Waaaahhh! Tank Heater Catastrophe

[mewhorse]

Well my heater busted its thermostat this past week (normal temp around 81F ended up at around 94F) No deaths had occurred at this temp, it had levelled off at 94F and I was just starting work week (I work 10 hour shifts - 7:30pm-6:00am) so couldn't replace it til my days off...got home on my "Friday" (Sunday am) and checked tank temp...was at 97F and climbing - heater was still glowing red at this temp! And so many corpses...all my corycats, all 5 neons, 3 tiger barbs, 2 harlequin rasboras....forget fishing out corpses with a net - I'll use gravel vac hose (pull off big end so hose gets strong suction). It's weird that the otos are not affected...still 3 lively little brats...I unplugged the heater when I saw the death toll and will be leaving to get a new one in about 10 minutes (yawn....been up 19+ hours so far)...will look for some new fish (tiger barbs x 3 for sure!) on Tuesday after tank corpse removal/water change completed...sigh...poor little corycats...just had to share my little sob story with y'all...stupid nightshift job...

 

[Cheffi]

Well my heater busted its thermostat this past week (normal temp around 81F ended up at around 94F) No deaths had occurred at this temp, it had levelled off at 94F and I was just starting work week (I work 10 hour shifts - 7:30pm-6:00am) so couldn't replace it til my days off...got home on my "Friday" (Sunday am) and checked tank temp...was at 97F and climbing - heater was still glowing red at this temp! And so many corpses...all my corycats, all 5 neons, 3 tiger barbs, 2 harlequin rasboras....forget fishing out corpses with a net - I'll use gravel vac hose (pull off big end so hose gets strong suction). It's weird that the otos are not affected...still 3 lively little brats...I unplugged the heater when I saw the death toll and will be leaving to get a new one in about 10 minutes (yawn....been up 19+ hours so far)...will look for some new fish (tiger barbs x 3 for sure!) on Tuesday after tank corpse removal/water change completed...sigh...poor little corycats...just had to share my little sob story with y'all...stupid nightshift job...

What a shame that you didn't have anyone that could have gone to pick up a new heater for you I think if it had been me I would have turned the heater completely off and left the fish to take their chances as the temp of the water cooled off. Think you may have had less deaths that way.

 

[mewhorse]

Yeah, everyone lives too far away/works opposite shifts from me etc....had a bit of reprieve...put new heater in tank (still waiting the 15 minutes for temp adjustment before plugging in) and what did I see? 2 green corycats! I have no idea where they were hiding! I could only see bodies everywhere! At least tank is right around 80F now after being unplugged for 7 hours....should be about perfect if this heater works good (has a 2 year warranty at least!)

 

[Lynden]

My heater broke in the tank once... it released an electric current into the water. Oddly, the fish weren't dead, but when I touched the water I got severly shocked.

 

[Jules H-T]

My heater broke in the tank once... it released an electric current into the water. Oddly, the fish weren't dead, but when I touched the water I got severly shocked.

That is not oddly, it is exactly what one would expect to happen. Further reading here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...100604&hl=shock

Gutted for you mewhorse. I advise people to always have a spare heater handy. For £20, is it worth not?

 

[wendyngd]

Well my heater busted its thermostat this past week (normal temp around 81F ended up at around 94F) No deaths had occurred at this temp, it had levelled off at 94F and I was just starting work week (I work 10 hour shifts - 7:30pm-6:00am) so couldn't replace it til my days off...got home on my "Friday" (Sunday am) and checked tank temp...was at 97F and climbing - heater was still glowing red at this temp! And so many corpses...all my corycats, all 5 neons, 3 tiger barbs, 2 harlequin rasboras....forget fishing out corpses with a net - I'll use gravel vac hose (pull off big end so hose gets strong suction). It's weird that the otos are not affected...still 3 lively little brats...I unplugged the heater when I saw the death toll and will be leaving to get a new one in about 10 minutes (yawn....been up 19+ hours so far)...will look for some new fish (tiger barbs x 3 for sure!) on Tuesday after tank corpse removal/water change completed...sigh...poor little corycats...just had to share my little sob story with y'all...stupid nightshift job...

So Sorry to hear about the death of some of your beloved fish. Having just lost a favorite Betta (despite trying everything to cure him), my heart goes out to you! And please stop beating yourself up--I'm sure (and sure the fish know, too) that you did the best you could...A hug to you.

-Wendy

 

[BBrain]

So sorry to hear this, but don't feel bad....I once poached my whole tankful of fish.

This was when I didn't yet understand how a thermostat worked, and it was late in the evening. I wanted to raise the temperature just a few degrees, and instead of simply turning the dial to that new temperature, I turned the dial right up to the highest setting! I thought that if I turned the dial WAY up, the heater would work faster. Then I forgot about it, since I was getting sleepy, and went to bed. In the morning, the water was SO hot, and all my poor fish were floating on the surface, belly up, pale and bloated. Dumb kid, eh?