Caryl Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 You may all have read about my problems when the African tank filter was accidentally unplugged while we were away, well... Went away for the weekend. Came home, fed fish and moticed 1 dead male rosy barb. Didn't seem to have been dead long, still whole, full colours, eyes still intact etc. Couldn't see anything wrong with him but removed him from the tank then went to bed. Today I was very busy and didn't go near the tank until I sat down for a quick lunch before heading to an appointment. Glanced over to the lounge community tank and thought " Funny, why are all those fish at the surface?" Go and check. Uh oh, dead bodies everywhere! Hmm, rest at surface, gasping - lack of oxygen. Why? Check water temperature - it is 34C. Oops. Obviously faulty thermostat on heatpad (which has been running over 10 years without a problem until now). :evil: Unplugged heatpad. Hauled out dead bodies - 2 giant danios, 11 rosy barbs, 1 angel, 1 bristlenose and 1 Chinese algae eater. All the gouramis look happy enough :roll: Then I added an airstone to increase oxygen levels and did a 50% water change to bring the temp down to 27C. Now, I know you are supposed to alter temperatures slowly but in this case it was necessary. Besides, my Africans get big temp fluctuations when I clean out their tank and they love it. Hard to tell what is left as they are all hiding after I rummaged round the heavily planted tank looking for more trapped dead bodies. The rosys were hit hardest as they prefer cooler temps anyway. Sorry Jude, not sure if there are enough left to breed this summer. Will watch over the rest of the day and wait until the survivors venture out to see who is left. Poor fish did not deserve to die like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Wow, at least I'm not the only one to have two disasters in a row. First there was a tank of guppies... and my breeding colony of GBAs (with about 100 babies). Followed by a heater malfunction that lost a tank full of bettas. I'm still waiting for the third one to hit but may have been when the tank overflowed a few weeks back. Here's hoping. So Caryl, sorry bout that and next time you're up this way stop by and I'll give you something to restock the tank with. Good news is you didn't lose all the fish and can rebuild pretty easily, aye? "Just be sure and get all the dead bodies" and a friendly e-pat on the shoulder is all I can do for now though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billaney Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 So Sorry to hear of your bad luck again Caryl, there is nothing you can do about things like that as you said been ok for 10 years !. I've got no rosy barbs but if you want some golden barbs next time your up this way or black ruby barbs I'm happy to give you some. hope the rest are ok just hiding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsarmina Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 sorry to hear that caryl i'm going to have a go at tank breeding the rosys before they go in the pond in summer, so if that works out, you can have some of your Grandbabies (or is it Great grandbabies??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 A big lesson learnt to always ensure there is a thermometer in each tank. Might have been prevented if that was checked after the first death? I'm guilty too, lost 6 discus due accidentally altering a heater too much that didn't have an indicator on the top as to what temp it was set at. Nothing worse than a) killing fish and b) unnecessarily. Sorry to hear your loss Caryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Thanks for the offer of new stock Faran. I will wait and see what's left and keep searching for bodies. The angel was a reasonable size but when it is front on, it is very hard to see! I have a separate tank of 19 golden barbs billaney which I might put outside this summer. Did so last summer and they didn't do nuffin! Once I check what barbs are left (it suddenly occurred to me among the dead are actually my odessas as they look similar to rosys when dead) I will think about what to replace them with. Thanks Tsarmina, will bear that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Oh No I am really sorry to hear the news Caryl. What a blow Hope the losses don't prove to be any greater Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishboi Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 sorry i cant help in anyway but to cry with u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Sorry for your losses Caryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Well, I have now found 4 of the 5 rhom barbs a large B/N and 3 hoplos. I have only seen 2 of them since I bought 3 then seemed to have lost one. have only seen 2 but tonight saw all 3 On a sadder note, all my gorgeous male odessas have gone but I have 4 females left. The sole red-eye tetra (a refugee from someone else's tank) is looking a lot perkier and the gouramis are more active and no longer hanging around the surface. I might have to strip the tank though as I am still missing 1 angel and some B/Ns Here is a pic I took earlier this evening, just after the massive water change... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 Oh no so sad to read. I have said this before, my pet hate with this hobby is the electrical gadgets we use. I try & buy the dearer heaters, but even one of them has a 2 degree swing. {Judging by the thermometer.} Some days 25.5 degrees, other days 27.5 degrees. Always one or the other never inbetween. :-? Daytime temperature been constant lately too. I also try my best to go the 1w{or slightly less} to 1lt rule or so if one did stick on, I will hopefully catch it in time. I have lost a few fish to a faulty heater a few years back & Lake Tangy's are so touchy to high temps. I just hope Caryl, it isn't the old saying of "happens in 3's Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted June 27, 2006 Report Share Posted June 27, 2006 What a disaster to happen to such an amazing looking tank. Real sorry to read about your losses Caryl, and hope you can get things back to normal quickly. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me love fishy Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 sorry to hear Caryl I've had a heater malfunction before and lost my plec that I was really fond of. Felt like a bad mummy! On the brighter side it does give you a chance to restock with some fish you've really wanted but haven't had room for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Oh oh oh Caryl...I am so sorry about your losses I've always admired that tank, well, from the pics I've seen of it :-? *Caper reaches out and hugs Caryl* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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