Disaster Has Struck

[kiriyama]

Hi, left the house tonight for a short shift starting at 19:30 , finished 23:30, return home.
1 cyp vertical gasping for air, another wrigging about on it's back, dead xenos and dead cyps on the sand the fry from the holding females dead on the sand. the comps and kungweensis laying on the sand gasping slowly. all the shell dweller fry gone expept 1 6 cyp fry swimming free then 1 died... took some water for testing later.
75% water change using already prepped and treated and some straight from tap (needs must)
earlier i had cleaned both filters, now one of them dead, it had been intermitent noisy so that explains it, other filter has hardly any flow, the water was reading 28c but felt really warm. grey cloudy water also and looked likes lots of gunk had been kicked out of the filters
12 dead cyps, 5 dead xenos, the comps and kingweenis are now sitting in the dark , will kmow by morning if I still have them, this is awful, bloody gutted, have always prided myself on my religious water changes , feeding regime etc....
water test showed
pH 7.8
nitrite 1.0
ammonia 0ppm
nitrate 10
Ages ago when I had the 20gall the end cap fell from the spray bar causing now flow and the tank over heated, lost all the julidochromis and nearly lost the comps.. wondering if this is something similiar, I havn't added / changed anything in the way I done the filters, water changes, same food etc . . . .
I had only just sourced more Xenos and was wanting to add to the group
Just thought I would post this up, feeling sorry for myself and gutted. . . .
Cheers, Sean

 

[Caprichoso]

That's really horrible! Sorry to hear it

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

I am sorry for your loss of fish. It could possibly be that your nitrite levels are too high. I read that nitrite levels have to be as close to zero as possible because it is just as toxic as ammonia. It could also be high temprature because 28 degrees celcius is at the top of the range for most fish. I suggest buying some nitrite dissolving water treater and that you turn down the heater temperature at least 1 degree celcius

 

[Jinkz]

Hi, left the house tonight for a short shift starting at 19:30 , finished 23:30, return home.
1 cyp vertical gasping for air, another wrigging about on it's back, dead xenos and dead cyps on the sand the fry from the holding females dead on the sand. the comps and kungweensis laying on the sand gasping slowly. all the shell dweller fry gone expept 1 6 cyp fry swimming free then 1 died... took some water for testing later.
75% water change using already prepped and treated and some straight from tap (needs must)
earlier i had cleaned both filters, now one of them dead, it had been intermitent noisy so that explains it, other filter has hardly any flow, the water was reading 28c but felt really warm. grey cloudy water also and looked likes lots of gunk had been kicked out of the filters
12 dead cyps, 5 dead xenos, the comps and kingweenis are now sitting in the dark , will kmow by morning if I still have them, this is awful, bloody gutted, have always prided myself on my religious water changes , feeding regime etc....
water test showed
pH 7.8
nitrite 1.0
ammonia 0ppm
nitrate 10
Ages ago when I had the 20gall the end cap fell from the spray bar causing now flow and the tank over heated, lost all the julidochromis and nearly lost the comps.. wondering if this is something similiar, I havn't added / changed anything in the way I done the filters, water changes, same food etc . . . .
I had only just sourced more Xenos and was wanting to add to the group
Just thought I would post this up, feeling sorry for myself and gutted. . . .
Cheers, Sean

Really, really sorry for you mate...

The end cap falls off my spraybar on average once a week and I've never noticed the temp going any higher, so do you really think something like that could have caused so many fatalities? I can't see it mate. Think the problem's been in your filters. When you cleaned them, is there any chance you could have killed the media? Stupid question I know but...

Keep the head up mate

 

[elisew]

I am so, so sorry to hear this Sean, I genuinely hope the remaining fish pull through

I almost lost my Jacob male a while ago due to nitrite because I'd cleaned my filters a bit too rigorously and I felt sick to my stomach while doing 2x huge water changes to bring the level down so I can appreciate how you must be feeling now.

I really am so sorry

 

[kiriyama]

Hi, left the house tonight for a short shift starting at 19:30 , finished 23:30, return home.
1 cyp vertical gasping for air, another wrigging about on it's back, dead xenos and dead cyps on the sand the fry from the holding females dead on the sand. the comps and kungweensis laying on the sand gasping slowly. all the shell dweller fry gone expept 1 6 cyp fry swimming free then 1 died... took some water for testing later.
75% water change using already prepped and treated and some straight from tap (needs must)
earlier i had cleaned both filters, now one of them dead, it had been intermitent noisy so that explains it, other filter has hardly any flow, the water was reading 28c but felt really warm. grey cloudy water also and looked likes lots of gunk had been kicked out of the filters
12 dead cyps, 5 dead xenos, the comps and kingweenis are now sitting in the dark , will kmow by morning if I still have them, this is awful, bloody gutted, have always prided myself on my religious water changes , feeding regime etc....
water test showed
pH 7.8
nitrite 1.0
ammonia 0ppm
nitrate 10
Ages ago when I had the 20gall the end cap fell from the spray bar causing now flow and the tank over heated, lost all the julidochromis and nearly lost the comps.. wondering if this is something similiar, I havn't added / changed anything in the way I done the filters, water changes, same food etc . . . .
I had only just sourced more Xenos and was wanting to add to the group
Just thought I would post this up, feeling sorry for myself and gutted. . . .
Cheers, Sean

Really, really sorry for you mate...

The end cap falls off my spraybar on average once a week and I've never noticed the temp going any higher, so do you really think something like that could have caused so many fatalities? I can't see it mate. Think the problem's been in your filters. When you cleaned them, is there any chance you could have killed the media? Stupid question I know but...

Keep the head up mate

It had crossed my mind but I washed it with tank water, usually give the sponges a few squeezes and the noodles a bit of a rinse and shake, that's about it. The puzzle is the almost zero flow from both filters. I think there has not been enough flow/oxygen , the water did feel really warm. It's all the gunk that the filters spat, really buzarre. I look at the Tropheus tank and the water is bright and gin clear. Really bummed out mate. . . .
Cheers, Sean

 

[kiriyama]

I am so, so sorry to hear this Sean, I genuinely hope the remaining fish pull through

I almost lost my Jacob male a while ago due to nitrite because I'd cleaned my filters a bit too rigorously and I felt sick to my stomach while doing 2x huge water changes to bring the level down so I can appreciate how you must be feeling now.

I really am so sorry

Hi Lisa, apart from being really bummed out I'm really puzzled. I have one of the filters giving out a decent flow this morning. The water is still grey and cloudy. The Kungweensis are still here and the Dwarf Sumbus are huddled up together although looking pale, no dithers for them now. The Dwarf Sumbu are down a couple in numbers though, might still be hiding in shells (or worse). Im not 100% sure but I cant see the really dark male sumbu, the smaller one , he was the alpha and my fave. . .

 

[Malawakiwhite]

Really sorry to hear about your fish, hope the others are o.k today. Being a novice I can't give anything in the way of advice but it's good of you to share so we can all learn from it.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Did you clean out the intake tubes if you have them? I'd do another huge water change if possible. So, so sorry for your losses. That's just terrible. I had a similar number of deaths due to my heater going out, so I understand your pain. I hope you can figure this out.

 

[elisew]

Hi Lisa, apart from being really bummed out I'm really puzzled. I have one of the filters giving out a decent flow this morning. The water is still grey and cloudy. The Kungweensis are still here and the Dwarf Sumbus are huddled up together although looking pale, no dithers for them now. The Dwarf Sumbu are down a couple in numbers though, might still be hiding in shells (or worse). Im not 100% sure but I cant see the really dark male sumbu, the smaller one , he was the alpha and my fave. . .

I really have no idea what to suggest to be honest

I`m really sorry you`ve lost so many fish, I know how much you love and enjoy them all. I just hope the rest will be ok

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

So sorry to read about your tradgedy, fingers crossed the survivors pull through. Losing fish is awful, but to lose almost a whole tank must be stomach churning.


I might be getting in touch with you about some Sumbu youngsters in the near future, subject to having rehomed my Sterba Cory to a local forum member, as I will then have a free 620T.

 

[bullit]

really sorry to hear buddy

 

[Jinkz]

Hi, left the house tonight for a short shift starting at 19:30 , finished 23:30, return home.
1 cyp vertical gasping for air, another wrigging about on it's back, dead xenos and dead cyps on the sand the fry from the holding females dead on the sand. the comps and kungweensis laying on the sand gasping slowly. all the shell dweller fry gone expept 1 6 cyp fry swimming free then 1 died... took some water for testing later.
75% water change using already prepped and treated and some straight from tap (needs must)
earlier i had cleaned both filters, now one of them dead, it had been intermitent noisy so that explains it, other filter has hardly any flow, the water was reading 28c but felt really warm. grey cloudy water also and looked likes lots of gunk had been kicked out of the filters
12 dead cyps, 5 dead xenos, the comps and kingweenis are now sitting in the dark , will kmow by morning if I still have them, this is awful, bloody gutted, have always prided myself on my religious water changes , feeding regime etc....
water test showed
pH 7.8
nitrite 1.0
ammonia 0ppm
nitrate 10
Ages ago when I had the 20gall the end cap fell from the spray bar causing now flow and the tank over heated, lost all the julidochromis and nearly lost the comps.. wondering if this is something similiar, I havn't added / changed anything in the way I done the filters, water changes, same food etc . . . .
I had only just sourced more Xenos and was wanting to add to the group
Just thought I would post this up, feeling sorry for myself and gutted. . . .
Cheers, Sean

Really, really sorry for you mate...

The end cap falls off my spraybar on average once a week and I've never noticed the temp going any higher, so do you really think something like that could have caused so many fatalities? I can't see it mate. Think the problem's been in your filters. When you cleaned them, is there any chance you could have killed the media? Stupid question I know but...

Keep the head up mate

It had crossed my mind but I washed it with tank water, usually give the sponges a few squeezes and the noodles a bit of a rinse and shake, that's about it. The puzzle is the almost zero flow from both filters. I think there has not been enough flow/oxygen , the water did feel really warm. It's all the gunk that the filters spat, really buzarre. I look at the Tropheus tank and the water is bright and gin clear. Really bummed out mate. . . .
Cheers, Sean

Yeah you do what I usually do but I hardly ever really "wash" the noodles, just give them a wee shoogle around with my hand and that's it. I'm always paranoid about killing the bacteria so never really overdo it. In saying that I wash the internal on my 100ltr weekly but the EX1200 on the 300ltr gets a clean maybe twice a year. So far haven't had any issues with water quality or flow on the 300ltr.

It's a real head scratcher as to what happened with your tanks mate. If it was one I'd be tempted to say it's the impeller slipping or stuck even, but two at the same time....it's either something else or sod's law biting you at the same time. Either way not a nice thing at all. What's your heater set at if the water was really warm as you mention? Your intake wasn't blocked was it? Or did you check for any kinks in the hoses?

Not really helping much I know, sorry mate...just can't seem to figure out a reason why you would get two filter crashes at the same time

 

[myrtle]

I was really sorry to read this and I know what a heartache it can be when this kind of thing happens. I can't offer any explanations either other than a build up in the filter tubes/impellers/intakes but as said above, one filter is possible but two at the same time? Maybe there was a short power cut and the filters didn't restart properly? That's all I can think of, maybe ask a neighbour if there was a cut?
Hope the rest are still ok and at least temporary dithers for the sumbu shell are easier to come by that those beautiful xenos...

 

[Lufbramatt]

really sorry to hear this. i think i would be in tears if anything happened to my little guys. my first thought was a power cut. but that wouldnt explain the high temps. guess you just have to put it down to experience and looks forward to getting some new, maybe different fish in there?