I just returned from my 1 week vacation, and I left my aunt to feed my cycling zebra dans, and I specifically told her 2 only put a this much, but when I got home I realized that 1/4 of the fish food in the container was gone. It was in the aquarium hiding underneath rocks, and plants. The water was brown, and smelly. My aunt claims that the fish looked more hungery so she gave them more. I did a 100% water change, and decided 2 start my cycling again...arghh. Is this right?
2007-07-16 15:43:52 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
At this point, if you have already done a 100% water change, it doesn't matter if it is right or not. Now you have to deal with what comes next. Fresh carbon in the filterpads will remove any remaining smell, but you might want to leave one dirty pad in if possible. Get a test kit and test for ammonia and nitrite. Once the nitrite is gone, your tank is cycled. In the future, just don't feed your fish if you are going to be gone less than 2 weeks. You will have a much better tank to come home to.
2007-07-16 15:50:52 · answer #1 · answered by fivespeed302 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
They should be fine as long as you have cleaned out the tank. Trust me. When she was little my sister poured a whold brand new bottle of fish food into the tank w/ my 2 goldfish. they didn't die... They actually lived for like 4 years, which is alot considering goldfish only live normally like 1 year to 1 and a hlaf years.
2007-07-20 14:12:56 · answer #2 · answered by Echidna eats an enchilada 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even with the 100% water change you shouldn't restart the cycle. As long as your filter media is intact and you didn't clean that you'll have the good bacteria you need to break down the fish wastes.
2007-07-16 15:58:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have cleaned out your tank already, so it really doesn't matter any more, but if I would have been you I would have done a 50% waterchange with a gravel siphon, and repeated a 20% waterchange every 3-4 days after that for a period of 2 weeks
Hope that helps
Good luck
EB
2007-07-16 19:22:43 · answer #4 · answered by Kribensis lover 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Pure tap water has a high PH level and is hard which will stress your fish and possibly or most likely kill your fish. I suggest you add a 1/4 tank of reverse osmosis water to soften the water, add some "PH down" to PH level 6.5, and lastly add some cycle to your tank water. You can get RO water from your local water supply store.
2007-07-16 19:09:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You already change the water but just make sure the fish wont get into shock when you add them again.
2007-07-16 15:54:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All you really had to do was use your gravel vac and vac the gravel removing no more than 50% of the water. You could also after cleaning stir up the gravel and allow your filter to pull the rest out. no need to start all over again.
Now you want to keep your eye on your water quality. Since you are starting all over cycling will cause your ammonia and nitrites to spike.
Next time, use a weekly pill case and add to each day the amount of food you want someone to feed your fish. They are fairly airtight and there can't be any mistakes.
2007-07-18 14:59:10 · answer #7 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
i'm not sure...
but you shouldn't change 100% of the water...
your fish should still have about 5% or 10% of the last water, it'll make 'em adapt faster and unstressed due to the new chemicals.
2007-07-16 15:49:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
yea thats alright just don't put your fish into the tank right away or they will go into shock and die
2007-07-16 15:49:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋