Epic crash

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DragonFish71

Great white snark
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
6,562
Location
Longmont, Colorado
Went to feed our 115g angelfish/tetra tank and found it had crashed during the night.

We've lost all but about 2 dozen neons. Down from 120. *Cries*

So far everyone else is alive. Doing a 50% water change right now.

After checking the parameters with the API liquid kit, we found that our pH had dropped to at least 6.0, that's as low as the test goes.

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
 
So now a little more detail, sorry, had to make sure I didn't over fill.

Did a 40% water change on Thursday, cleaned the gravel, trimmed plants, cleaned the filters (and yes, I do know not to clean with tap water) did all my usual water change/cleaning rituals. Refilled using Prime for the size of the tank. Again, all my usual procedures.

Parameters:
ammonia: 0
nitrItes: 0
nitrAtes:between 5.0 and 10
pH: 6.0 or possible lower (ugh) normally at about 6.5

The angelfish, rams, black neons, glow-light neons, rasboras, corys, shrimp, and guppies are all fine, just the regular neons went to their death.
 
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Sorry for your losses. :(

I doubt it was the pH.... any chance that something chemical got into the tank? If it were a pH crash (like those from failed DIY CO2), everyone would be affected and gasping.
 
Thanks.


I thought about chemical too and nothing came to mind.

Before I put my hands/arms in a tank I wash then rinse for a good 10-15 minutes.

The towels are "tank only", never washed with soap or anything, just water, hung to dry, no fabric softener sheets.

I rinse any tools I'm going to use: scraper, scissors, etc. The tube end of the python that goes in the tank gets rinsed, and I flush it out for 5 minutes before a refill.

Nothing gets sprayed in the house, like air fresheners, perfume, etc.

The sink gets scrubbed out and well rinsed before any filter parts get cleaned.

I'm so darned conscious on anything getting near any tank parts that I create a "sterile" field type atmosphere. I know, crazy huh.

The only thing that came to mind was the pH having dropped so low in just two days. I suppose it's not impossible for the water company to have added something extra either, but no other tanks crashed this past week after their cleaning regimen.
 
Bizarre.... wish I could offer something, but it sounds like you are way more cautious than I.
 
Thanks guys,

It's very bizarre.

This morning I woke up to it being cloudy (white) and more neon corpses. The water reeks, and all the snails are at the top of the tank. The guppies are starting to show some signs of something, not sure what. Everyone is gasping even though last not we added a large air stone.

Before the water change yesterday we noticed some whitish stuff on the neons, the fins and tail, one of our male guppies had it too. After the change it went away, but it's back again. Water tests still show nothing other than the lower pH.

Another water change is in effect right now.

I'm stumped. (and heartbroken)
 
After much reading, the symptoms we were seeing coincide with osmotic shock (sometimes referred to as pH shock)

So, my take is there was more or less trace minerals in the water supply, we know how the water municipalities can be, probably added too much of something.

I did a 70% change today and added some aquarium salt since I don't have any trace element stuff on hand. It's been about an hour and the remaining finned kids are looking much better.

Keep your fingers crossed.
 
That's terrible :( How are the rest of your fish doing now?

Perhaps your water has a lower GH or KH now, and all the fish waste is causing the pH crash. Do you have a GH/KH test kit?

--Adeeb
 
Thanks.

Everyone seems to be doing better today. We're down to a dozen neons, everyone else survived. I was amazed the rams and angelfish came through the mess.

No I don't. It's on my list to get when I do another order from Foster/Smith.


RIP Flash, all 108 of you.
 
Man!!! What a bummer deal! :( I wonder if that's the same thing that happened with your bettas? I think I would call the water company, and see if they did anything weird, and if they could let people know the next time they do something different.
 
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