Huge Problem

[Syko Lunitik]

ok now i have 2 oscars one i had for a few months now and a small one i recently baught also i have a small pleco i've had for about 8 months.


NOW, the stupid huge albino oscar decided to slam his face into the thermometer. Then, the thermometer broke open and all the lil metal balls fell into the tank i took out all the broken glass but the lil metal beads fell into the gravel and will not suck out with my vac. the fish have been acting very "odd" and even look sad and sick some signs are lil lines on their skin and etc they dont look really shiney on their gills or anything just seem sick. i added an air hose to help airate the tank but its insufficiant. the stupid pump seems broke HAHAH anyway, i dont know how i should fix this or if it will eventually kill the fish. HELP!!!!

i love my albino oscar i dont want him to die. also kinda looks like hes gettin hole in the head (possibly) any help would be greatly apreciated.

thanks,

your friendly neighborhood syko

 

[WILDER]

Right do a water change, add some new black carbon, plus some new filter floss, you will have to get the balls out i think they are mercury not sure.

 

[Dany]

mercury is liquid at room temp so i doubt it to be murckery, i think there steel in which to conduct heat into the water if this hepls..

 

[Syko Lunitik]

I dont know if i can get them all? but yea i've done like 3 water changes in the last week and i added some quick cure for the illnesses.

 

[WILDER]

I would add some new carbon to be on the safe side, if i was you i would remove the gravel and filter it through something to find the balls.

 

[BigIan]

oscars are very "clumsy" fish they tend to break things easily so glass thermometers are a bad idea... get an electric one or one of the stick on strips next time.

you will have lots of nasty chemicals in the tank, keep doing small (10-15%) water changes every day untill your sure your fish are looking healthy, add fresh carbin to the filter (ass this mops up various chemicals from the water)

and use your net to "trawl" through your substrate to get all the balls out....

even if this means just scooping hald the sub stratte out and throwing it away....

gravel isnt that expencive

 

[Syko Lunitik]

thank you all for the advice pretty much what i've been doin. I will removed that section of the gravel and hope that takes care of this.

 

[Bloo]

My guess is the ball are lead - certainly not mercury. The thermometers these days are alcohol based and the lead (in the red wax) keeps it buoyant.
Remove as much of the affected substrate. I can't think of anything else

 

[Tolak]

I just checked one of mine with the steel balls. Drag a magnet over them, they are steel or some other magnetic metal. Mine sticks to a magnet.