I have a fifty five gallon fresh water tank with community fish in it. I woke up this morning and my balta sharks were dead alont with all neons and variuos other fish. I went to the pet store to check the water and nitraes and ammonia were only slightly high nothign out of the norm. I found my themonter was broken and I never noticed it before. I have lost about 20 fish and only have a bout six left anyone have any idea's on how to save teh rest. or what is wrong with the tank! I did put new plants in five days ago could that have been the downfall?
A lil help please
- Thread starter rdlfire
- Start date
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MichaelsLilGray
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Well from what your telling me.. you probably added all the fish in at the same time... or within a couple days of eachother.... Ammonia/Nitrites should never show any signs of being present.. 0/0 is the correct answer to a cycled tank. anything higher than that is toxic to them.. If anything the plants possibly helped you more than hurt you...
If you can just give us...
Temperature(before and after the heater malfunctioned)
Ammonia reading
Nitrite
Nitrate
and how long the tank has been up, we should be able to help you out
Welcome to AA btw!
If you can just give us...
Temperature(before and after the heater malfunctioned)
Ammonia reading
Nitrite
Nitrate
and how long the tank has been up, we should be able to help you out
Welcome to AA btw!
Reply
The tank has been established for over a year and have not added any fish in more than a month! ONly thing I added was plants which were bought from pet store. I did a water change over two weeks ago which was not more then one eight of the tank. I dont recall the number but both were two levels down chart.
The tank has been established for over a year and have not added any fish in more than a month! ONly thing I added was plants which were bought from pet store. I did a water change over two weeks ago which was not more then one eight of the tank. I dont recall the number but both were two levels down chart.
The temp was 74 degree I got anoutehr theomaomter and it is now reading 78degree i was told by pet store people to turn up temp. SO i dont think the temp was inaccurate. Is ther anythign in the old theomomter that could have killed the tank . Also I have one black shark with red fins normally this am he was almost white and his fins were not colored at all if this helps at all.
MichaelsLilGray
Aquarium Advice FINatic
when you added the fish a month ago.. how many did you add?
also how do/did you change your filters media when you did your waterchange?
also how do/did you change your filters media when you did your waterchange?
MichaelsLilGray
Aquarium Advice FINatic
your filter media is your primary sourse for bacteria..(yes your gravel.. glass.. ornaments ext... have it.. but not near as much as your filter..)... its a possibility you kind of put yourself threw a mini cycle.. i doubt that took out your fish though. but i dont see anything else wrong with the tank to suggest otherwise =/
There are just so many variables that it could be its kind of hard to tell you what exactly happened/ is happening.
When you raise the temp up on a tank btw... make sure you only go up a degree or 2 every 12 hours.. less stress on the fish.
There are just so many variables that it could be its kind of hard to tell you what exactly happened/ is happening.
When you raise the temp up on a tank btw... make sure you only go up a degree or 2 every 12 hours.. less stress on the fish.
severum mama
Aquarium Advice Addict
This sounds to me like it might possibly be a contaminant issue from your broken thermometer. Can you tell us what kind of thermometer broke in your tank? The elevated ammonia level that you have could very well be a result of the fish dying in the tank IMO. I really don't think it's your plants. Even if you got taken by chain pet stores and unknowingly bought non aquatic plants (it happens often), I think it would take more time than that for your plants to die off and pollute your tank.
Regardless of what the issue is, without more information I'd suggest an immediate water change. This will dilute your ammonia as well as any contaminant that might be in your water. You may need to do multiple water changes for this purpose. You may want to run some activated carbon in your filter in case you are dealing with a contaminant. Good luck!
Regardless of what the issue is, without more information I'd suggest an immediate water change. This will dilute your ammonia as well as any contaminant that might be in your water. You may need to do multiple water changes for this purpose. You may want to run some activated carbon in your filter in case you are dealing with a contaminant. Good luck!
spoonman
Aquarium Advice Addict
If it was a real thermometer you could be dealing with mercury in the water???
