Sad Day - 14" Silver Arowana Is Dead.

[draconis]

To my very unpleasant surprise, I found my 14" silver arowana dead in the tank this morning. His body was just floating partially in the middle of the tank. There was not a mark on him. No signs of illness until this morning, no evidence of aggression, or cuts, or anything. He just died. I got this fish when he was just about 3" long. He had a severe case of fin rot, which I, with the help of this forum, nursed back to perfect health. At one point I was sure his ventricular fins will never grow back. But they did, and he became majestic: a splendid silver dragon, spiced with hints of pink, green and blue. I will miss you my friend...

What killed him?
This morning I immediately took water samples to test and discovered that there had been a drastic PH drop in the tank (8.0 - 7.2). All other parameters are OK. Now, the oscar is fine, or seems to be fine (even merrier with the added space), so it didn't affect him. I checked the water source and the PH is still 8.0. So what happened? The only thing different was that yesterday I had done my regular weekly water change, BUT I couldn't find STRESS COAT, which is the dechlorinator I always use, so I had bought another API regular tap water conditioner. However, being used to STRESS COAT and also being the moron I am, I didn't read the instruction on the new bottle, so I added the seven or so caps I usually do (1 cap = 10 mL for every 10 gallons). This morning I noticed the instructions on the new bottle called for a much lower dose, something like (1/4 cap = 2 mL for every 10 Gallons). If you do the math you'll see I gave 5 times the indicated dose. Anyway, I know overdosing with water conditioner is not supposed to cause harm, but could it had been the cause of the PH drop? What else could it have been?

Thanks for reading / listening.

 

[drobbyb]

Sorry to hear about your loss. It's always hard when your pet passes away.

 

[Hawkins]

you have to remember it's only a fish

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

you have to remember it's only a fish

It's never 'only a fish'. I love all my pets dearly and a single death brings me to tears, including my fish.
So sorry to hear of your loss Draconis. That is quite a ph drop. I can't imagine the dechlor caused it tho. Seems unlikely at any rate. I have had deaths after w/c tho and now never do large changes for fear of a repeat. I blame the water companies who will, without warning, flush their systems through with chemicals harmless to us (mostly) but potentially fatal to fish.
P.

 

[GAB99]

you have to remember it's only a fish

not really considering the fact that IMO arowanas are pretty big and can be interacted with and all that. i am sad that i have to feed my snake live prey.

maybe he hit his head on the hood too hard? and then the resultng death caused the drop? idk about pH, but it might be...

also did you add any large ornaments or something the day before?

srry 4 the loss




this might seem harsh, but...how u gonna get rid of it?

 

[kribensis12]

you have to remember it's only a fish

It may be only a fish, but it's still sad. I admit, I don't tear up or anything when one of my fish die, but it's still sad. Especially when you think it's your fault, then you feel responsible. The stress coat wouldn't cause the drop. I don't know what it was though.

 

[Rust]

I wouldnt put it down to the PH or the declorinator mate, id put it down to the tank being to small, imo he has jumppedand knocked him self out, i seen my old arow do it right in front of my eye, but i had time to save him (supported him infront of an airstone, came round after 30mins of holding him and i had a very rinkly hand lol) thats what i would put it down to.

Eventho arows are flexiable, they are very skitish and if they dont have to room to shoot about they tend to jump, my 7-8" arow used to jump in my 48x18x24....but he hasent jumped once in the 6x2x2...just my 2 cents bud.

 

[mr130gallon]

yeah, i was thinking he may have jumped and hurt his head.

 

[Davo86]

It is unfortunate, but as I've said before a 75G is no place for a silver arowana,

 

[dave_oddballs]

silver arowanas are soft, acidic water fish of the amazon, a ph of 8 is well too high, even 7.2 isn't ideal. around 6.5 is best i believe. and if that is the said arowana in the picture, it looks rather malnourished, skinny.
not trying to have a go, but im just giving my opinion on what may have caused its death.

 

[mr130gallon]

also, its safe to do a maximum change of 0.5 ph in 24 hours MAX, so a 0.8 change could have killed it. did it look like his head got bashed in? or any other signs of it jumping and getting knocked out

 

[drobbyb]

also, its safe to do a maximum change of 0.5 ph in 24 hours MAX, so a 0.8 change could have killed it. did it look like his head got bashed in? or any other signs of it jumping and getting knocked out

Actually, it's not the pH change that matters. In the wild the fish encounter an almost constant changing pH due to rain and other natural factors. It's the sudden change in hardness that is the killer.

 

[Neesmo]

you have to remember it's only a fish

I hate when people say that. Thats not the way I see it when one of my little fishies dies. They matter to me quite a bit

Kyle

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him.

R.I.P.


Need to found out what dropped your ph.
Added anything new to the tank lately.
What was your other water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate.
What test kit are you using?

 

[iffles]

aww.. so sorry to hear about your loss RIP arowana
it comes as quite a shock when you find your fish is dead - without any obvious cause. a while back i had an otto and one day it just suddenly died no symptoms, nothing. i just put it down to old age, but he wasn't that old yet. i didn't understand why, and i suppose i never will... i got over it after crying for 30 mins straight, but aros have more personality. i feel for you