Need help asap important

[nooboftanks]

So I've been on vacation for 1 day and had someone take care of my tank I just received a call saying 2 fish are dead and the others are looking bad before I left everything was fine but in 12 hours the whole tank went downhill my caretaker said as soon as he walked in downstairs the whole house smelled terrible and it was coming from the tank the tank is completely cycled what is going on respond ASAP so I can tell him what to do!

 

[mimiheart]

What kind of fish? What size tank? What are the water parameters usually? What are the water parameters now? Anything happen like a power outtage? Could they have been overfed? Any pictures of the fish?

For troubleshooting without any of those things: A water change of 25-30% should happen immediately, preferably with prime, but really any good water conditioner would be good at this point. If you can smell the ammonia, it's never a good thing. Take a bit more of the tank water out and wash the filter media in it before putting it back in just to make sure nothing is stuck in it and the water is flowing. If there isn't an airstone, try and get one. There might be something going on with gas exchanges. Without more information, sudden death in tanks is kind of hard to diagnose.

 

[Fresh2o]

First thing I would ask the caretaker is the temperature of the tank. Any heater has the potential to malfunction. If do some reason it does not shut off, it can have devastating effects. The reported smell makes me suspect this.
The second thing I would ask about are the filters (are they running?).

 

[dalto]

Is that caretaker an experienced fish keeper? Often people overfeed drastically thinking the fish are hungry.

Have them check for uneaten food that might be causing the problem.

I also agree with Fresh2o about the heater.

 

[nooboftanks]

First thing I would ask the caretaker is the temperature of the tank. Any heater has the potential to malfunction. If do some reason it does not shut off, it can have devastating effects. The reported smell makes me suspect this.
The second thing I would ask about are the filters (are they running?).

Filter is running and temp is 78 which is normal no power outage was reported

 

[nooboftanks]

What kind of fish? What size tank? What are the water parameters usually? What are the water parameters now? Anything happen like a power outtage? Could they have been overfed? Any pictures of the fish?

For troubleshooting without any of those things: A water change of 25-30% should happen immediately, preferably with prime, but really any good water conditioner would be good at this point. If you can smell the ammonia, it's never a good thing. Take a bit more of the tank water out and wash the filter media in it before putting it back in just to make sure nothing is stuck in it and the water is flowing. If there isn't an airstone, try and get one. There might be something going on with gas exchanges. Without more information, sudden death in tanks is kind of hard to diagnose.[/QUOTE

 

[ahmad.echols]

Do you have a water changing schedule?