How Long Can Fish Survive With No Filter Running?

[Ant_Soton]

Any ideas? I unplugged my filters a couple of days ago to change the filter media and somehow forgot to plug them back in. I don't see any dead or poorly looking fish and have now plugged filters back in.
It's really hard to count the fish to see if they're all there as they're always moving? Do u suggest i remove all the decor, plants etc, and do a water change and see if i can count all my fish and look for any remains of fish that may have died?

Thanks peeps !

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Hard for any of us to know how your bacteria are doing, probably lost some by now, but what are your water test readings after letting the filter run again for a while?

You might need to do a big emergency water change (leaving fish in just enough water to cover them), it all comes down to your test results.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

50% water change, test water, feed lighly for 3 days filters will be full strenth before monday

 

[soybean]

Yes, surely after realising the first thing you would do would be test the water, followed by a waterchange?

Do you have air pumps in the tanks? If not and the water has been still it's likely you've lost a lot of bacteria, you could have a mini-cycle.

Start testing the water daily and doing waterchanges as appropriate, likely daily or every other day.

 

[Ant_Soton]

50% water change, test water, feed lighly for 3 days filters will be full strenth before monday

I hope i haven't lost any. How do i tell as i have lots of plants and decor in the tank which make them difficult to count. Do u suggest i move all the decor when i do the water change?

Yes, surely after realising the first thing you would do would be test the water, followed by a waterchange?

Do you have air pumps in the tanks? If not and the water has been still it's likely you've lost a lot of bacteria, you could have a mini-cycle.

Start testing the water daily and doing waterchanges as appropriate, likely daily or every other day.

I will test the water and do water changes as appropriate. But how do i tell if i've lost any fish, surely i would see decaying fish lying about. I do have air pumps

 

[laura120381]

hi there,

you really need to test your water to check that ammonia levels etc haven't risen. this may also indicate if any fish have been lost as their decaying bodies would pollute your water. the idea is really to preserve what bacteria you may have left so i would do a large water change (as much as you can take out leaving just enough for fish to swim upright. remember to de-chlorinate and temperature match the new water before you add it. i wouldn't take out all the decor as this may destroy some more of the bacteria.

without water readings it is hard to tell what damage has been done. it could be minimal. it would help greatly if you could post test results. do you have a kit?? in the mean time do the water change as described.

good luck

L

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

In a mature tank, I would be very surprised if fish died within 2 days of no filter running, but there may well be some toxins that have built up.

 

[Ant_Soton]

I will do water change as soon as i wake up tomorrow, will test water before and after. Whats the most important things to test. I have a kit that does amonia, nitrate, nitrite and PH

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Ammonia and nitrite.

 

[Ant_Soton]

Thanks guys, all sorted !!