# All gone!!



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

Please could someone help me, i have lost all my fish, what did i do wrong....

What i did.....

i firstly cleaned out my rocks by soaking them in a weak solution of bleach. i also changed water with tap water, but allowed to stand for about 24 hours. i have also replaced my internal filter all seemed fine, about a week later i added 4 new small fish, from a trusted dealer. i have been away all week and all but 1 fish has died.

i would like to know whati have done wrong as i would like to restock my tank.


----------



## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I don't think your tank was cycled.
Do you know what that is?


----------



## mthigpen_02 (Dec 29, 2008)

How long was the tank set up? What size tank? What were the fish in the tank? What is the one fish left? Do you have any test numbers for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite or ph? Did you feed extra before you left, use a weekend feeder or nothing out of the ordinary? Might seem like a lot of questions but without answers we will be shooting in the dark just like you.


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

I will test the water today.....

the tank has been set up for about 12 months with no problems, mixture of malawian cichlids but the only one i have left is a firecracker. not really fed any extra and my wife gave them a small amount mid week when she noticed 1 had died.

1 died yesterday and i noticed that it was gasping for air at the top of the water. then moments later was dead, but it was rock hard and did not float, this i thought was a bit strange.

Thanks so much for your time.


----------



## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Test the water and then regardless of the readings do a partial water change of 30% with a good quality declorinator. Check your filter to make sure there's a good strong flow coming out of the return. Check and make sure the filter media is not clogged up --if it is take it out, briefly-- and rinse in tank water.

Is your wife experienced in caring for your fish? 
I don't want to jump to any conclusions BUT from my experience on this forum any time the owner of a tank goes away and there are multible fish deaths in their absence the #1 suspect is the nice person who took care of the fish. 
Typically they over-feed them but then there's always the danger that there was some kind of toxic residue on their fingers, (gas, soap, etc) and this residue was transferred to the tank when they fed the fish.

Another possibilty here: you had one fish die for unknown reasons and if the body was not removed immediately then the ammonia would have risen to toxic levels FAST and this could have killed the other fish.

Robin


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

I have just spoken to the shop again, who asked if i had been doing painting. the answer was we were decorating a room upstairs. and with the absence of a carbon filter in my current filter this would have been the problem also


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

water tested....

all levels are spot on.


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

another question, if you don't mind.....

what is the best method when added tap water to my tank

what do i treat it with etc...


----------



## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

It sounds to me like you removed all the beneficial bacteria when you cleaned the rocks and replaced the filter. I always use prime as a water conditioner when doing water changes.


----------



## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

tsleight said:


> I have just spoken to the shop again, who asked if i had been doing painting. the answer was we were decorating a room upstairs. and with the absence of a carbon filter in my current filter this would have been the problem also


Do you mean they thought the paint fumes from upstairs affected the fish downstairs? I don't know--would have had to have been some pretty strong paint. Not sure if carbon in the filter would have made a huge difference. Now if you had a small amount of paint on your hands--under the fingernail perhaps--and you put your hands in the tank--_that_ could have done it. 


> another question, if you don't mind.....
> 
> what is the best method when added tap water to my tank
> 
> what do i treat it with etc...


There are a number of different methods and products--which one you use depends on your tap water. 
Tap water that is treated with *Chloramine* needs a declorinator that will bind the free ammonia once the chlorine/ammonia bond has been broken. Not all declorinators will do this. Check out the declorinator link below. 
If your tap water is treated with Chlorine then most any declorinator will do. 
In either case: chlorine or chloramines--if the tap water is heavily treated then it MAY BE necessary to treat the new water before it enters the tank. 
In most cases though you can add the declorinator while you are refilling the tank. I usually add aprox. 1/3 at the start of the refill, another third half way through and the last third at the end.

A call to your water company should tell you what your water is treated. If your fish show a strong reaction during or right after a partial water change then you know something is not quite right. Could be you just waited too long to do a water change and the new water's parameters are significantly different then the tank's. 
If the fish go up to the top and gasp, or if they become lethargic, go to the bottom, loose color, etc _directly after a partial water change _then it's quite likely that either there's a toxin in the new water or your declorinator is not up to the task--or both. 
For the most part 30% partial water changes should be done once a week.

Robin


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

I would like to thank you all for your help with this.....

good to know that people with experience is here to help.


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

i have another question.....if you don't mind.

what is the safest way to add fish to a tank.


----------



## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

In terms of acclimating fish to your tank or in terms of potential ammonia spikes?


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

Both really.


----------



## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

In terms of acclimating, ideally you want to take your new fish and place it in a clean container and slowly add a small amount of tank water to the container every 10 mins or so for a half an hour.
The intention is to give your new fish a chance to adjust to the new temperature/water parameters it will be moved into.

As for the biological limitations of the tank, you never want to add too many fish at once, especially if the fishes are large and the tank is newly setup or in a sensitive state.
It can create ammonia spikes that the biofilter can't initially handle.
This is why it is wise to test water in the first few days after adding fishes to your tank.
If you do get any spikes, water changes are in order and you should be able to get it under control.

If the fishes are small it really shouldn't cause any disturbances but keep an eye out for some signs of ammonia being present.
Things like gasping or heavy breathing near the surface are indicators.
I have heard of more sensitive species showing physical damage to gills.


----------



## tsleight (May 30, 2009)

great reply, thanks so much.

i guess its just a case of constant learning.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would hold off on adding ANY fish to the tank until you determine what is going on.


----------

