Oh my fish my poor fish

[bogusmove]

Moved 2 weeks ago... what a nightmare... what pains I went to to move my fish safely. My reward? No casualties. Wonderful. Then, yesterday evening, I do my first water change. I just vacuum the gravel, just like normal, same anti-chlorine chemicals I always use, etc. I don't even touch the filter...

Next day the fish I most care about, the rainbows and the barbs are all dead except 2 surviving barbs which look none too happy, and my tests reveal nitrate levels are 0.5. The last time I even remember what a nitrite level other than 0.0 looks like was when I cycled my original tank.

There is no ammonia, although that's not to say there wasn't of course. I have changed half the water to halve the nitrite levels.

Why is there no crying smilie?

What oh what did I do wrong?

 

[bogusmove]

Stop press: 1 surviving barb

 

[canarsie11]

Since you moved, did you checked the new water source, b4 you did water change?

 

[bogusmove]

Hmm.. no.. can't say I did, what tests should I do on tapwater before using it for the first time? I don't think it has nitrite in it, as I retested my nitrite after the water change today and it has gone down as I would expect. I changed 25% of the water yesterday.

When I moved, the fish went into a different tank at the new address, which I set up the day before, and then when I moved the fish I took some water with me such that I housed them in 25% old water 75% local water. They didn't have much problem with that and didn't even show any stress to be honest...

 

[bogusmove]

My one remaining ruby barb is racing around the tank. Trouble is he's probably as stressed by not having any more barbs for company as anything else I suppose I'll have to deal with that tomorrow morning I guess, if he survives.

 

[canarsie11]

Just an area to investigate.

Just remember Ammonia and Nitrite are toxic to fish, but it does not mean they will drop dead asap.

Also, the shock of the different waters can effect the fish.

Tap water could have diff, level. Could be the ph? All I am saying is run test on your new tap, atleast you can rule it out.

 

[bogusmove]

Ok, I tested the pH, it's about 7.3 in tank and supply. Can't remember what it was where I came from but it wasn't far off that i'm sure.

It seems odd for such a disaster to occur after a 25% water change when they suffered a 75% change when they moved though I must have done something pretty stupid somehow.

 

[StevieJack]

I have lost fish after a move as well, to this day i dont know what happend, maybe the long stressfull time out of a tank or the tap water suggestion is a good one.

How long were the fish "out of water" or in a holding container and how big was it and was it sutable for the fish, is the climate of the new "home" close to the same as the old one?

Maybe the fish had trouble acclimating in several difernt situations and simply couldnt survive.

Stevie

 

[SirMinion]

You mentioned that you've just moved into a new house. Have you been decorating? Paint fumes can kill aquatic life very quickly.

Also consider air fresheners & bug sprays.

Think about all the things you do arond the house when you move in.

 

[bogusmove]

I have lost fish after a move as well

The thing is... this is 2 weeks after the move. If I had lost then during the move I would have been a bit upset of course, but at the end of the day, moving is stressful for them... I went to alot of trouble though, using a large plastic storage container, puting some gravel and plants in with them, a battery operated air stone, black bags so they are in the dark, etc... but to do all that and when lose then 2 weeks later, presumably because I did something stupid, is just the most fustrating experience... It really is.

Think about all the things you do arond the house when you move in.

It's a good call. I've not really done anything like painting or bug straying... and where the fish tank went, in the currently empty bedroom, not even any cleaning!

It's also a bit of a big cooincidence that it's right after my first water change AND I have nitrite presence... unless the hoses became contaminated somehow. I always run them through before use, but still...

Today I have zero nitrite again. I can only think the bacteria colony was impacted somehow. I didn't touch the filter so I guess it had to be something introduced to the water...

I'm beginning to think i'll never know what happened... maybe there is something wrong with my method that I always just got away with with the bigger tank and larger water volume.