disaster theory.. does it hold up?

[sherry]

1 - rescaping back of tank releases anerobic bacteria.

2 - over filling tank, cuts out surface area for gas exchange of water just when I need it most

3- night comes, plants compete with fish for o2

morning, many fish dead.

the only issue with this theory is you'd expect the others to be gasping at the top or showing some distress.

 

[Skyrmir]

Have you looked that the "Someone used anti-bacterial hand soap, then stuck thier hands in the tank" angle?

 

[sherry]

it would have had to ahve been me. and I am certain it didn't happen. None even in the house.

the baby sitter is ridiculously responsible and stays clear of the tank.

 

[QTOFFER]

I guess you're still trying to figure out what happenned here.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70404

How much gunk did you kick up while rescaping? Unless you haven't disturbed the substrate in months, I don't see how you could have released any anaerobic pockets. IME, raising a cloud of gravel gunk in a planted tank might cause an algae bloom - not fish deaths.

Even if you did overfill the tank, the surface area would have been the same - only the surface agitation would have been reduced. Would plant respiration cause O2 levels to plummet like that? I honestly don't know. Like you say, wouldn't ALL the fish have been equally affected?

How is the heater functioning? Perhaps the temp spiked overnight? That could have reduced O2 levels.

I don't think it was poison because your inverts are fine. They would have been the first to die if bleach or hand soap had gotten into the tank.

You might just be left with the "Bermuda Triangle" of fish keeping - the extremely frustrating "unexplained fish death" category.

 

[sherry]

heater seems to be working fine.. not on in a while since apartment so warm.

didn't kick up enough gunk to worry me at the time and I'm a worrier.

It is the bermuda triangle. I miss my gorgeous male cacatoides and my beautiful hillstreams. sigh

 

[BrianNY]

Most of the time mysterious fish deaths stay that way sherry.

I don't expect poisoning from an outside source because it would most likely have killed all of your fish and inverts. Nor do I think it was an illness. Too many fish died too quickly, and others not at all.

I'm suspicious of food poisoning. That might account for some fish dying quickly and others not at all. Dried food can become poisonous if left too long. The same with frozen foods that have partially thawed and been refrozen. So, some fish may have eaten contaminated bits, and others not. Just a hunch.

 

[crazyred]

I'm sorry, but I have to agree. It could be one of those never solved mysteries. When I totally replanted my 29 I ripped out all the plastic plants and undertook a major planting operation where I might as well have removed all the gravel and put it back again...it was that intense...and, like an idiot, I left all the fish in there. Well, I did get a modest ammonia spike followed by a modest nitrite spike and then higher than usual nitrates, but I didn't lose any fish....including my hillstreams.

I don't know what happened to your fish and I'm verry sorry you lost them. Just to ease your mind, check with your water company to see if anything has been done different to the supply lately (line flush, extra additives, etc.)

 

[QTOFFER]

I'm suspicious of food poisoning. That might account for some fish dying quickly and others not at all. Dried food can become poisonous if left too long. The same with frozen foods that have partially thawed and been refrozen. So, some fish may have eaten contaminated bits, and others not. Just a hunch.

This makes sense. The fish that ate the most contaminated food died, while those that ate less merely lost color.

 

[DeFeKt]

on that note, how do you store your food.
I'd imagine a quick spray of anything over the top of an open container would be enough.

 

[sherry]

I would have believed that if I lost my favorite hillstream and the apisto.. but two of my hillstreams never came off the glass, and never joined in the food fests..


also I have fed the same stuff (new life spectrum small fish formula) since and everyone is fine.

I thought of food and it is a great guess guys.. but I would have lost more rummies and two hillstreams should still be alive.

crazy. I'm sort of glad to hear your hillstreams survived your rescape. I hate to think this was an obvoius mistake on my part.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

NLS is supposed to not dissolve as far as I can remember, perhaps you stirred up some missed food, the fish ate it, some settled onto the accessible bottom and the hillstreams ate it (perhaps plant nutrient rich, or excel bonded to it).. I'm grasping at straws, I gave my theory in the other thread, and you're right, the fish would have been gasping.

It may be something you never come across again, and I doubt it was something you did or didn't do.

 

[Devilishturtles]

How much filtration is in your tank? At night time, CO2 levels rise, 02 levels fall. That is why some people put airstones in their tank, or provide extra filtration at night time. I am not a planted tank expert by any means, but could there have been a short jump in CO2, and thus a small period of time when the O2 levels were very low? Would explain the few deaths, and otherwise faded colors of your other fish. Something with the rescaping of your tank stirred up fresh plants that were craving attention (O2)?

I know someone already mentioned this theory, but it seems the only possible explanation in my opinion.

Like I said, taking a guess.

Regardless, very sorry to hear about your losses.

 

[Jchillin]

Kudos to you Sherry for investigating and discussing a very troublesome episode. Though I've run this through my head since your original thread, I cannot even postulate a possible cause other than those mentioned.

 

[rich311k]

The problem with the CO2 theory is that CO2 does not replace O2 in the water. The levels are independent of each Maybe the CO2 caused a PH crash, that could be a possible cause.

 

[travis simonson]

I am so sad for you Sherry. It is such a heartbreak to lose fish that you have cared for for so long. Take comfort in the fact that it wasn't a total loss and you've still got some healthy fish.

This really does seem to be a mystery. Rich is right about CO2 not replacing O2. All I can think is that possibly the anaerobic bacteria you stirred up doing the rescaping dropped O2 levels during the day and then, at night when your plants began uptaking O2, the O2 levels dropped further, toward the extreme low end, which could possibly cause casualties. Of course you likely would have seen all of your fish gasping at the surface in the morning if that were the case. Very puzzling.

 

[crazyred]

crazy. I'm sort of glad to hear your hillstreams survived your rescape. I hate to think this was an obvoius mistake on my part.

I think you can take yourself off the hook. Sometimes these things happen. I have since had a hillstream die for no apparent reason, but it was at least a month after the rescape. I have no idea what happened to him....it looked like he just "quit" one day. He was still stuck to the glass but not moving.

Sometimes, there is no explanation.....I'm sorry you lost your babies.

 

[sherry]

DeFeKt,

food is stored CLOSED!!!! closed container, closed closet...

I wish it were a flash of stupidity. That I can avoid repeating. As long as I'm stumped, I don't know what to think

just to be safe , I did some replanting today adn instnatly vaccummed the area where I removed plants in case I released anything.

 

[7Enigma]

All I can think is that possibly the anaerobic bacteria you stirred up doing the rescaping dropped O2 levels during the day and then, at night when your plants began uptaking O2, the O2 levels dropped further, toward the extreme low end, which could possibly cause casualties.

Travis,

I'm confused about this comment. I was under the impression that anaerobic bacteria survive in the presence of no oxygen, and that in fact, oxygen is generally a poison to them. How could the introduction of them to the tank water cause an O2 crash?

I think there definately is something specific that caused this, but am unsure of what it could be. What are the plants you were moving around, and does anyone know if tearing of the roots of these plants releases possible toxins or depressants?