30% water change and 2 pictus deaths later....

rathman

rathman

AC Members
Oct 10, 2005
39
0
0
Newport News Virginia
Does anyone have any clues as to why 10 minutes after I water change, my 2 pictus that I have had sunk to the bottom gasping for whatever? My levels were fine, my nitrates were around 20 ppm so I did a 30-40% water change t this morning. The one I found with a stone in its mouth, was still flaipping in the tank so i successfully dislodged the stone, he didn't make it. The second was fine, but when I returned back to the tank abotu 5 minutes later he was on the bottom flipping around. Attepted to put him in another tank that mirrors the same water temp and quality and he didnt make it either. it seemed as if they were both fine before the water change. i feel responsible for their loss, but don't know why. I have a 92g corner with 3 cichlids and two sun cats. Please, some info would be great.
 
Welcome to Aquaria Central! SO sorry for your loss. That is odd. What are the specific specs (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH) before and after the water change (if you have them)? Did you dechlorinate the water prior to adding it to the tank? What type of water do you have (is it hard, soft, acidic, alkaline, etc)? Was the temp the same? Sounds like some kind of chemical or a shock of some kind (temp change, water quality change, etc). Anyway, hope this helps in some way! Again welcome to Aquaria Central!
 
I assume you used a water conditioner. If not...well thats your answer.

Contamination in your bucket?? Soap?? Something on your hands??( lotion, soap, ect). Did you run water from hoes?? Rubber??
 
2 answer both replies, I used water conditioner, but maybe not enough....and my water levels ammo zero, nitrites zero and my nitrates like i said were around 20 hence the water change. The water conditioner maybe a factor, but do you really think the demise(spellin) would come almost immediately considering i did maybe 30-40% of the water and left the rest in there which well conditioned?

Still a mystery to me.
 
And to add to that, I have 2 5g buckets I have set aside just for my water changes which were new when i got them and I have used them several times before. I emptied the water with my dedicated 3/4 hose for my tank, then hand carried the buckets to the tank. I put the water conditioner in the bucket first then ran the water into them. The strange odd thing is that nothing else in the tank was bothered.
 
I would highly suggest doing a very high % water change (even 100%) if you can and get whatever contamination out of the tank. Be sure to add lots of water conditioner. As far as I know you can't overdo it, especially when the fish are stressed/weak. Anyway, hope this helps and good luck!
 
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