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Chickleta
07-08-2007, 12:10 PM
I've lost my mbunas. I have a 60g (yr old) group mostly mbunas fairly large and very harmonious. There were about 17 fish and have had a batch of yellow lab fry. Everything was wonderful. I also setup a 46g Tanganyikan tank that I started a couple weeks past.

I did a partial water change on both tanks yesterday, exactly the same procedure for each tank, I changed about 30%. The only difference is I added a couple of new items to the mbuna tank and this morning all 10 mbunas are dead. I had a few other surviors; 3 obliquidens, 1 exasperatus, 2 turquoise jewels, synodontis cat and a afra halo reef. I quickly moved them to my taniganikan tank and they appear ok so far, except for 1 jewel is lethargic. I can't figure where I went wrong I added a couple of rocks, which I have collected from the same site, properly scrubbed and boiled them. I had cored and processed a coconut, which I have another existing one in my Tang. tank. I added a piece of purchased sinking wood which was boiled prior and I also have an existing piece in Tang. tank.

When changing water I used the same water hose I always use, added the tap directely to the tank after adding tap water conditioner. As I add the water I add a mixed quart of tank water containing 3t. aquarium salt, 2 t. baking soda and 3T epsom salt. I do this everytime I remove water except I have only used the water hose method a couple of times. Previously I add containers of treated water, but it was effecting my elbows and I had to stop carrying water. The bottle of "tap water conditioner" indicated you can add water directly from the tap to the tank if you treat the tank first with the drops.

I checked my water and of course the nitrates and nitrites are high because of their little corpses. They were 0 last night. I use Jungle test strips and the Gh shows about 300, 0 Chlorine (would these reflect chlorimines?) Kh is over 8.4 it goes past my chart. Nitrates 20 and Nitrites 1.0. Temp is 80°.

I really screwed something up and I'm so belwildered as what the problem is. I'm heartsick :sad: :sad: as my fish are so special to me. They were totally dependent on meI let them down. They provided so much entainment and joy. I would rather not have fish than go through this sadness and certainly don't want this to EVER happen again.

Any ideas on what went wrong, adding water through the hose, the coconut or the rocks perhaps. Or where I go from here, how do I make sure my tank is safe should I decide to re-stock it. Any input would be much appreciated.

wataugachicken
07-08-2007, 1:10 PM
which tank did you do the water change on first? is there anyone else in your house who may have accidentally used your water-change equipment for some other purpose?

Chickleta
07-08-2007, 1:18 PM
I changed the Tang. tank first (46g.) I was the only one home and did the tanks is sequence. I skimmed the sand in both tanks and then added the water right after the other. I have an "aquarium water" only water hose hooked up to the kitchen faucet. I am thinking perhaps I must have miscalculated the amount of Tap Water Conditioner and perhaps the chloromines killed them. When I checked the water parameters at the end both tanks read no chlorine. The mbunas must be more sensitive than the others in the tank.

Coler
07-08-2007, 1:36 PM
I did a partial water change on both tanks yesterday, exactly the same procedure for each tank, I changed about 30%. The only difference is I added a couple of new items to the mbuna tank and this morning all 10 mbunas are dead.

What were the new items that you added ?

sorry for your losses :(

johnlarson66
07-08-2007, 1:43 PM
I am not sure if you can over condition the water.

I think it could be something you added, but this is a mystery.

When was your last water change before this? What was the tempature?

Chickleta
07-08-2007, 1:52 PM
"I added a couple of rocks, which I have collected from the same site, properly scrubbed and boiled them. I had cored and processed a coconut, which I have another existing one in my Tang. tank. I added a piece of purchased sinking wood which was boiled prior and I also have an existing piece in Tang."

The last change was about 2 weeks ago, I also have 5 yellow lab fry in a sm. tank. I used the mbuna water to regularly fill the fry tank to keep them fresh.

It was definitely something I did with the tap water the more I think about it. I ususlly add Prime or Amquel to finish off the cleaning process but failed to yesterday. BIG MISTAKE.

Does anyone ever add water straight from the tap to the tank with the chlorine condiditoner already in the aquarium?

wataugachicken
07-08-2007, 2:22 PM
i always do that. add enough Prime to treat the whole tank (in my case 50g, so one capful) and then put the water back in. you have to add the conditioner first and THEN the water, not the other way around. a lot of people here use pythons and prime, and do water changes that way with no problems. the biggest issue is getting the temperature right during the entire refilling.

Chickleta
07-08-2007, 2:29 PM
I don't have a problem with the temp. because the kitchen faucet allows me to regulate the temperature correctly. I usually use API's Tap Water Conditioner but I don't think I added enough. That's the only concrete conclusion I can reach.

steve p
07-08-2007, 3:33 PM
So sorry to hear of your loss:tombstone: , Accidents happen and from your post i can tell you think a great deal of your fish. I have been using prime to remove chlorine from my water for the past couple of months and find it very good. Lots of people fill directly from the faucet with a hose and have no problems as long as you dose with prime for the whole tank size even if you are only do a 30% water change. Just a shot in the dark but are you sure nothing is leeching from the rocks you added to the tank. IMO it would be a good idea to remove everything you added and do a large water change before you introduce your fish back in. Hope all works out well for your fish:thumbsup: .

Steve.

MbunaFishKeeper
07-08-2007, 5:01 PM
yeh obviously not adding the prime was the killer sorry for your losses just learn from your mistakes is what i do. i dont think it was anything to do with the rock so if you do another water change before you add them back to the tank. sorry agen for your losses:(

howard.

cdfishie123
07-08-2007, 5:15 PM
i am really sorry for your loss. :( it probably was because u didnt add enough conditioner(prime). i dont have to add prime because one of my faucets outside uses dechlorinated water so all i have to do is a have a big enough hose to reackh my 100 gallon