About 5 days ago, I took out all the water in my 96 liter since it badley needed it although I know it would have been better to leave like 20% of the water in so I don't take out all of the bacteria a tank needs. Anyway, it was beautifuly clean and i put lots of new plants in. After about 2 hours I put my fish back in (which are all compatible with each other) and from that day on till now, about 10 of them died! Could this have been from the water change? But then after about 4 days after I cleaned it, i bought some new fish of the same species that died, they were doing great and today i woke up to 3 of them dead! this couldn't have been from the water change since this was like 4 days after...right?
2006-08-20 22:59:13 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
When you did the massive water change you killed off the old fish by drastically changing the water parameters (which is why huge water changes are a big no-no).
When you thoroughly cleaned the tank, you wiped out a huge portion of beneficial bacteria. Because of that your new fish perished from ammonia poisoning.
1. Never let your tank get to the point that it needs cleaning badly. Routine tank maintenance will prevent this from occuring (weekly water changes and minor cleaning every other week will keep a tank in better shape than one that is thoroughly cleaned every few months).
2. Don't judge the cleaniness of water by it's appearance or clarity. Big mistake to do that. Instead use test kits to determine water quality. A 'dirty' tank with 0ppm ammonia and nitrite is safer and better than crystal clear water with 5ppm ammonia.
2006-08-21 02:05:11 · answer #1 · answered by Kay B 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Dechlorinate the water, did you let it come to room temperature? Do a nitrate test- if the filter bacteria were killed by the water change toxins will build up in the water over a few days.
2006-08-21 13:00:00 · answer #2 · answered by jadeiris 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can take weeks for the beneficial bacteria to build up again. Do water changes of up to 30% every three days for a couple of weeks so that he ammonia and nitrite levels don't build up too much for the next little while.
2006-08-21 08:44:40 · answer #3 · answered by iceni 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get rid of the chlorine in the water. Clean your tank once in 3 days.
2006-08-21 06:52:07 · answer #4 · answered by oops1388 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't they sell some kind of special tablets for the water, like somehow the tablets decrease or neutralize the chlorine that's in tap water? That could be why they died, if you didn't use those special tablets.
2006-08-21 06:09:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymousmno 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
did you put the anti-cholrine medication in the water and some salt and leave it for a few hours before putting in the fish?
try asking the fish shop person. he or she might be able to advise you more.
karen ng beng hong admirer
2006-08-21 06:08:47 · answer #6 · answered by mercury of love 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
strange did you let them get used to the water before putting them back could have been the plants? sorry for your lost
2006-08-21 06:05:17 · answer #7 · answered by Moo moo I'm a chicken 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What kind of fish do you have?I was thinking that their deaths may be due to the new plants you added.
2006-08-21 14:33:21 · answer #8 · answered by John G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the plants you bought made the fish die!
Or maybe you gave them too much food.
2006-08-21 08:50:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
over feeding, under feeding, contaminated water, who knows.
2006-08-21 06:05:00 · answer #10 · answered by Chris 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋