Fish left in tank for two months without care!!

[apinkmanatee]

My husband is a caretaker at our apartment building. Today he went to clean out an apartment that someone moved out of a few months ago. There were two fish tanks in there, without filters or heaters running, with fish still in them. Half were dead, the other half were swimming around in green water. There are a few chichlids still living, and another fish that I don't know what it is...I don't really do freshwater. It's large and black and looks like its a bottom feeder of some kind. He is not doing well, he is just laying at the bottom corner of the tank. They put fresh water in there, with conditioner, and turned the filter and heater on. Is there anything else we can do for these fish? I know we are probably going to have to change the water every day because I doubt the tank is cycled since its just been sitting. Also, I don't know what kind of chichlids these are but they are pretty big. The tank looks to be about 30 gal (the other tank, all the fish were dead). So sad!! Who would do that?

 

[Oceangirl]

1st I would definetly do a small water change, get the dead bodies out of there.
Because they are now used to the nasty water, changing the parameters too quickly will kill them. I would change a little at a time, like 10% a day till its clean. Then you can really start cleaning it.
Could you give us info on the equipment? Measure the tank perhaps?
I would change about a couple gallons 3-5 , see if you can find the gravel vacuum. Then I would take a water sample to the pet store petco or petsmart will test for free. Then post reading here, once you get the tank pretty you may want to keep or sell it.

 

[apinkmanatee]

1st I would definetly do a small water change, get the dead bodies out of there.
Because they are now used to the nasty water, changing the parameters too quickly will kill them. I would change a little at a time, like 10% a day till its clean. Then you can really start cleaning it.
Could you give us info on the equipment? Measure the tank perhaps?
I would change about a couple gallons 3-5 , see if you can find the gravel vacuum. Then I would take a water sample to the pet store petco or petsmart will test for free. Then post reading here, once you get the tank pretty you may want to keep or sell it.

By the time my husband called me, they had already replaced all of the water. The chichlids looked really good actually. But it's too late for the slow little by little water change Tomorrow when I can get back to the office I will get some measurements from the tank and take a look at the equipment. Maybe you can help me figure out what kind of fish the others are too if I post some pictures. Oh I have my own test kits too, so I can check the water myself, although it doesn't matter as much now that its been completely changed.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Oceangirl]

Please let me know, and I will help you best I can.

 

[apinkmanatee]

Please let me know, and I will help you best I can.

Ok so here are the pictures of the ones that are left...














I know the orange and dark blue ones are chichlids, but are there different kinds of chichlids? Also, the black guy hanging hanging out by the heater...what is he? He has been hanging there, sort of upside down. It doesn't look too great for him. But the others seem to be doing pretty well.

The tank dimensions are 24lx12 wx16.5h.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I know that the upside down one by the heater is a Plecostomus, it's a bottom feeder and they stick to the walls like that. It's normal. I also know that the top picture is a neon swordtail-I have a couple in my tank. I hope all the fishes do well! Good luck!

 

[jcolon]

Ugh ... two months? The nitrate levels had to be through the roof! Only thing to do now is just update on how they are doing after the water change. Fish can adapt to poor water conditions if it occurs little by little .. I think they call it old tank syndrome.

 

[oscarchic11]

i recently got a 55g and the fish in it. the tank prob hadnt been cleaned in months, and the fish are all doing fine, however, after a couple days, because of going from gross water, to my nice, clean water, the large angel's tail and anal fin started to split. clean water and a little stress coat are rapidly healing the split fins. i guess its common when fish go from gross water to good water, so id watch for it. and just remember clean water is the best way to heal fish wounds.

 

[Oceangirl]

They look clean and healing, be on the look out for sickness. Abrupt changes can do that to them. I suggest stress coat too, and he dimensions you gave sound like a 20 high. I think the cichilds may need another home and I am not sure what kind of pleco? What type of filter you got? I see the heater is working well,

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

The one in the last picture looks like a keyni

 

[apinkmanatee]

Sorry for the late update. But it wasn't a good ending. They did all look healthy, I added stress coat and watched the levels...but all died but one within a day or two. I didn't see any signs of disease or anything. It probably was the big, abrupt water change. Sad. How could someone do that? So dumb. Anyways, thanks guys for your help. We tried.

 

[thursyanna]

So sad to hear about the little orphans! Thank you for trying to save them. At least they died in a happier home.