What is going on!!!!!

[rreekers]

so I went to go feed my fish a few mins ago.. was about to turn on the lights and looked into the dark tank and though "the tank looks empty, where are the fish" I have dead fish EVERYWHERE!
checking water paramenters now

 

[corinne118s]

Need more info! What was in it! Any survivors??

 

[Koikid88]

That's brutal, sorry to hear. What stock was in it? Let us know parameters when you have them

 

[rreekers]

im working on more info.. im still in shock and trying to act fast to try keep some alive..,
as of 2 days ago i had a fluval 305 and 406 running on my tank (both on 1/2 flow), made a DIY out of pvc (no silicone used) spray bar for the 406 so i could stop using the 305 and use the 406 on full speed. the 2 filters have been running along side each other for at least a month. (i know i could have switched over the media.. instant switch.. but i couldnt run the 406 on full blast because its a 60g hex tank and the flow threw my fish around.

so yesterday i re arranged my tank, added a ton more plants, added another piece of driftwood. (yes its aquarium safe, yes i soaked it, no i didnt boil it because its to large. just soaked it in hot water, over and over) Also yesterday i made an impulse buy for 2 pictus catfish and a gold dust molly. added them to the tank

right now some of my fish are going nuts, and i can tell that at least 2 more are on the boarder of dying.

my original stock was:
2 pictus catfish (died)
4 swordtails (3 died)
4 guppies (2 dead, 1mia - im guessing dead at the bottom surrounded my plants)
2 pearl gouramis
3 gold dust mollies
5 silver tip tetras (1 dead, 1 dying,1 mia)
1 BN pleco- still small
2 juv. swordtails
5 (i think) juv. mollies (1mia)


i want to say im shocked by my parameters, i did a 65% WC yesterday. I have never had an amm reading above .25 and never had Ates above 10... and for almost a year i only ran the 305

i tested my water, with 2 separate kits and my levels are
Ph. 7.4/ 7.4
Amm. 1 / .5
Ites 2 / 1 (ive never had nitrites before!!!)
Ates 5-10 / 10-20

i used prime yesterday..
i just did a 50% WC, on the refill mode now.. about to do another 50% WC after it fills

[EDIT} Also the tank temp is at 87F because ive been treating for ick the last few days.. only saw 3 dots as of yesterday and they are on one of my guppies that died

 

[Ardynas]

Very sorry you had to go thru that.

 

[Slade]

Sorry to hear it. Your ammonia & nitrites may be the result of fish deaths. Did you you have an airstone running? Higher temperature depletes oxygen faster.

 

[rreekers]

well i kind of figured the parameters are what killed the fish but what i dont understand is how they got so high!?!?!?!

i turned the the bubble wall on low last night and when i checked (when i realized my fish were dead) it wasnt running so i turned it on high and its going crazy now.. i tried turning it on low again and it slowly diminishes its flow .. so i will leave it on high for now.. i feel so bad

Update: the dying silvertip, died i found 2 of the MIA fish, Dead...
ive done 2 50% WCs back to back and some of the fish are still "panting" but now venturing around the tank, rather than gulping for air at the top

i feel like such a horrible fish owner

 

[Koikid88]

I agree with Slade, if you've had a cycled tank with no elevations in anything for a while, the ammonia could be up from a few hours of dead fish. Neither nitrites or ammonia skyrocketed though, I've have large spikes in both with no illness/death as a result. I do, however, have high aeration always.
I have a feeling the deaths are linked to the ick treatment. I successfully conquered my only bout with ich with 84 degrees, and 1/2 dosage of salt for 2 1/2 weeks. Only did have dosage of salt because there were tetras, pleco and loaches in the tank, all are sensitive to salt.
87 sounds a little excessive, but without the aeration, that may very well have done them in. The more heat and/or meds, the more aeration you need or oxygen levels fall.
This, along with a possible spike of something, sounds like a logical conclusion. You're the only one there though, with 1st hand experience on your tank

 

[Dbouchard]

Im sorry about your fish, the fact that you are so concerned and took steps to save the survivors proves you arent a horrible fish owner.

 

[rreekers]

yeah, im just at a loss.. i know the temp was excessive.. my heater is only set at 85F, and when i went to bed last night the temp was at 84 and the heater was off (not heating) so i figured everything was fine... I didnt dose salt for ich because of all my plants. Im really upset about the aeration because it was on and fine, but some some reason on low it slowly stops pushing out bubbles i guess..
well overall i guess it could be alot of things.. tragic but it happens..

so far, the death count is 11 and im almost finished with my 3rd back to back 50%WC

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Your caring enough to do all the pwc`s shows ur not a terrible fish owner. You said you added a bunch of plants? How did you prep them for your tank? Im trying to understand the spikes because it sounds like your filters were well established. Sorry for your losses. Hang in there.

 

[Koikid88]

I kind of have a feeling (since the tank was established and balanced), that the new fish couldn't handle being introduced to 85F water with the additional stress of transport. Therefore dying and causing an ammonia spike. (I do blame low oxygen for the actual deaths though)

Shouldn't buy new during treatment, especially ich. You could think you have it under control, add the new fish, and boom it's covered in specs, a week later, they all have it again. I do understand impulse buys though lol
Keep the heat up for at least a week after the last visible spec is gone. Your plants will be fine with 1/2 salt, mine was planted too. All the water changes will be doing more harm to the plants than a little salt.

 

[Koikid88]

Your caring enough to do all the pwc`s shows ur not a terrible fish owner.

Agreed. I've seen people try and sell everything once it crashes. With half dead fish in it.