# All of my fish are dead!



## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Hi guy's. I have come home to a tank of dead fish. This totally breaks my heart. Now I have to know what went wrong. I have a 10 gallon tank, with an Aqua-tech 5-15 side hung filter. I do weekly water changes, usually around 50%. I clean the filter weekly when doing the water changes. Change it every 4th week. I use filtered water, at room temperature. Water temperature was 68 degrees Sunday morning. Went and purchased a 50w heater Monday evening, put it in the tank and set the temp at 74 degrees. Just had my water tested at the pet store, they said the water is great. So I have to assume the heater is the culprit. Does this make sense? 
My tank consisted of (9) neon tetras, (3) adult red wags, (5) juvenile red wags, (3) adult dalmatian molly's & (2) juvenile dalmatian molly's. The tank has been up and running since May. Thanks for any help..


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## chevysoldier (Oct 14, 2011)

DMoney45 said:


> Hi guy's. I have come home to a tank of dead fish. This totally breaks my heart. Now I have to know what went wrong. I have a 10 gallon tank, with an Aqua-tech 5-15 side hung filter. I do weekly water changes, usually around 50%. I clean the filter weekly when doing the water changes. Change it every 4th week. I use filtered water, at room temperature. Water temperature was 68 degrees Sunday morning. Went and purchased a 50w heater Monday evening, put it in the tank and set the temp at 74 degrees. Just had my water tested at the pet store, they said the water is great. So I have to assume the heater is the culprit. Does this make sense?
> My tank consisted of (9) neon tetras, (3) adult red wags, (5) juvenile red wags, (3) adult dalmatian molly's & (2) juvenile dalmatian molly's. The tank has been up and running since May. Thanks for any help..


First off, you shouldn't do a water change and clean your filter at the same time. You will be getting rid of a lot of beneficial bacteria. Also, there is no real need to replace the filter unless it deteriorates. In my 50g I do a 50% water change every two weeks and rinse the filter in tank water every other off week. Doing too much cleaning at once can throw your tank into a mini cycle, ammonia spike and kills the fish.

How fast did you bring the tank up to 74 degrees? A quick temp change can stress them. It should only be about a degree every couple hours.

Someone else will know better, but that seems like it was over stocked quite a bit.

Finally, when they test water they use test strips. Those are notorious for being inaccurate. A liquid test kit like API is much more accurate.


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

chevysoldier said:


> First off, you shouldn't do a water change and clean your filter at the same time. You will be getting rid of a lot of beneficial bacteria. Also, there is no real need to replace the filter unless it deteriorates. In my 50g I do a 50% water change every two weeks and rinse the filter in tank water every other off week. Doing too much cleaning at once can throw your tank into a mini cycle, ammonia spike and kills the fish.
> 
> How fast did you bring the tank up to 74 degrees? A quick temp change can stress them. It should only be about a degree every couple hours.
> 
> ...


I really don't know how long it took to get to 74 degrees. I plugged it in at 8:00. Went to bed around 10:30, temp at that time was 70 degrees. Thanks for the heads up on the filter cleaning. Where do I get an API test kit? All they have at petsmart and places like that are the strips


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## chevysoldier (Oct 14, 2011)

DMoney45 said:


> I really don't know how long it took to get to 74 degrees. I plugged it in at 8:00. Went to bed around 10:30, temp at that time was 70 degrees. Thanks for the heads up on the filter cleaning. Where do I get an API test kit? All they have at petsmart and places like that are the strips


I got mine from an LFS. A buddy of mine says they can be found on ebay for like $20. Word of caution though, when they instructions say shake it, you have to really shake it. Can't just swish it around or else it will be wrong.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

Changing water and cleaning the filter at the same time is not going to lose you a bunch of beneficial bacteria. Water changes have no effect on the bio filter. Cleaning the filter does not result in a major loss of bacteria either. Unless you are overcleaning it, those bacteria do not come off easy. However as mentioned changing the filter pad (assuming its the only pad in the filter) is a very bad move as this pretty much sends the tank into a minicycle. 

I would not suspect the heater. You temp was way too low at 68* . Fish are quiet tolerable of temperature changes. Every time I change water I cause a temp fluctuation of a couple degrees in less then an hour.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

I'd just like to point out when you do clean your filter, that it should be cleaned in some tank water you just took out and not under tap as the chlorine would kill the bacteria.


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## tonyfoster (Nov 30, 2011)

i did a 50% water change once and lost my fav fishes. since then i will do no more than 10% at a time, cleaning the gravel in sections, and waiting 2 days between each section. this process takes me about a week, creates very little stress on my fish, and i do it every 2 months.


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## chevysoldier (Oct 14, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> Changing water and cleaning the filter at the same time is not going to lose you a bunch of beneficial bacteria. Water changes have no effect on the bio filter. Cleaning the filter does not result in a major loss of bacteria either. Unless you are overcleaning it, those bacteria do not come off easy. However as mentioned changing the filter pad (assuming its the only pad in the filter) is a very bad move as this pretty much sends the tank into a minicycle.
> 
> I would not suspect the heater. You temp was way too low at 68* . Fish are quiet tolerable of temperature changes. Every time I change water I cause a temp fluctuation of a couple degrees in less then an hour.


You're right, water change alone won't but gravel vacuuming at the same time might. I just be sure I don't over clean it.


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## tonyfoster (Nov 30, 2011)

i've been told 50% water changes were "bad" in a very loud voice accompanied by a very mean look. this is why i changed my ways and since then (about 10 years) i have only lost fish due to old age or planned consumption by other fish.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

I change at least 50% weekly. I refill by tossing dechlor in the tank and running a hose straight from the tap to the tank. Water temp is 'ball park" I use only my hands to gauge it. A water change often causes the tank temp to fluctuate at least 2 degrees, since I'm not that perfect but I don't try that hard. 

I keep many fish, probably too many per tank. My more sensitive fish like neons, rummy nose tetras, angels, and GBR are not bothered by large water changes. GBR is probably one of the more temperature sensitive species, but it can still handle couple degree fluctuations without any problems. 

I can't tell you how many times I've done an entire gravel vac, 50% or more water change, and entire filter cleaning all at the same time. This was done before I went into planted tanks, now I never gravel vac. Still my filter cleaning is always accompanied by a large water change.

There is no such thing as too many or too large of water changes. You could change all the water as in the end water is water. There is nothing special about tank water other then its old and holds more wastes then your tap. The only time water changes can be bad is in the case of old tank syndrome, if a tank seldom has much water changed or cleaning done it must be carefully worked back to proper maintenance.


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## tonyfoster (Nov 30, 2011)

wow


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> Changing water and cleaning the filter at the same time is not going to lose you a bunch of beneficial bacteria. Water changes have no effect on the bio filter. Cleaning the filter does not result in a major loss of bacteria either. Unless you are overcleaning it, those bacteria do not come off easy. However as mentioned changing the filter pad (assuming its the only pad in the filter) is a very bad move as this pretty much sends the tank into a minicycle.
> 
> I would not suspect the heater. You temp was way too low at 68* . Fish are quiet tolerable of temperature changes. Every time I change water I cause a temp fluctuation of a couple degrees in less then an hour.


I never touch the "bio" pad. I only clean or replace the charcoal filter. That being said, what should I do? Totally clean out the tank, recycle it for a week or so before getting more fish? I really am scared to get anymore fish at this point until I figure out what I did wrong.


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## MinaMinaMina (Aug 28, 2011)

I'm very sorry about your loss, but the people here will try to help. Was there anything unusual looking/acting about the fish? When was your last water change? What water conditioner do you use? When the pet store people said "great", do you know the actual numbers? Is your new heater labeled as fully submersible? Your tank had soft/acidic fish and hard/basic fish, which isn't a good idea, but that seems to be a problem aside from what caused the deaths. Your tank was also overstocked in both space and filtration, not even counting the juveniles.So that's a problem. If we figure this out and you start up your tank again, you should get an API Master Kit so you can keep an eye on the exact values. I'm sorry to hear about your fish!


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

I got my API kit at petsmart it was on the shelf under all the worthless strip test. I am sorry wbout your fish like Mina asked had they been acting any differently?


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Calmwaters said:


> I got my API kit at petsmart it was on the shelf under all the worthless strip test. I am sorry wbout your fish like Mina asked had they been acting any differently?


No, they hadn't been acting weird or different. They swam around normally that evening, not so good the next morning. I will go back to petsmart to look.. Thanks for the heads up.


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

MinaMinaMina said:


> I'm very sorry about your loss, but the people here will try to help. Was there anything unusual looking/acting about the fish? When was your last water change? What water conditioner do you use? When the pet store people said "great", do you know the actual numbers? Is your new heater labeled as fully submersible? Your tank had soft/acidic fish and hard/basic fish, which isn't a good idea, but that seems to be a problem aside from what caused the deaths. Your tank was also overstocked in both space and filtration, not even counting the juveniles.So that's a problem. If we figure this out and you start up your tank again, you should get an API Master Kit so you can keep an eye on the exact values. I'm sorry to hear about your fish!


Thanks Mina, Last water change was Sunday morning. That's what made me go get a thermometer in the first place. My hands felt cold, so I thought I would check the temp. I don't use any water conditioner. I just use filtered water. 
No, I don't know the actual numbers. Sorry. I know that would help. I am aware the tank was getting too full, I was getting a 55 gallon for christmas. Hopefully that isn't the ultimate cause of this.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

exactly what kind of filtered water?


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Mikaila31 said:


> exactly what kind of filtered water?


I have a reverse osmosis system for the house. I also have a charcoal filter on the tap.


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## jdiaz (Nov 6, 2011)

About the water change percent, It, in my opinion, really depends on your fish. Some fish can take the stress and some cant. For example my swordtail had been in my tank for about 7 days and I did complete water changes with my mollies and they did not mind much me changing all the water. But in the case of the swordtail, she had never been in a water change that big. She ended up geting Ich but the mollies where fine. So I seperated her and treated her and then she got better I added her back to the tank. To keep her from getting stressed I did gradual water changes like first I did a 20 percent water change then a 25 then a 30 then a 50 then a 70 and then finaly a 100 percent in a piriod of a month. She got use to it and now she does not even mind it.

I only do 100 percent changes when I want to clean the gravel. I dont siphon the 10 gallon because it is to small of a tank to siphon. 

So yeah in my opinion it depends on your fish and how use to it he/she is to water change. Everyone has there own opinion but that is mine and I am happy with the results.


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## Irish Dancing Man (Jan 9, 2011)

DMoney45 said:


> I have a reverse osmosis system for the house. I also have a charcoal filter on the tap.


reverse osmosis is called active transport


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

I would still use a water conditioner, even with using that RO water.


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## DMoney45 (Aug 29, 2011)

Thanks to all that have replied! Hopefully I have gained some knowledge, and have some insight due to this tragedy. Just to update, I let the tank sit for three days, went and purchased some neon tetras, two weeks later, they are all happy and healthy. Based on what everyone has said here, and watching my heater operate. I have come to the conclusion, it was misunderstanding of how heaters cycle, or at least the one I have. I think the cause is, I just raised the water temperature too fast. Again, thanks to all who replied.


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## MinaMinaMina (Aug 28, 2011)

I agree with using a water conditioner regardless.
I wonder, though... Could the problem have been that the tank was heavily stocked, but at the lower temp their metabolism was slow. Then, when you added the heater, the higher temp sped up their metabolism thereby making them produce more waste which, in turn, produced a strain on the biofiltration and caused a lethal ammonia spike? That's my theory, anyway.
Ultimately, I suppose there's no way to know now.
In any case, I wish you the best of luck with your new fish, and I hope you enjoy your new 55g when it comes! Good luck!


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## BobtheSnail (Oct 6, 2011)

I agree with MinaMinaMina- your tank was pretty overstocked. To be honest, I have a 10 gallon sitting right next to me here and I can't imagine all those fish in it! Actually, I can, and it's way too many. As you're restocking, you're probably going to want to be careful to not overload anything.

Just FYI, good bacteria does not float around in the water; it's either in the gravel or the filter. I mean, I guess there could be _some _in the water, but not enough to make a difference. I didn't notice if you've gotten a test kit yet, but at my Petsmart they're like $32 and on Amazon.com they're $23... Petsmart will probably rip you off on everything.


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