150 Hap Tank Wipe

[Tony]

On Friday after work, Maria and I went to Nashville for the weekend for her grandfather's 90th. A good time was definitely had. Some great time with family, great food and some great live music downtown.

While I was gone, Jim took care of my fish. On Saturday evening, I received a call from him that turned my stomach.

Here are some of the most recent shots I took of the tank. Just sort of screwing around at the time. In retrospect, I wish I would have taken some better pictures or maybe some video.

150 big hap tank on top/125 growout tank on the bottom:

Tyrannochromis nigriventer south (male - I had a trio)

Stigmatochromis sp. spirostichus (group of 6), Aulonocara sp., Cyrtocara moorii

Placidochromis milomo (pair)

Dimodiochromis compressiceps (pair)

Nyassachromis broadzulu

"Blue calvus" (Maria's name for my old, broken blue ahli)

Chiliotilapia rhodaesii (trio)

Protomelas spilonotus Tanzania, Auloncara sp, (lousy pic)

Champsochromis caeruleus (my fish, but not my picture)

Nimbochromis venustus (old pic)

Aristochromis chrystii (pair) with Stigmato group

Female Tyranno, Aulonocara baenschi, Otopharynx "Big Spot", Tramatochromis placodon,

Other fish in the tank without pictures:

-Buccochromis nototaenia (6" male)
-Pseudotropheus zebras (7" male, 6" male)
-Melanochromis auratus (5" male)
-Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Undu) - Lemon Jake (6")
-Nimbochromis livingstoni (2x 5")

So on Thursday night, I did a 60%-70% water change. I left the house for work (and the airport directly from work). I assumed everything was fine, so didn't bother checking the tank in the morning.

I changed water on the 180, the 150 and about 3/4 of the fish room. I was up until about 2:30.

I can only guess that I screwed up the dechlorinator on this tank.

 

[jonclark96]

Sorry to hear about the tank crash.

 

[Tony]

Anyway, Jim called me on Saturday to tell me that the only survivors in the tank were the two catfish. A true friend, he cleaned out all the dead fish and put them in the freezer as well as did a partial water change. Thanks again, buddy.

All three filters were running (AC110, 2x Rena XP3) and water temp was normal. No fish were added in the last several months (other than the show fish a few weeks back). I haven't had any deaths in the tank in at least a couple of months. I can only assume that I screwed up the dechlor. I don't know of any sickness that can wipe out a tank that quickly. As for introduction of chemicals, I had had my hands in tanks for hours before the water change.

Here's what I came home to:

I've some of these fish for several years. To say I'm heartbroken is putting it mildly.

Of all the tanks I own, this was the last I'd wish lost.


But what are you gonna do, right?

 

[Tony]

Sorry to hear about the tank crash.

Thanks man.

 

[iamzrad]

Holy crap Tony!!! Crazy sorry to hear about this. It sucks a lot when you lose any fish.
Are you sure it was something with the dechlor? Did you add too much or something? I mean I've gone a couple times doing WC's on my previous hap tanks and forgetting to add prime, but no harm done.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Been there, done that with dechlor....
I have done that numerous times over the years. Sucks.

 

[hollyfish2000]

Oh, Tony. I am so so so so sorry. I had something similar happen to my beloved 58 (as many of you have heard over the years). I can't imagine having that happen in the tank as magnificant as yours. This is just horrible.

The other tanks were fine?

 

[davidhusker]

Sucks man. I feel for ya. Sorry that happened to ya.

I cannot come up with anything to think that would wipe them out in 2 days. Had to be a water problem.

 

[verbal]

sorry about your loss. that was a beautiful collection of fish

 

[DiscusnAfricans]

Really sorry to hear about what happened man. I know a few of those were some of your first Africans, and were going over 5+ years. Hopefully it was a random event and the fish room will be catastrophe free for another 5+ years. We'll figure out a plan to restock that tank with something new as soon as possible. Glad to hear everything was fine in the other 32 tanks.

 

[SubMariner]

Terrible Terrible Terrible...I am really sorry for your loss Tony! Time to reload and start a better tank.


RM

 

[Ophelia77]

Sorry Tony That was my favorite tank in your house to watch

 

[Reel Addiction]

Sorry about the loss, that tank was beautiful!

 

[UNCLERUCKUS]

SORRY TONY!! VERY SOORY FOR YA LOSS.

 

[Tony]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, Not sure if it was too much dechlor or too little or if something else random happened to the tank. Weird that the Syno angelicus is fine (not surprised on the pleco - common ones will live through nuclear fallout). Usually those are the guys more susceptible to water conditions or potential poisoning, right?

 

[Ophelia77]

When the 120 crashed last week the only fish that looked perfectly fine were the Synos. Those guys seem to be tough as nails

 

[YSS]

That sucks, Tony. Really sorry to hear that. May be power was out for a few hours? Who knows ....

Be strong my friend.

 

[Tony]

Oh yeah. Had this video from last fall.

It's from when they were in the 180 and the group's size has been thinned about 50% from what was in there, but you can see most of the guys that died.

It truly was an awesome tank.

[YT]4-N26l822V0[/YT]

 

[crazyclowntang]

Sorry about your loss man. No one deserves this.

Was it just me, but i teared up when i saw all the dead fish.

 

[hollyfish2000]

I got naseaous myself . . .

Tony -- did Jim take any water parameters to try and figure it out. When my tank crashed, it was a nitrite spike. Now what caused the nitrite spike is unknown. I assumed I killed the bacterial colony by not dechlorinating enough.

When I had a mini repeat in my blue orchid tank last spring, several on this forum talked about having water sit out for 24 hours, especially during the summer, before being used. I have started to do that (even with using Prime). Andrew recently made fun at me when he heard the air pumps going in three buckets in my fish bathroom. Now I'm sticking to that routine more than ever . . .