Stressed Fish?!

[katiej]

Hi guys, ive had two neons die of neon tetra diease, the red stripe kinda bleaching to white now 2 more have died without the same symptoms so i did a big water change, while doin the water change i decided to move the tank & clean all round it i then refilled it now all my fish are either hiding or hanging at the surface, they just seem really weird, my rtbs who is always happy pottering around is at the surface too??
I have just tested the water to make sure all is well & everything is fine Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 Ammonia 0 PH 7.2, can any one please tell me if i have just stressed them out by moving tank etc or could it be something else. Fish in the tank 1 rtbs, 2 loaches, 6 barbs, 3 guppies,4 mollies, 3 plattys, 2 red claw crabs.
Thank you for taking the time to read this i am gratefull!!! Katie xx

Still no change my tank looks empty all the fish acting really odd, its like they have been poisoned or something, im really worried im gonna get up to a tank full of dead fish, if they survive till then, amy suggestions would be greatly received,

 

[WILDER]

Ntd can kill alot of fish.
Anything got into the water, used any chemicals near the tank.
The bucket you use for water change do you just use it for water changes.

 

[katiej]

I use the bucket only for my fish, no chemicals used next to or in the vacinity of my tank, i love my fish they are my babies i did a 20% water change late last nite but have got up to find my only survivors are my 2 loaches & 3 guppies, how can they all die so fast, i had my shark for almost a year! Im in such a state my tank is now something i dont want to even look at now all the spark has gone!! xx

 

[shelaghfishface]

hi katie, just wanted to say that i hope you are feeling better today xxxxx

 

[katiej]

Hi hun no i feel terrible, something went terribly wrong & i woke up this morning to a tank full of dead fish
i tested my water & my ammonia is up to between 0.25 & 0.50 did a 10% water change but my survivors are looking weak & very poorly, ive watched some more die & in between tears have called my local fish place who said the big water change prob did it, nothing i can do now but 10% change everyday test my water & pray my babies dont suffer!!!!
Feel like giving up, i cant belive a water change could kill all but a few of my fish!! Thank you so much for replying to my post xxxx

 

[Colin_T]

The fish were poisoned by something. That was characterised by them gasping at the surface. Did you use a dechlorinating agent when you did the water change?

 

[katiej]

Yeah i used aqua safe as normal, i did nothing different to normal only the ammount of water i changed was different!!

 

[Colin_T]

there might have been some free chlorine get into the tank and do the damage.

 

[katiej]

I dont understand, free chlorine???

 

[WILDER]

I agree something gotten in your tank there showing all the symtom of toxic poisoning.
Sorry for all your losses R.I.P.

 

[Colin_T]

free chlorine is simply chlorine that didn't get broken down by the water conditioner. It gets into the tank and damages the fish's gills.

It is best to make up the water before adding it to the tank. Aerate the water and conditioner for at least 5minutes before pouring it into the tank. This allows the dechlorinator a chance to come into contact with all the chlorine in the water.

You may have done this anyway but the syptoms you mentioned at the top of fish gasping straight after a water change is pretty typical of this.

The only other thing would be the sponge or whatever you used to clean the tank with when you moved it. A chemical or detergent may have been on the sponge which caused the problem.

 

[shelaghfishface]

oh katie, dont give, up, i felt exactley the same last week when i lost most of my fish,just felt like putting all my tanks in the free ads paper and never keeping fish again,

please dont take this loss personaly, they didnt die cos they didnt like you,its so obvious that you have done your best,and i think that this problem may have been unavoidable

just follow all the above advice,and use what has happened as a lesson to make you an even better fish keeper,i know its hard as you do get attached to the little fellas.

but if you give it all up, then it would have all been in vain...........c`mon katie,be strong... keep in touch please


thinking of you
shelagh xxxxxxxxxxx

 

[katiej]

I add the aqua safe to the water as im filling the bucket in the sink so im pretty sure that was ok, spoke to man at LFS he said ther is a debate about melafix & that is something i use often, he said used as a preventative instead of a cure could cause problems which is what i do, feeling much better this am as my survivors are looking hungry & out of hiding so another 10% water change is on the cards as ammonia is up due to many dead fish, gonna try my hardest to get all back to normal & then see what happens!!
Thank you all so much for being so kind & offering your support & help, it is a great comfort to know you are all there!!! Cheers Shelaghfishface will def keep in touch, your ace!!! xxxx

 

[Colin_T]

if you have an ammonia reading then don't feed for a few days. The more food going into the tank the higher the ammonia will go up. The fish will be fine without food for a little while and they won't starve.