Got the fish tank!

[Aric]

We picked up a fish tank today from someone on freecycle who was moving and couldnt keep them any more. Its a 20 gallon tank with several different fish, some gouramis (sp?) tetras, hatchet fish, a couple plecos, and a few more. She had drained alot of the water out for transportation and when we got home and added new water a few fish started to die. We lost a few tetras and a big pleco (he was my favorite). Could the new water be the cause of the dead fish?

Ive never owned fish and my mom owned fish when she was a kid (thing were alot different then) and we were told to just make sure the new water was the same temp and the water in the tank. Also the fish were all pretty much hagning out at the top of the tank for a long time, my mom thinks it might be from a lack of oxygen, so I added a tube bubble thing and thay all seem to be ok now, except for 2 of the gouramis (sp?) and the hatchet fish. Any help?

[Laooda]

I know this is going to sound offensive, but did you add dechlorinater to the new water? Also, just for future reference, unless the tank is WAY over due for a partial water change, I've always been told to save as much as the original water, and to keep the substrate wet to "seed" the tank when you move it. Your tank is going to cycle again... What about temperature? Fish are very prone to temp shock.... Just a few things that came to mind. What are your Gourami's doing that makes you think they are not well? Best o' luck!

Just re-read.... I guess the new water was the right temp?!?! lol I've only heard of them hitting the top for air, as your mother thought! Hope someone can bring you some better advice!!!

[Aric]

I know this is going to sound offensive, but did you add dechlorinater to the new water? Also, just for future reference, unless the tank is WAY over due for a partial water change, I've always been told to save as much as the original water, and to keep the substrate wet to "seed" the tank when you move it. Your tank is going to cycle again... What about temperature? Fish are very prone to temp shock.... Just a few things that came to mind. What are your Gourami's doing that makes you think they are not well? Best o' luck!

we didnt add dechlorinator to the new water as we were told not too, she said shes moved them several times before and did the exact same thing. When we went to pick them up, it was just under half full with the water. I had brought a bucket so I could take the water out and save it for when we got here but she had already drained alot of the water. We have a heater in there, we also had a light on as she told us that was absolutely a must have for the live plants but after a quick goggle search I believe the fish were stressed from the bright light. I turned off the light and it looks to be helping very well. 2 of the gouramis were hanging around the top with their mouths out of the water for a bit, then one started to lay on its side on the bottom, but since ive turned the light off they all seem better?

[Het4Something]

the only thing that i know more about then snakes..... is fish. The temp of the water that was added back into the tank could have stressed out the fish and caused them to die. The pleco prolly did not die from that because they can live a substantial time out of water, and they are very hardy. The bright light theory is incorrect because i have a 175w metal halide on my saltwater tank along with a bunch of other lights also and my fish are fine. How long were the fish in the bucketts being transported???

[Aric]

the only thing that i know more about then snakes..... is fish. The temp of the water that was added back into the tank could have stressed out the fish and caused them to die. The pleco prolly did not die from that because they can live a substantial time out of water, and they are very hardy. The bright light theory is incorrect because i have a 175w metal halide on my saltwater tank along with a bunch of other lights also and my fish are fine. How long were the fish in the bucketts being transported???

The temp of the new water was pretty much the same as the old water, I used a temp gun to keep check. Ive read when you bring in a new fish into a new place then bright lights could probably stress them out, again thats what ive been told and read. The fish were in about 5 inches of water in the tank for about 45 minutes.

[fishmommy]

chlorine is probably the culprit.
different homes can have different levels in their water supply.
what one person can get away with at their home may kill fish in another home.

unless you are on a private well with no chemicals, you need to add dechlorinator

good luck! aquarium keeping is one of my true passions in life - I hope once you get the startup bumps ironed out you find it as rewarding as I do

[fishmommy]

interesting about the light....

this is a long shot but is there any chance that the light is allowing electricity to enter the water? stray voltage has given more than a few aquarists a shock when they least expect it

[SPJ]

We picked up a fish tank today from someone on freecycle who was moving and couldnt keep them any more. Its a 20 gallon tank with several different fish, some gouramis (sp?) tetras, hatchet fish, a couple plecos, and a few more. She had drained alot of the water out for transportation and when we got home and added new water a few fish started to die. We lost a few tetras and a big pleco (he was my favorite). Could the new water be the cause of the dead fish?

Ive never owned fish and my mom owned fish when she was a kid (thing were alot different then) and we were told to just make sure the new water was the same temp and the water in the tank. Also the fish were all pretty much hagning out at the top of the tank for a long time, my mom thinks it might be from a lack of oxygen, so I added a tube bubble thing and thay all seem to be ok now, except for 2 of the gouramis (sp?) and the hatchet fish. Any help?

The new waters composition was totally different from the old water. You basically did a mass water change. Changing the parameters that severely could cause a dies off. The new water was not conditioned as the old was.

Hatchet fish stay at the top so that would be normal for them.

From the sound of it, that tank had a massive bioload. Basically they were most likely living in sub par water conditions. By changing it, you shocked their systems with the "clean" water.

Tetras can be very sensitive to any changes depending upon what type they are.

My advice would be to add some cycle to the tank and start allowing the beneficial bacteria to grow in the new water. Do not add any new fish and monitor your ammo. Amquel works good at neutralizing ammo relatively quick.

I don't see where you posted about a filter? That would be a must for the load that tank is carrying. A bubble does not actually add air to the tank but rather disrupts the surface tension allowing gas exhange.

As far as lighting goes, I used to have a 20 gallon tall with hard corals in it and some perculas. That tank was lit by a 250 watt 12K MH bulb. The fish had no problems with the intensity of the lighting.

As far as electrical shocks, the malfunctioning item would need to be in the tank and boy you would know when it goes bad. I had a Rio PH go bad once and man, you can feel the current as soon as you touch the water.

Good luck with the tank. Let it stabilize, and be patient, and you'll find it will be a very rewarding addition.

[Aric]

From the sound of it, that tank had a massive bioload. Basically they were most likely living in sub par water conditions. By changing it, you shocked their systems with the "clean" water.

Tetras can be very sensitive to any changes depending upon what type they are.

My advice would be to add some cycle to the tank and start allowing the beneficial bacteria to grow in the new water. Do not add any new fish and monitor your ammo. Amquel works good at neutralizing ammo relatively quick.

I don't see where you posted about a filter? That would be a must for the load that tank is carrying. A bubble does not actually add air to the tank but rather disrupts the surface tension allowing gas exhange.

As far as lighting goes, I used to have a 20 gallon tall with hard corals in it and some perculas. That tank was lit by a 250 watt 12K MH bulb. The fish had no problems with the intensity of the lighting.

Now that you mention it, the water that was in there was VERY dirty, when we moved it out into the car, from the sloshing around it was very dark brown and you couldnt see anything. Weve got a filter that came with it, I think its called a Pengiun Bio Wheel 100 or something like that. We turned the light on for a little while and everyonw was fine, so I think it might be from the water change.

[joepythons]

The only thing i did not see mentioned was when you place the fish in "new" water i always floated them in plastic fish bags until they were used to the temp change.Then i transfered a little water in the bag from the tank and after about 20 minutes i released the fish.I only lost one swordtail during 15+yrs of having a tank.You are making me miss my tank setup even more now .