Hi yall. Yesterday I came home to several dead fish, 7 ember tetras, a panda Cory, and a swordtail. This morning i woke up to a dead betta in the tank as well. I have a 40 gallon, with pleco, guppies, swordtail, and several coryadoras. My water parameters were all good, temp is good. Yesterday my betta was acting normal, she ate and was active within the tank. I'm not sure what's happening with my tank, and was hoping maybe somebody here had any insight or advice? I'm waiting right now to go to the fish store to get some medicine, as I was thinking maybe it's an internal parasite or something? Idk
Dead fishies
- Thread starter Wanheda
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If the fish died pretty much at the same time it's probably something in the water.
Any symptoms prior to the deaths? Or any unusual visual clues on the dead fish?
Did you do anything in the tank in the 24 hours leading up to what happened? A water change maybe, or put something new in the aquarium?
Might any soap or detergent have got in the tank? Any aerosol used in the room?
Any visitors to the house who might have unknowingly done something?
Randomly throwing medication in the water isnt usually a good idea, but its up to you. A water change would be my course of action, make sure you use a water conditioner, maybe get some activated carbon in the filter. If you see any symptoms that would be a clue to what the cause is it would help guide you to a more reliable course of action.
Any symptoms prior to the deaths? Or any unusual visual clues on the dead fish?
Did you do anything in the tank in the 24 hours leading up to what happened? A water change maybe, or put something new in the aquarium?
Might any soap or detergent have got in the tank? Any aerosol used in the room?
Any visitors to the house who might have unknowingly done something?
Randomly throwing medication in the water isnt usually a good idea, but its up to you. A water change would be my course of action, make sure you use a water conditioner, maybe get some activated carbon in the filter. If you see any symptoms that would be a clue to what the cause is it would help guide you to a more reliable course of action.
Sooo there were no symptoms, legit everybody was behaving normal. I had not done anything new to the tank or added anything new, haven't had any visitors. We don't use any sprays or anything in our house. I don't believe any soaps or detergents could have gotten into the tank as I am the only one in the house that does anything with it. I had did 1/3 water change on Sunday, and yesterday I did probably about a quarter of a water change. The filter does have carbon in it, I believe. This whole thing kind of baffles me
100% sure you used a water conditioner when you did your water change?
Maybe your water company did some work on your water supply infrastructure and they overdosed on water treatment chemicals. Maybe give them a call and ask.
Maybe your water company did some work on your water supply infrastructure and they overdosed on water treatment chemicals. Maybe give them a call and ask.
Lol I did in fact use a water conditioner/dechlorinator. I don't think the water company has done anything because my sister lives in the same apartment complex as me and her fish are fine
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
The good news, as Aiken explained, is that when multiple fish of multiple species suddenly die for an unknown reason, it's 99.99999% not disease that caused it. Something in the water killed them.
You need to check with your water company to make sure they did not do any extra cleaning of the lines before you did your water change or that you for sure did not use any dechlorinator or water conditioner that may have been outdated.
Another possibility is if you suffered a power failure and the filter or air pump(s) were not working for an extended period of time. DO you recall if the fish died with their gills flared open or closed?
You need to check with your water company to make sure they did not do any extra cleaning of the lines before you did your water change or that you for sure did not use any dechlorinator or water conditioner that may have been outdated.
Another possibility is if you suffered a power failure and the filter or air pump(s) were not working for an extended period of time. DO you recall if the fish died with their gills flared open or closed?
The fish looked the same as they did when they were alive, just dead. Per my last response, I stated that my sister, who lives in the same apartment complex as me, has had no issues with her fish becoming sick or dying. She had also done water changes on her tanks, about the same time I did my last water change.
Andy Sager
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sadly, that doesn't mean that it wasn't the water. Your fixtures or pipes may be older than hers and bleeding toxins.
Did you notice any fine dusting on the fish? Oodinium /velvet is a very small parasite that can ravage a fish tank because it goes untreated because people don't usually see it until it's too late. Did you notice any fish " flashing" ?
What about the food you feed? Has any of it expired or be close to it's expiration date?
Similar threads
