territerri
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
2 wks ago I acquired six blue platys from a LFS, all of which were healthy, horny and hungry. I placed them in a 5 gallons QT with filter but no heater. There was also a new moss ball.
Two days ago, I placed a new Top Fin 50 watt aquarium heater in the tank (so they could get used to a higher temperature in the community tank), switched the temperature two degrees F higher than their current temp. The next morning, all platys were huddled at the bottom of the tank, appearing to be "gasping" and not moving around like before. They also didn't have any interest in food. I turned the heater temp down by one degree, thinking the water may be too warm, too soon. By that time, two of the fish were swimming sideways and quickly went "belly up." I immediately purchased and added an air pump and stone to better oxygenate the water yesterday evening. By early this afternoon, the remaining four platys had perished.
BTW when I smell the rubber-like "bumpers" on the heater, they still have a nasty, "new plastic" odor emanating from them. It seems too much a coincidence that the fish died only over the last two days when the heater was placed. Before that, they had shown no signs of illness, i.e. irregular swimming, lack of appetite, etc.
Your thoughts?
Two days ago, I placed a new Top Fin 50 watt aquarium heater in the tank (so they could get used to a higher temperature in the community tank), switched the temperature two degrees F higher than their current temp. The next morning, all platys were huddled at the bottom of the tank, appearing to be "gasping" and not moving around like before. They also didn't have any interest in food. I turned the heater temp down by one degree, thinking the water may be too warm, too soon. By that time, two of the fish were swimming sideways and quickly went "belly up." I immediately purchased and added an air pump and stone to better oxygenate the water yesterday evening. By early this afternoon, the remaining four platys had perished.
BTW when I smell the rubber-like "bumpers" on the heater, they still have a nasty, "new plastic" odor emanating from them. It seems too much a coincidence that the fish died only over the last two days when the heater was placed. Before that, they had shown no signs of illness, i.e. irregular swimming, lack of appetite, etc.
Your thoughts?