MY TANK GOT WIPED OUT

[dothedew]

Yesterday I cleaned the algea off of the glass with a sponge. Without thinking, I took the sponge out of a new packet. It was one of the ones with half sponge, half steel wool. I scrubbed all the algea off.
This morning i turned on the light to find almost everything dead. I found the loach and gourami still alive, so I netted them and put them in the 10 gallon.
I lost the loach, but the gourami is laying in a plant breathing. He's turning brown, what can I do? I have no meds at home. I raised the heat to around 82 and put stress coat in.

PLEASE HELP

 

[dothedew]

Why won't anyone respond? The gourami keeps opening and closing its mouth

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Heavy metals might be the reason, though there were other chemicals in the sponge. Your conditioner should remove heavy metals, but you will have to keep the water conditions in the new tank as good as possible.

Did you know that the sponge you used could hurt the fish? If not, unfortunately you learned the hard way. Get sponges made for the aquarium from a lfs.

 

[gaya]

I didn't know that ordinary sponges could hurt fish. I have used a clean sponge (out of the package) b4 and ofcourse rinsed it first. but holy cow! so sorry for your loss.

 

[lucky62]

maybe the sponge may have had something to inhibit mold /mildew in it . I have heard that some do .

Do you have the package it came in .

I have used scotch pads , the yellow sponge with green scrubby thing on one side , but I rinse and ring them out thoroughly before I put them in the tank .

Keep your fish in the ten , if he makes it through the night , change some of his water tomorrow .

keep us informed .

 

[dothedew]

It's almost all brown and it looks like its skin is peeling. I used one of those yellow/green sponges too, but it wasn't a true scotch brite. It had steel wool on one side...

Can I have the betta in the tank without any substrate?

 

[Porthious the Gourami]

Increasing the heat is a good idea. My Gourami has what I think is hole in the head but she still has a ferocious appetite and when I turn the temperature up to 27-30 degrees Celcius the ulcers and holes heal up conciderably. For most fish problems I use salt, and Gouramis can tolerate both heat and salt unlike corys.

What I would do in your case is make a very strong salt solution (three cups in 1 litre of water) and wash (sterilize) all the gravel and plants and tank walls with this solution. Then rinse out with clear water several times and put fresh water back into the tank. Put water conditioner (water ager) in, the required amount, and also add one teaspoon of salt per litre to the water. This amount of salt will not damage the plants (in my experience) and will be invaluable for your gourami. Bring the water to the right temperature for your fish and put the fellow back in.

In addition suppliment the fishes diet with bloodworm and tubifex worms and brine or mysis shrimp as this will help in the healing process and the integrity of the fin and body membranes.

An additional not: when my gourami is showing signs of worsening condition I give her a bath in 5 percent (5 grams of salt per litre) salt bath with a cup of camomile tea in it (The tank for treatment that I have is a 11 litre one). The Camomile tea is very gentle and stimulates healing very well. The tea is made from a heaped tablespoon of dried flowers steeped in one cup of boiled water, left to stand for approx. 10 minutes and then strained through a fine strainer and a hankercheif that has been rinsed well in water and sterilized in salt solution. Hope like hell that your gourami survives. My gourami is tough as guts nothing has succeeded in killing that battleship.

 

[Porthious the Gourami]

P.S. Forgot to mention that the time I bath my gourami when she is sick is 3-4 hours in her special bath.

 

[jimbooo]

sorry to state the obvious but do you have a carbon filter? if so how new is it, i'm not an expert but i think theyre supposed to take out all the unwanted chemicals in the tank. might be worth a try

 

[dothedew]

Like I said, the 20 gallon was comepletely knocked out. The gourami died.

 

[Narayan]

Sounds like the sponge must have had chemicals in it. I assume that you have done a big water change......?