# Super Glue killed my Fish



## Sharak

I have a new 25g Fluval Accent tank that I setup a week ago. I used CaribSea Moonlight Sand substrate which is a very fine sand substrate. I have 3 fake aquarium decor and 3 plants. After 3 days of setup and the water stabilizing I added 3 neon tetras. They did fine for 2 days at which point I used "Krazy Glue" brand super glue to glue the roots of the 3 plants to the 3 small aquarium decor. The Krazy Glue said it was Cryanoacrylate, or rather "contains" cryanoacrylate. I read that this is aquarium safe. After glueing the plants to the decor I used a blow drier on cool air setting to quickly dry the glue. Blew each one for about 10 minutes until completely dry, and then dropped them back in the tank. The next day all 3 neon tetras died. 

I have read alot of confusing information about using super glue in the tank. Some say they glue their stuff and drop it in the tank shortly after that it cures better in the water. Some say they let it cure over night. Some say use the gel glue, some say all glue is fine if it is cryanoacrylate based. 

Now at this point I am thinking either Krazy Glue had unlisted ingredients that made it toxic, or that I placed it in the tank too soon and the fumes poisoned the water. Can anyone who is certain give me clear information about this and if at this point I should empty the water and completely replace the water before adding new fish? Or should I empty all the water, throw away the substrate, and thoroughly clean the tank or to what extent and what do I need to do from here? It is a new tank and it has not cycled yet but Ammonia never spiked, remained undetectable and PH has remained a stable 7.4.


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## beaslbob

we use super glue jell in reef tanks all the time. So there should be no problem with FW setups which are tolerant than reef tanks.




When gluing underwater you do need to hold it together for a few minutes which can be a pain. Gluing it outside the tank then placing in the tank sounds better. But that is not possible sometimes with live corals glued to in-tank rock work.


my .02


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## beaslbob

FWIW Neons can be sensitive. Did you measure an ammonia spike? Did you use gloves in the tank?


I once fragged to corals using latex type gloves and basically crashed my tank, lost 2 fish and all my corals. The next day the api ammonia test kit was a dark black. (dark blue is 8ppm). What happened I think was there was and antiseptic on the gloves which poisoned the tank. The fish I removed from the tank to a macro algae tank recovered in hours. The tank went through the deepest 3 week cycle I've ever had. So lesson learned. here.


So any possibility you introduced a toxin through means other than the superglue?


Or perhaps neons are just sensitive.


My .02


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## Sharak

beaslbob said:


> FWIW Neons can be sensitive. Did you measure an ammonia spike? Did you use gloves in the tank?
> 
> 
> I once fragged to corals using latex type gloves and basically crashed my tank, lost 2 fish and all my corals. The next day the api ammonia test kit was a dark black. (dark blue is 8ppm). What happened I think was there was and antiseptic on the gloves which poisoned the tank. The fish I removed from the tank to a macro algae tank recovered in hours. The tank went through the deepest 3 week cycle I've ever had. So lesson learned. here.
> 
> 
> So any possibility you introduced a toxin through means other than the superglue?
> 
> 
> Or perhaps neons are just sensitive.
> 
> 
> My .02



I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castile soap in the shower and it usually leaves a residue on the skin, Only thing I can think of is that. I think I showered a couple hours previous to handling aquarium, but I was sure to rinse my hands and arms off under the sink liberally beforehand.


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## beaslbob

Sharak said:


> I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castile soap in the shower and it usually leaves a residue on the skin, Only thing I can think of is that. I think I showered a couple hours previous to handling aquarium, but I was sure to rinse my hands and arms off under the sink liberally beforehand.


 that should have been ok.


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## JC1

I used Krazy glue on 2 separate tanks and have personally never had an issue. All tanks were stocked at the time and fully cycled. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. 

Sorry to hear about your situation. I wouldn't throw out the substrate. I think changing out the water would be fine, but keep your bio media and let the tank finish cycling with some type of food product (shrimp, fish food, etc) or 100% ammonia, what ever you have access to. Again, I have never had a problem with cyanoacrylates. I just used some last week on a diy algae scrubber which i placed in the tank the next day.


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## jaysee

Like bob said, neons are quite sensitive fish now. I swear, if you look at them wrong they can die. So it does seem like a contaminant killed them, but like was mentioned there are a few equally plausible sources so it's really tough to attitude it to one over the others.


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## SinCrisis

i think it is doubtful the glue is the cause, as others have stated already. For 1, 3 days is not enough time to cycle a tank, if your water is "stable" after 3 days it means the cycle hasnt really even begun. So you placed 3 neon tetras, which is an easily sensitive and stressed shoaling fish into an uncycled tank and in inadequate numbers. Your superglue didnt kill your fish, your uncycled tank did. 3 fish probably jump started your cycle creating a minor ammonia spike, which is major to already stressed and sensitive fish.


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