Changed Substrate And Losing Fish - Help Pls

[swoot]

Hi all - we have a 60 x 30 x 30 tropical tank that had 4 rummy nose tetra and a coolie loach. Three days ago we changed the substrate and took great care doing it, following instructions from other posts on this subject. Yesterday, we got a cloudy tank, suspect a bacteria bloom and checked levels - all ok. Today, we had a dead rummy nose and removed it. This afternoon, we have lost the other three rummy nose - check levels again and all ok. The coolie loach appears ok. When we changed substrate, we kept over 50% of the original water and also have some of the old substrate in a large plastic cup in the tank to allow the bacteria to re-establish. I really don't want to lose the coolie, any suggestions please as to what may have happened here and what I can/should do ?

Many thanks
Simon

 

[deftuch]

Removing your old substrate surely would have made your tank full of little particles. These particals could be. Algae,dirt,and most crucial uneaten food and fish poo. I bet whats happened here is either the cloudy water has irritated your fish, they have lost their slime coat and died from parasites/disease or infection. Or the stirring up of food and poo has caused a rise in nitrates and to he sure you should add some stress coat to help with your fishes slime coat. And testbtue water for nitrate and then add some amquel plus to remove nitrates. Also can you not set up a hospital tank while you test your tank? Or can you not ask a friend to care for your fish temporarily? Hope this helps?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

What exactly are your water parameters?

 

[swoot]

Hi deftuch, thanks for the reply. I took the fish out while the substrate was changed and when replacing them the water was perfectly clear. The bloom appeared 24 hours after putting the fish back in, I'm guessing there just wasn't enough good bacteria to fight the bad and the tank is going through a new cycle?

What exactly are your water parameters?

Zero ammonia, PH 7.5, zero nitrite/nitrate

 

[deftuch]

Its a tough one hecause when i first filled my tank up it only went cloudy when i added api tap water conditioner. Im guessing you also cleaned your filters out while you changed your gravel? Did you clean your filters out with tap water?

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

How long has the tank been running?
Are you using an internal filter/under gravel or external?
0 Nitrates suggests your tank isn't cycled.
Do you have live plants?

 

[swoot]

Its a tough one hecause when i first filled my tank up it only went cloudy when i added api tap water conditioner. Im guessing you also cleaned your filters out while you changed your gravel? Did you clean your filters out with tap water?

No, I left the filters alone on purpose but never wash them in tap water when I do clean them. I have added tap water conditioner when filling up the tank also.

How long has the tank been running?
Are you using an internal filter/under gravel or external?
0 Nitrates suggests your tank isn't cycled.
Do you have live plants?

Tank has been running over 3 years before the substrate change, 3 days since the change now
No live plants and internal filter being used (not under gravel)

 

[deftuch]

Only thing i can think of is you didnt clean your new substrate properly and this has made the water cloudy and irratated them and they have got diseased. Or you have chaged your tank layout and they have become stressed. Or quite possibly you had a big change in ph levels after the changed shocking them to death.

I thought that too! Are you using test strips while testing for nitrates? Cos they can be unreliable.

 

[Keeper Of Cichlids]

[quote name=%26%2339%3Bdeftuch%26%2339%3B timestamp='1329078786' post='3252984']
Only thing i can think of is you didnt clean your new substrate properly and this has made the water cloudy and irratated them and they have got diseased. Or you have chaged your tank layout and they have become stressed. Or quite possibly you had a big change in ph levels after the changed shocking them to death.
[/quote]

Even if you didn't clean it, it wouldn't cause them to die.
I once forget to clean when I added it to an aquarium with fish, they survived, couldn't see them for a few days though.
Also the OP has said the water was clear.
If you change your tank layout, it won't cause them to die.

 

[Akasha72]

changing substrate shouldn't have killed your fish but stress could have. If the new substrate was well washed before you put it in and your water de-chorinated and temp matched there should'nt have been any problems.

Did you wash your filter in tap water or have you just put that back as it was? The bacterial bloom would have been caused by stirring up the gunk in the old substrate.

Most of the friendly bacteria lives in the filter media, not in the water but putting back 50% of your old water shouldn't have harmed.

I had 2 neon tetra's that were moved onto my new tank and they didn't survive. The only explaination was stress and I think this is what caused your tetra's to die.

If the bloom is still there change some more water - about 20% or so and add a good dose of stress coat

 

[deftuch]

It can cause stress and alongside other things i stated it would contribute to their fates. Obvz it wudnt kill them just by chaging the layout. Yeah but theres clear water. Then there crystal clear water. Just 1ppm of debri can contibute to irritation. Although yet again. 1ppm of debri alone would not kill the fish. Changing substrate is a risky thing to do. He was clearly a lil unlucky. Thanks

 

[swoot]

changing substrate shouldn't have killed your fish but stress could have. If the new substrate was well washed before you put it in and your water de-chorinated and temp matched there should'nt have been any problems.

Did you wash your filter in tap water or have you just put that back as it was? The bacterial bloom would have been caused by stirring up the gunk in the old substrate.

Most of the friendly bacteria lives in the filter media, not in the water but putting back 50% of your old water shouldn't have harmed.

I had 2 neon tetra's that were moved onto my new tank and they didn't survive. The only explaination was stress and I think this is what caused your tetra's to die.

If the bloom is still there change some more water - about 20% or so and add a good dose of stress coat

Didn't clean the filter on purpose, agree with you on the cause of the bloom and probably cause of death - stress. Thanks for advice.

It can cause stress and alongside other things i stated it would contribute to their fates. Obvz it wudnt kill them just by chaging the layout. Yeah but theres clear water. Then there crystal clear water. Just 1ppm of debri can contibute to irritation. Although yet again. 1ppm of debri alone would not kill the fish. Changing substrate is a risky thing to do. He was clearly a lil unlucky. Thanks

Thanks for your advice

 

[deftuch]

I was right then wasnt i. Although i did give you every reason for death under the sun.

 

[swoot]

I was right then wasnt i. Although i did give you every reason for death under the sun.

Yes, thanks mate appreciate your help