Replaced filter and fish died

[Peter99]

Does replacing the carbon filter affect the tank? I just replaced the filter and my largest tetra died.

Its still bright blue and red. It died as if it suffocated. Other fish are fine. I'll see what's wrong with the water parameters.

 

[Peter99]

Uh...... Someone fed my fish while I went to the hospital getting my finger "glued" back. The tetra overstuffed itself.

I rushed out of my dorm room after I cut myself (badly) and left the door open. The guy didn't know that I fed my fishes earlier today and dumped too much food in the tank (food was all finished).

 

[Tando Mando]

Bummer, man, about your hand and your fish.

While over-feeding is a common mistake made by newcomers, it generally results in cloudy water, algae blooms and just icky, foul conditions for the fish. I have never seen a fish eat so much it died, but apparently that CAN happen, as evidenced by your experience.

Good luck in the future. Hide the fish food, and glad the "mystery" is solved!

 

[Peter99]

Well pretty much all my tetras died, only 1 left and it looks like its hanging in there. Only the cories are doing fine since they don't get the flakes. Really makes me wonder how much food is dumped in there....

I flushed a bunch of fat tetras down the toilet.

 

[ConMan]

When you replace the carbon you get rid of the beneficial bacteria living on the carbon. That coupled with the overfeeding may have contributed to the death of your fish.

Check your water parameters pH, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia levels. If they are off, change the water. Recheck daily until the problem has been resolved.

I changed filters in my 55g 3 years ago , and I didn't realize that I had removed most of the beneficial bacteria in my tank. Lost 30+ beautiful fish and learned a nice lesson.

Now I don't use carbon at all. I have aquaclear filters and use two sponges as opposed to one sponge and one carbon bag.

 

[Peter99]

My tank is a little high on nitrite, color is a little darker than .2ppm and lighter than .4ppm (around .3ppm?). Most of the tetras died within few hours (5 died in 4 hours and last one lasted 10). The water never got cloudy, its very clear, with the exception of some, but not much, algae growing on the glass.

My friend's 55 gallon community got wiped out when he left his door open and a girl dumped fries and other random food into the tank.

College is not a good place to have an aquarium.

 

[LGooley]

Wow. That's awful. I have a Betta at work and no one is allowed to feed it. I am hoping customers don't mess with him. I hide him when I am not around. I would suggest not feeding for a few days. Hopefully whats left will benefit from a couple days of dieting. Good Luck

 

[ConMan]

Try changing the water. Wait a while for the tank to recycle, and then add like one or two fish per week until you feel stocked.

After each fish is added, constantly monitor your water parameters and change water when necessary.

Someone else may have a better idea.

When I lost my tank I was so upset that I didn't restart until a month later.

 

[snakeskinner]

how long has your tank been set up? It sounds like maybe you didn't cycle your tank fully before adding fish? changing the filter should not reduce the bacteria that much so I don't think that's the deal. Also, I don't buy the death by food scenario. I think there's something else going on. Whether someone dumped a lethal chemical in the tank or they have slowly died an ammonia/nitrite bath death is uncertain. Kyle

 

[Peter99]

The tank has been running for 2 months now. I replaced the filter that night and not too long after that my friend called me to his room to help him modify this gizmo. I thought it wasn't going to be long so I left my door open. While I was there I sliced open my finger and had came back to my room to get my ID and left in a hurry without closing the door. I was gone about 2 hours. When I came back none of my personal items were missing, but my fish food was moved and the lid was open. Water never got cloudy. Hours later fish began dying.

I don't think anyone in my suite was dumb enough to pour chemicals into my tank, at least it doesn't sound like what computer geeks do.