.

I killed two of my (favorite) clown loaches this way...... 

Water movement by "powerheads" helps to eliminate these dead spots which can produce deadly gases. Also good tank maintainence!!


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## cindylou (Oct 22, 2008)

How often do you move the decor around when you do wc's :-? Can you use power heads w/ HOB :-?


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## SupeDM (Jan 26, 2009)

I would consider my tank maintenance as extreme. I only have about 6 big pieces of rock in the tank. and I take them all out every time that I do a water change. I also run the undergravel filters with powerheads in every aquarium I have. On this 75 gallon I have 2 marineland 660 powerheads on the ugf. I also run a emperor 400 and a filstar xp3.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I have sand substrate, and once a month, I make sure both sides get churned well with my vacuuming. (Not both sides at once...) This has never been an issue for me, but if you never churn your substrate at all, the pockets will build up.

I'm not a big fan of UGF, and I still believe the substrate needs churning now and then to alleviate problem areas.


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## 2ToneArmy (Feb 8, 2003)

The best way is to have 'less' sand in the tank and to make sure it's moved, as mentioned, often.

Very sorry to hear. I had an 8" Cyrtocara moorii die this way a few years ago (ran around like mad and flipped over dead) and I was heartbroken  I have no idea how it really happened.


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