Urgent - Please Help

[aarongalvan]

I just found out that my complex is doing some pest control treatment for all of the buildings...
They sent a notice to remove pets, and to cover and unplug fish tanks!!!
Is this safe to do?
How do I make sure that my fish don't die from whatever they spray or bomb?
Please Help!
I don't want my fish to die!

Freakin out a little bit

 

[Chix]

You may have to cover your tanks with plastic and you should unplug your air pumps and filters and yes, you will probably lose your cycle partially anyway but it is better than losing them all totally to the pesticide fallout. The thing to do would be to find out from the people doing the spraying when it will be safe to connect the tanks back up and let them tell you as they will be the experts as to what they are using and the amount of time needed to observe the disconnect and just exactly how much disconnect is needed. I am sure if they are doing this extensive a treatment they have had to deal with the problem of fish tanks before and can tell you just what to do for the product they are using and how long to leave it that way. The owners of the building should be glad to give you the names of the people to contact to prevent them from having unhappy tenants. Good luck and I wish you and your fish all the luck in the world.

Chix

 

[partypalooza5]

If it's only overnight or for a few hours you should be fine. My filter broke one time and I didn't have it running for a few days, but everything survived.

 

[kaiofcanada]

That is pretty serious! The chemicals that they use for fumigation typically saturate the air for hours if not days. The only way to really be sure you tank is safe would be to move it out of the area that they would fumigate. If you can not do this, I would consider asking the management not to fumigate your unit. If they will not make an exception then I would try to move your tank someplace else...or at least the fish.

If it is possible that you could keep the fish in a temproary set up and completely airtight seal your tank, it is possible to keep you tank in place and move your fish. It might be stressful for the fish, but it will be better than poisoning them to be sure.

How big is your tank? how big and how many are your fish?

 

[mfdrookie516]

if you have enough air line, you could always put your air pump outside, and run another line without anything connected from the tank out a window and duct tape some plastic around the tank to make an air tight seal... that would at least give them oxygen, you could even run your filter that way as long as there is a complete air tight seal and your air line is running outside away from the chemicals... thats what i would do unless theyre putting pestisides outside too

 

[kaiofcanada]

if you have enough air line, you could always put your air pump outside, and run another line without anything connected from the tank out a window and duct tape some plastic around the tank to make an air tight seal... That would at least give them oxygen, you could even run your filter that way as long as there is a complete air tight seal and your air line is running outside away from the chemicals... Thats what i would do unless theyre putting pestisides outside too

+1

this would also be my suggestion

 

[mfdrookie516]

and if that didnt make sense with the two separate airlines, one is incoming from the air pump to bring air in, the other is to let air out... makes more sense than going through the trouble of moving the tank or risking killing the fish

 

[partypalooza5]

and if that didnt make sense with the two separate airlines, one is incoming from the air pump to bring air in, the other is to let air out... makes more sense than going through the trouble of moving the tank or risking killing the fish

I agree with this one. The only thing I have to add is you want pretty good airflow, if you seal up the tank the CO2 from the fish has nowhere to go.

 

[mfdrookie516]

partypalooza, that is what the other air line would be for... one to bring air in, one to let air out