HELP!!! How to save a fishtank!
- Thread starter Sammysaddiction
- Start date
This is gonna sound gross, but I think that most of the stock didn't die immediately... they died of starvation over time and then were eaten by the survivors. Had he not returned, the fish would have probably continued to do so, and eventually the last one would have starved and left its body behind. Fish aren't a the sort to let tasty bodies go to waste (especially if they don't have food to eat).
As for the water... fish are hardier then we think, and I personally believe that. They can adapt if they are given the chance to do so (like months of time to get used to it) and I'm sure they will adapt back to the cleaner water too.
To clear up the water... well, the DW probably rotted or grew who knows what kind of funguses when it was partially covered in water, and the gravel (or substrate in general) is probably filled with nasty crap that the water stirrs up. I'd take the fish out and acclimate them to a home tank, then completely break down your tank and start from scratch, giving everything a good solid scrubbing and either washing out the substrate or getting new substrate. Poke the driftwood, if it's squishy, take it out, it rotted and is no longer good for the tank.
Yes the cories and gourami went months without any store bought fish food. I have a lot of fish missing so I am sure that's what they survived off from.
I took out most of the gravel but left a very line layer. I use eco-complete. I'll get the rest of the gravel out of there. The tank cleared up some more. Each day it is getting a little better. Instead of brown today it is more of a green color. Instead of doing just 25% today I'm going to aim for 50% slowly through out the day.
Wow. What a story. Aside from anything, that's an impressive amount of evaporation!
And I agree on the fish being relsiliant and often tougher than we give credit. Think of the saying, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - them that survived are pretty strong fish. Each time another fish was about to die, they were always stronger and survived and extended their lead by beating the others to the extra nutrients. And while I don't believe fish have no memory, I do believe like most life on earth, survival always come first when it needs to - and they'd not turn their nose up at food, any food, if it would mean their survival.
Hardly as impressive, but I have a couple of large normal goldies who started of in a tiny airless tank 6 years ago as babies, and have been through tanks without lighting, or filtration for weeks as a time (don't ask) and over the past years they've been slowly aclimatising to a tropical tank. I suddenly realised one day 3 years ago that the thermometre was reading 27 degrees constantly! I then decided, what the hell, and have converted the tank into a tropical tank, and they're still fine and healthy. (I just have caged off half the tank where the plants live and provide a hide-e-hole for the tropical fish to live or retreat into if they get pestered by the two goldies.
And I agree on the fish being relsiliant and often tougher than we give credit. Think of the saying, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - them that survived are pretty strong fish. Each time another fish was about to die, they were always stronger and survived and extended their lead by beating the others to the extra nutrients. And while I don't believe fish have no memory, I do believe like most life on earth, survival always come first when it needs to - and they'd not turn their nose up at food, any food, if it would mean their survival.
Hardly as impressive, but I have a couple of large normal goldies who started of in a tiny airless tank 6 years ago as babies, and have been through tanks without lighting, or filtration for weeks as a time (don't ask) and over the past years they've been slowly aclimatising to a tropical tank. I suddenly realised one day 3 years ago that the thermometre was reading 27 degrees constantly! I then decided, what the hell, and have converted the tank into a tropical tank, and they're still fine and healthy. (I just have caged off half the tank where the plants live and provide a hide-e-hole for the tropical fish to live or retreat into if they get pestered by the two goldies.
Sounds like sound advice here! Slow mo for these fish...... I wouldn't disturb the substrate too much quite yet, and maybe even remove the fish to another cycled tank if at all possible once of course the original 'mulm water' has been diluted back in the volume of the old tank with the slow gentle addition of clean treated water.
(Start a fishless cycling in a 'spare' tank immediately and it will be complete and fish ready in as little as ten days.)
I'd want to fully break down the original tank for a good cleaning. Too much to worry about by keeping it going and trying to vaccum etc...... yuck... stirring up God knows what in the process.
Good Luck with it and your recovery also!
(Start a fishless cycling in a 'spare' tank immediately and it will be complete and fish ready in as little as ten days.)
I'd want to fully break down the original tank for a good cleaning. Too much to worry about by keeping it going and trying to vaccum etc...... yuck... stirring up God knows what in the process.
Good Luck with it and your recovery also!
I ran into a very tight jam with money last year, so I sold off 10 tanks and kept only this one.
My maor problem was definitly the driftwood. I picked it up and started examing it. There was all kinds of gunk in the little crevices and it was covered in a layer of slime. As soon as I put it into a pot of water, the water immediately turned brownish green. It's boiling away right now. I'm going to keep doing water changes slowly today until I'm at least at a 50% water change. Then after it sits for a day or two, I'm taking out the remainder gravel.
My maor problem was definitly the driftwood. I picked it up and started examing it. There was all kinds of gunk in the little crevices and it was covered in a layer of slime. As soon as I put it into a pot of water, the water immediately turned brownish green. It's boiling away right now. I'm going to keep doing water changes slowly today until I'm at least at a 50% water change. Then after it sits for a day or two, I'm taking out the remainder gravel.
WOW! What a change! Just 30 minutes after taking out the driftwood and doing just a bucket full of water as a water change my tank is easily 70% clearlier! No longer is it brown green but it is now whitish yellowish. I'm soooo happy!
Sounds like you've gotten good advice, so I won't throw anymore out there. But, from one with two plates and 16 screws in his left ankle from a mishap two years ago, I'm feeling for you! Best wishes!
