We Have Had Another Tragedy!

[Stroker]

My youngest child is so helpful and she just loves fish. Today she poored about 1/2 a can of flakes (at least this time it wasn't foot powder) in the tank because the fish just looked sooo hungry. My wife did about a 90% water change but she really doesn't know what she's doing and when i cam home the temp guage was off the scale and the water was definately warm to the touch. Well by this point I didn't see how I could tourcher them much more so I scooped them up and put them all in a small bowl hoping the water would cool off quicker without being too quick. I completly drained the tank and rinsed the rocks. I kept the filter and bio wheel in the bowl so I don't think I lost my bac. By the time I got the tank full the bowl was much coser to where it needed to be and since they had already been through hell i didn't see how I could hurt them more so I just scooped them out of the bowl back into the tank. So are these sudden change in temps going to kill my fish?

 

[penguin22]

A lot depends on what kind of fish you have. Ive had a cherry barb survive in a filter for a week I thought she was dead. Also had a tetra drop 3ft onto concrete and didnt have a scratch on him. On the downside I painted a room 3 rooms away from my tank which resulted in my elephantnose dying from paint dust particles. If your fish seem ok now they should pull through. Good luck.

 

[-germ-]

I agree, generally the faster the water movement in the fishes natural habitat the greater and quicker the temperature changes the fish can stand....
Or so i heard...

 

[Stroker]

That tank has 2 clown loaches and 3 glass fish.

 

[Stroker]

Oh yea I meant to ask if i should hold off on feeding?

 

[dwarfgourami]

Sounds like you've done the right thing. Now you need to plan for avoiding the next disaster. The first and easiest thing you should be doing is to keep the fish food locked up/ on a high shelf - regard it as bleach or medicine or something else you wouldn't let your child get her hands on.

Secondly, establish a feeding routine, where you measure the food out on a plate for her at regular times and let her feed, explaining to her all the while how important it is that you and she are doing this perfectly right, how zoo keepers in the zo have to be careful to feed the right food to the right animal, and not give elephant portions to the antelopes - or whatever may occur to you to say. Something to let her feel she is involved and responsible.

Hopefully this will help things to the point where you have no need of suggestion 3- a bolt on the door (if you do, it's not a tragedy, I had to have a bolt on our bedroom door when my daughter was 3, so I could go to the loo and still find baby brother in one piece when I emerged- they are excellent friends now, I just knew she couldn't be trusted at the time).

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah you've done the right thing for sure.

there is a chance you'll loose a fish but just keep your fingers crossed

and do everything DG suggested re the food, i think educating kids is the key to them not being so 'helpful'

 

[angelmouse]

My kids are banned from going near the tank after a couple of similar incidents, they always ask if they can feed the fish but i tell them its only for grownups, i aslo told my youngest terror that that one of the fish has real big teeth and that has kept her at a distance
i hope your fish recover from their ordeal.
Angel

 

[modaz]

you did the right thing, hope they are ok.

my brother put cat litter in my parents tank when we were kids and they survived.the fish that is not my parents LOL cried my eyes out for days preparing myself for a mass funeral in the back garden i was only 6 i think thats where my obsession has stemed from.

 

[dixiedawn]

If the kids insist on helping..like someone else said..measure it out in the lid or in a small bowl or something, and let them tip the food in...it's the only way i keep Sprout from feeding ours hulahoops or cheerios lol good luck!

 

[Rillan]

Yeh you did the right thing. Do you read practical fishkeeping? They said in there for high temps have 2-3 bottles of cold water at hand and if the temp goes above breaking point just flot the bottles in the tank and make the filter go so the water is rippling on the top helps to.