Help!!! Trying to save neglected fishtank

[michelle504]

One of my house mates has decided to move and left his fish tank unplugged and drained all water in the 5.5 gallon tank except for maybe 4inches. There used to be a school of black neon tetra but i found 4 live and 5 dead tetras. Out of the 4 I found swimming in little no filtered water, I have already lost one more so I'm down to 3 tetras. 2 of them look awful and it looks like one might be "coughing"? I've never had any black neon tetras so I'm not sure if this is how they swim or if he's maybe just stressed?

Any ideas of how to save these little guys would be greatly appreciated. I already have a 10 gallon tank but I might get a new 5.5 gallon tank for these guys if they survive.

PLEASE HELP!!

Forgot to mention that they have been locked in a dark room with only natural light that came through a window with dead plants floating around as well as their dead tank mates. As of right now still have the 3 tetras but only 1 is looking promising

 

[jcolon]

Oh boy ... I'd curse your house mate for doing such a [moderator edit] stupid irresponsible thing! But first things first. They need water and fast!! Do you have dechlorinator? If follow the instructions for the size tank and then add tap water, about room temp. The fish are poisoning themselves with ammonia in such little water.

There may not be much you can do, but they need fresh water FAST!!! If you do not see dechlorinator ... let us know ASAP!

 

[michelle504]

The first thing I did last night was put in dechlorinator and fill up their tank with tap water. There is no heater on their tank but the thermometer is reading at 74 right now. And even though it probably wasn't the best thing I had no real choice except to rinse the current filter out a bit as I don't have another filter cartridge. I told him to bring me one but he hasn't shown up yet :/

 

[jcolon]

How long was the filter off? If it's only a day then the Beneficial Bacteria should still be alive ... At this point they'll need the filter running. How did you rinse the filter? If it was with tap water then the BB are probably dead from chlorine. If you used dechlorinated or tank water ... then you should be good. As long as the filter cartridge is not falling apart, then it's still ok to use.

Good job taking care of the fish ....

 

[eco23]

I think it's great that you came to the site looking for help. It shows you are the polar opposite of your former housemate. It's sad and despicable, IMO, for someone to show such little regard for life. A situation like that doesn't only kill them...but it makes them suffer horribly.

I fully agree with jcolon that ammo is the problem. Not only does their waste build up and poison them, but the dead fish and decaying plants will too. Water changes are a must. There is no such thing as too many water changes as long as you are temp matching and dechlorinating the water. For the time being, I'd do daily (or twice daily) water changes until you can get a quality test kit to monitor your toxin levels. Also a quality dechlorinator like Seachem Prime will help to neutralize toxin levels between water changes.

Since the tank was left empty and the cartridge was cleaned (never replace them until they are falling apart, just rinse them in old tank water which I know wasn't an option here)...chances are the tank is no longer cycled.

Do your best to read up on the nitrogen cycle in aquariums and what it takes to establish a tank. Here's a couple links to check out-

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

I really respect what you're doing...keep us posted

 

[michelle504]

I'm guessing the filter has been off since he drained the tank as the filter needs the tank to be full in order to run which then would be last week. I rinsed the filter with chlorinated tap water even though I suspected the BB would be dead already from lack of water.

The tank is absolutely disgusting though with what actually looks like sodium chloride build (like what you would see around a swimming pool) all over the filter. I want to clean it up but don't want to risk stressing the fish more. He's upset because I am now using the tank that he just wanted to kill everything in and then store. I might wind up getting this guys another tank but I really don't want to invest if they're just going to die off on me.

Should I risk cleaning the tank tonight? I was thinking about putting them in a big holding bucket and rinsing the whole thing down with dechlorinated water and scrubbing the sodium chloride build off of the filter. Not to mention cleaning out the filter holding tank but I don't want to do anything that'll hurt the BB or water that I somehow got to stabilize.

 

[michelle504]

Well I'm left with one black neon tetra the others couldn't make it. The only thing I worry about now is if I should get him company in the tank while I keep an eye on him since he's all alone. Would this be a good idea?

 

[jcolon]

He's upset because I am now using the tank that he just wanted to kill everything in and then store.

He's upset? Really? How about he get tossed and locked in a coat closet and every few hours someone pour a capful of janitorial grade ammonia on the floor. I'm sure that'll get him upset when hour by hour the air fills with ammo.

As for getting another fish ..I wouldn't honestly. To be fair, it's doubtful the remaining neon will make it ... going by what I've read... unless it's making a miraculous recovery. Chances are it's probably suffered extensive ammo poisoning which is nasty stuff ... it's gills are probably in bad shape. By adding new fish you'd be doing a fish in cycle, subjecting new fish to the same issues the neons went through .. then you'd have two or more to worry about.

If it does make it ... your best bet would be to rehome it to an LFS.

I honestly feel that members that've read this thread commend your efforts in trying to save those fish. Unfortunately ... you were tackling what is probably one of the worst case scenarios in this hobby. As eco23 said and I agree, it's sad and despicable what your housemate did.

 

[michelle504]

I got off the phone with the LFS today about the little guy and they said that if he's made it through a couple of weeks with 10% water changes everyday then to let them know and I can bring him in to be re-sold to a home with more black neons hopefully.

I'm still looking into this but they also said if I can keep the tank that I could get 2 black neons and a ghost shrimp in there with a nano planted tank and keep them in there. Not sure about this since the tank is a 5.5 so I will probably wind up taking him to the LFS because he will over load my tank.

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's much appreciated. And actually the little guy that I have swims around more and more and isn't shaking as much so I'm thinking this was because of stress? I'll be looking after him for another few weeks and see how he does.

 

[Homedog98]

I got off the phone with the LFS today about the little guy and they said that if he's made it through a couple of weeks with 10% water changes everyday then to let them know and I can bring him in to be re-sold to a home with more black neons hopefully.

I'm still looking into this but they also said if I can keep the tank that I could get 2 black neons and a ghost shrimp in there with a nano planted tank and keep them in there. Not sure about this since the tank is a 5.5 so I will probably wind up taking him to the LFS because he will over load my tank.

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's much appreciated. And actually the little guy that I have swims around more and more and isn't shaking as much so I'm thinking this was because of stress? I'll be looking after him for another few weeks and see how he does.

Don't do 10% water changes... That's not enough! A 50% at least daily (preferably twice daily) is the only way he'll make it! He sounds like he's getting better, but listening to the LFS is going to do more harm then good. I'm sorry I'm a bit late seeing this, but you did the right thing. You certainly have some roommate. That's just cruel.

 

[WendiDell]

your getting all the right advice. All I wanted to add is, ANYONE UP FOR A FIRING SQUAD? What your X housemate did is reprehensible.
I could understand if he had a 100g tank and no way to move it. And then asking you to take over for him, until he worked something out.
But there are no excuses for what he did. He's an ignorant, sadistic, jerk.
And that's the nicest thing I can say about him.

 

[Homedog98]

your getting all the right advice. All I wanted to add is, ANYONE UP FOR A FIRING SQUAD? What your X housemate did is reprehensible.
I could understand if he had a 100g tank and no way to move it. And then asking you to take over for him, until he worked something out.
But there are no excuses for what he did. He's an ignorant, sadistic, jerk.
And that's the nicest thing I can say about him.

+1. Lol. literally, all you have to do is go buy a 10 gallon at wal-mart... 10 bucks, that's it. Buy some gravel if you want, but all you need is the tank for now. Then you can give the jerk his tank back, and give the little guy a proper home. A filter and a heater are next, along with gravel. You can get it all for 50 bucks at wal-mart. your a good person, no matter what you do.

 

[WendiDell]

+1. Lol. literally, all you have to do is go buy a 10 gallon at wal-mart... 10 bucks, that's it. Buy some gravel if you want, but all you need is the tank for now. Then you can give the jerk his tank back, and give the little guy a proper home. A filter and a heater are next, along with gravel. You can get it all for 50 bucks at wal-mart. your a good person, no matter what you do.

I think you may be to young to join a firing squad, but back up is always a good thing.

 

[michelle504]

50%? Won't that be too much change? I've been doing 20% changes everyday.

How long will it be until I know that the little guy is most likely stable? He looks a lot better and comes to the top of the tank to check things out while I'm doing his water changes. He's actually a pretty energetic guy for what he's gone through I just don't want him to get sick and stressed due to loneliness as well as from his experience keeping him in there too long after he could go to the LFS or perhaps a friends tank.

 

[jcolon]

Do you have a water testing kit like the API test master? Here's the issue ... if the BB are dead, which I suspect they are, then that fish is continually pumping out ammonia. Since it's only one fish in an approx 5gal you can get by with maybe 25%PWC's but without knowing the actual ammo #'s go with 50% to be on the safe side. As long as you de-chlorinate and match the temp, the fish will be fine.

 

[eco23]

50%? Won't that be too much change? I've been doing 20% changes everyday.

How long will it be until I know that the little guy is most likely stable? He looks a lot better and comes to the top of the tank to check things out while I'm doing his water changes. He's actually a pretty energetic guy for what he's gone through I just don't want him to get sick and stressed due to loneliness as well as from his experience keeping him in there too long after he could go to the LFS or perhaps a friends tank.

There's no such thing as too many pwc's as long as you are using dechlorinated and temp matched water. Fish love clean water and will always appreciate it.

It's going to be a measured risk, but if the tank he is in is not an option for much longer...I suppose you could move him to your 10 gallon. That way it will be easier to maintain proper conditions and monitor the fish. I'd spend some serious time looking closely at his fins, eyes, gills, etc...and look for any signs of illness before moving him. Ammonia poisoning is what I'm sure he is suffering from, but we don't want to take risks with any infections moving to your other tank if he looks unhealthy.

As for your other tank, can you list the water parameters of that for us? I know through earlier PM's that you've got some serious stocking issues that will need to be addressed...but for the time being it may be suitable for the lone Tetra if he is going to lose his tank.

From what I know of the situation...buying a new 20 gallon so you can provide adequate space as well as filling out your existing schools is your best options. A 20 gallon tank is pretty cheap and if you move all your filter media and gravel over, it should remain stable enough to keep all your fish in and slowly add the other schooling fishes numbers up to appropriate numbers.

 

[michelle504]

10 gallon tank parameters:
7.4 ph
0ppm ammonia
0ppm nitrite
20ppm nitrate

5.5 gallon from housemate
7.6 ph
2.0ppm ammonia still, I think the BB is dead and the tank is recycling
10ppm nitrite
30ppm nitrate

And yes I have the API Master Test Kit which is how I set up my 10 gallon. I'm still doing 50% water changes for the little guy twice a day which got the ammonia from 4.0ppm to 2.0ppm. Could I afford to do larger water changes? That ammonia level is really high from just him putting out waste. I am also vacuuming all the gravel with his water changes and rinsed the gravel in warm water with no soap as advised earlier.

 

[Homedog98]

10 gallon tank parameters:
7.4 ph
0ppm ammonia
0ppm nitrite
20ppm nitrate

5.5 gallon from housemate
7.6 ph
2.0ppm ammonia still, I think the BB is dead and the tank is recycling
10ppm nitrite
30ppm nitrate

And yes I have the API Master Test Kit which is how I set up my 10 gallon. I'm still doing 50% water changes for the little guy twice a day which got the ammonia from 4.0ppm to 2.0ppm. Could I afford to do larger water changes? That ammonia level is really high from just him putting out waste. I am also vacuuming all the gravel with his water changes and rinsed the gravel in warm water with no soap as advised earlier.

Yes, you can always do bigger water changes. They can't hurt.

 

[eco23]

Personally I'd add him to your 10 gallon and remove him from a bad situation. There's always a risk adding new fish, but there's no question in my mind that I'd transfer him over. Give him a nice established tank and some company

 

[michelle504]

the little guy is now in my 10 gallon. Question though, I'm recycling the 5.5 in case I can keep it. The ammonia is still at 2.0ppm and now 0ppm nitrite and 0ppm nitrate so the BB is dead and the tank is recycling correct? I'll start watching the nitrogen cycle, will the cycle take as long in a smaller tank?