My fishies survived a 30-hour blackout! - Aquarium Advice

myriam · 12-05-2003, 07:10 PM

I'm finally back home and was so happy to see all my little guys and gals are looking totally fine and happy.

The Seattle suburbs had a massive windstorm yesterday, and we lost power at 4am Friday. I bundled up the wee ones and went to my parents' house, where they had power. By the time we left the house at 9am my tank temp was down to 74 (usually it's 80). I was getting nervous for them but hoping it was only a matter of a few more hours before power came back.

By later that evening the news said it could be up to 2 days more of no power for our neighborhood. AHHH! So my husband and I drove back home, and along with getting clothes/toiletries for staying over at my parents', we attempted to save the fish. At 9:30pm last night I shined my flashlight into the tank and they were all alive, but just sitting there like zombies. The thermometer didn't even register the tank temp, which meant it had gone below 66. We determined that there was still hot water left in the water heater, so we did a 25% water change and I very carefully and slowly refilled the tank with very warm water.

By the time the tank was full the temp was at 74 again. I added the Bio-Safe and swished the water around with my Python to mix the water temp and the dechlor in better (since no filter or air pump was running). I gave them some food and shined the flashlight on top of the water to help them see it--that seemed to energize them a bit. I was really worried about the two cories, because they just sat at the bottom without moving, and they are usually completely spastic. We left the fishes with fingers crossed hoping they'd make it through the night.

Apparently power came back around 10am at my house, and I was back by 1pm. The temp is at 78 now and the fishes are all seeming to be pretty happy and healthy. I gave them some bloodworms and algae flakes and everyone was accounted for and swimming like normal.

So there is my harrowing tale, haha

! We haven't had a power outage this long since I've had my tank, and I just had no idea how long fish could go in significantly cooler temps.

Has anybody here experienced this, too? What did YOU do? (And Sati, if you are reading this, I'm assuming you had no power for awhile, too. You can now disregard my panicked email!)

Fruitbat · 12-05-2003, 07:22 PM

Myriam...

Keep a close watch for signs of Ich over the next week or so. Fish that get chilled are MUCH more susceptible to that parasite! Congrats on having your fish survive!

myriam · 12-05-2003, 07:23 PM

Fruitbat, thanks for the info on the ich. I didn't know that. I will definitely keep an eye out!

**Devilishturtles** · 12-05-2003, 09:30 PM

Last winter here in MD we had about 2 1/2 feet of snow and ice that caused widespread power outages. I had nothing to keep my fishies warm with and nobody to get warm water from because hardly anybody in the region had power. My tank also got VERY well below average to about 60 before I had gotten a generator on the third day and got the water temp back up. I lost all of my neon tetras and a platy before it was all said and done

Now, there is about 1 1/2 feet of snow falling today and I hope that the same doesn't happen! That is my tale of power outages and fish, although it ends a little sadder than myriam's. [acronym:2acad17287="By the way"]BTW[/acronym:2acad17287] congrats on the save.

Perhaps I should invest in battery operated filters and heaters? They do actually make them right?

Fruitbat · 12-05-2003, 11:12 PM

I've never seen either of those, Devilishturtles. I've seen battery-operated air pump that will at least keep the oxygen level up (using an airstone). Perhaps they do make them and I've just never encountered them.

sweetsuvvyb · 12-06-2003, 12:21 AM

I am a very lucky kid, I didn't lose power (Although we lost it at work...and I was hoping that'd mean we'd get to go home early, but noOo, we have the mother of all generators out there (which meant I got to sit at work and worry about my power being out [acronym:11834ee06b="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:11834ee06b])

Glad to hear your fishies survived....hopefully there isn't a repeat tonight!

Jazz · 12-06-2003, 12:40 AM

during the big black-out in August, my tank at work went without power for more than 24 hours. no big deal though, when the power came back on, you'd never have guessed there'd been any problem.

myriam · 12-06-2003, 03:27 PM

Maybe some fish are stronger than others when it comes to cooled temps? Sorry to hear you had some casualties, Devilishturtles. I was totally, totally prepared for a tankful of gonners, but I think it was really pure luck or something.

Luckily last night's storm was not as bad as Thursday's, and we still have power.

mattrox · 12-07-2003, 12:15 AM

I live in the tropics and we get cool snaps..... cool not cold. At times the min. night time temps can drop to between 12 and 16 Deg. Celcius..... Well above freezing but this "cold" night time weather might last a week or so. I have not been out on the water to test water temps though. In the wild I would guess that the deeper water is still quite warm.

The fish might not like it but they should survive. Fish that come from areas where thse cool periods occur would survive a lot better than fish from regions that don't get this cool.

tkos · 12-07-2003, 11:07 AM

My apartment looses heat easily and there are the occasional power outages. That is th eoriginal reason that I started keeping white cloud minnows as they can survive down to 56F or so.

Poweroutages are another reason that I don't overstock my tanks as all the filtration in the world is only as good as the power to run the filter.

12-05-2003, 07:10 PM	#1
myriam Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 500 Images: 6	My fishies survived a 30-hour blackout! I'm finally back home and was so happy to see all my little guys and gals are looking totally fine and happy. The Seattle suburbs had a massive windstorm yesterday, and we lost power at 4am Friday. I bundled up the wee ones and went to my parents' house, where they had power. By the time we left the house at 9am my tank temp was down to 74 (usually it's 80). I was getting nervous for them but hoping it was only a matter of a few more hours before power came back. By later that evening the news said it could be up to 2 days more of no power for our neighborhood. AHHH! So my husband and I drove back home, and along with getting clothes/toiletries for staying over at my parents', we attempted to save the fish. At 9:30pm last night I shined my flashlight into the tank and they were all alive, but just sitting there like zombies. The thermometer didn't even register the tank temp, which meant it had gone below 66. We determined that there was still hot water left in the water heater, so we did a 25% water change and I very carefully and slowly refilled the tank with very warm water. By the time the tank was full the temp was at 74 again. I added the Bio-Safe and swished the water around with my Python to mix the water temp and the dechlor in better (since no filter or air pump was running). I gave them some food and shined the flashlight on top of the water to help them see it--that seemed to energize them a bit. I was really worried about the two cories, because they just sat at the bottom without moving, and they are usually completely spastic. We left the fishes with fingers crossed hoping they'd make it through the night. Apparently power came back around 10am at my house, and I was back by 1pm. The temp is at 78 now and the fishes are all seeming to be pretty happy and healthy. I gave them some bloodworms and algae flakes and everyone was accounted for and swimming like normal. So there is my harrowing tale, haha ! We haven't had a power outage this long since I've had my tank, and I just had no idea how long fish could go in significantly cooler temps. Has anybody here experienced this, too? What did YOU do? (And Sati, if you are reading this, I'm assuming you had no power for awhile, too. You can now disregard my panicked email!)

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12-05-2003, 07:22 PM	#2
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	Myriam... Keep a close watch for signs of Ich over the next week or so. Fish that get chilled are MUCH more susceptible to that parasite! Congrats on having your fish survive!

12-05-2003, 07:23 PM	#3
myriam Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 500 Images: 6	Fruitbat, thanks for the info on the ich. I didn't know that. I will definitely keep an eye out!

12-05-2003, 11:12 PM	#5
Fruitbat Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Garland,Texas Posts: 1,818 Images: 30	I've never seen either of those, Devilishturtles. I've seen battery-operated air pump that will at least keep the oxygen level up (using an airstone). Perhaps they do make them and I've just never encountered them.

12-06-2003, 12:21 AM	#6
sweetsuvvyb Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: seattle Posts: 429	I am a very lucky kid, I didn't lose power (Although we lost it at work...and I was hoping that'd mean we'd get to go home early, but noOo, we have the mother of all generators out there (which meant I got to sit at work and worry about my power being out [acronym:11834ee06b="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:11834ee06b]) Glad to hear your fishies survived....hopefully there isn't a repeat tonight!

12-06-2003, 12:40 AM	#7
Jazz Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Niagara Falls, Canada Posts: 8	during the big black-out in August, my tank at work went without power for more than 24 hours. no big deal though, when the power came back on, you'd never have guessed there'd been any problem.

12-06-2003, 03:27 PM	#8
myriam Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 500 Images: 6	Maybe some fish are stronger than others when it comes to cooled temps? Sorry to hear you had some casualties, Devilishturtles. I was totally, totally prepared for a tankful of gonners, but I think it was really pure luck or something. Luckily last night's storm was not as bad as Thursday's, and we still have power.

12-07-2003, 12:15 AM	#9
mattrox Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 1,328 Images: 36	I live in the tropics and we get cool snaps..... cool not cold. At times the min. night time temps can drop to between 12 and 16 Deg. Celcius..... Well above freezing but this "cold" night time weather might last a week or so. I have not been out on the water to test water temps though. In the wild I would guess that the deeper water is still quite warm. The fish might not like it but they should survive. Fish that come from areas where thse cool periods occur would survive a lot better than fish from regions that don't get this cool.

12-07-2003, 11:07 AM	#10
tkos Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 1,423	My apartment looses heat easily and there are the occasional power outages. That is th eoriginal reason that I started keeping white cloud minnows as they can survive down to 56F or so. Poweroutages are another reason that I don't overstock my tanks as all the filtration in the world is only as good as the power to run the filter.