Lost An Aulonocara

[Sonny Disposition]

When I went into the fish room, my big Aulonocara Stuartgranti "Chilumba," was rotating in circles. An hour later, he was on his back in a pvc tube. I took him out of the tank, and immediately did a 98 percent water change. This morning, the survivors all appeared well and happy (they ate), so I hope it was nothing contagious, like the spinning Aulonocara disease.

I'm not sure what happened. The tank looked clean, anyway, but I did fall behind on water changes, with all my weekend traveling. This is the cleanest tank I have, with big water sprite plants floating on the surface, and Pothos roots in the water.

Still, it had been a long time between water changes.

 

[SubMariner]

Bob, first of all, I am really sorry about your fish passing.

Umm, when you say it was a long time for a water change, how long?

In order to calculate a particular reason why he died, we would need more details about the tank and it's history. Then we can analyze the situation. Typically if the fish was going in circles, it means he is in the process of dying and he is fighting for his life. Something in the tank, could be the water, caused him to get sick. You should of saved the old water and ran a test to check all the parameters.

Anyways, others will chime in and give their 2 cents. That's the great thing about this forum, there are always friends to help.

RM

 

[dogofwar]

Were any of the other fish in the tank acting strangely?

One possibility is that he smacked into something in the tank. Happened to a big frontosa of mine (who later died). He ran into a piece of rock (at night). Found him the next morning in bad shape (spinning, etc.). He hung on for a couple days, but never really recovered.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Hmmm....that's a possibility. I also lost a smaller one, too, doing somewhat the same thing. I just figured it was some sort of infectious disease brought on by the water, but maybe those two had been fighting. Both were really young males without full color.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dogofwar @ Mar 26 2008, 11:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Were any of the other fish in the tank acting strangely?

One possibility is that he smacked into something in the tank. Happened to a big frontosa of mine (who later died). He ran into a piece of rock (at night). Found him the next morning in bad shape (spinning, etc.). He hung on for a couple days, but never really recovered.[/b]

 

[phishphorphun]

If they were fighting, there would be significant damage to the fins, eyes, and body scars. However, if one was more dominant than the other, it would have been chasing it constantly and the sub-dominant would spend most of the time near the top of the tank in a corner.

Bob, if you witnessed any of the above, fighting could have brought on severe stress. Otherwise, I would think something got in the water. Did you check and make sure you didn't have a temperature spike? Have they been eating? And most importantly, what size tank and how many fish? If the tank is overcrowded, weekly or biweekly water changes are almost a necessity.

 

[dogofwar]

If both fish died of the same symptoms, I agree it was something with the water.

Did you do water changes on any other tanks that day?

I've heard rumors that the folks at the water treatment plant (at least back in Sacramento) add extra chlorine and other chemicals to the water before/after a big rain. I try not to do water changes right before or after it rains, just in case.

Am I just being paranoid?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phishphorphun @ Mar 26 2008, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

If they were fighting, there would be significant damage to the fins, eyes, and body scars. However, if one was more dominant than the other, it would have been chasing it constantly and the sub-dominant would spend most of the time near the top of the tank in a corner.

Bob, if you witnessed any of the above, fighting could have brought on severe stress. Otherwise, I would think something got in the water. Did you check and make sure you didn't have a temperature spike? Have they been eating? And most importantly, what size tank and how many fish? If the tank is overcrowded, weekly or biweekly water changes are almost a necessity.[/b]

 

[cyradis4]

No, your not being paranoid. I've SMELLED the chlorine out of the tap at times.

Later!
Amanda.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dogofwar @ Mar 27 2008, 08:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

If both fish died of the same symptoms, I agree it was something with the water.

Did you do water changes on any other tanks that day?

I've heard rumors that the folks at the water treatment plant (at least back in Sacramento) add extra chlorine and other chemicals to the water before/after a big rain. I try not to do water changes right before or after it rains, just in case.

Am I just being paranoid?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (phishphorphun @ Mar 26 2008, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If they were fighting, there would be significant damage to the fins, eyes, and body scars. However, if one was more dominant than the other, it would have been chasing it constantly and the sub-dominant would spend most of the time near the top of the tank in a corner.

Bob, if you witnessed any of the above, fighting could have brought on severe stress. Otherwise, I would think something got in the water. Did you check and make sure you didn't have a temperature spike? Have they been eating? And most importantly, what size tank and how many fish? If the tank is overcrowded, weekly or biweekly water changes are almost a necessity.[/b]

[/b][/quote]

 

[animicrazy]

Sorry about your loss - I feel real pain each and every time I lose a fish.

Water is a problem in Balto.; I have my own mini treatment plant to fix (as much as I can) the crap that comes out of the tap. A recent article in the national press detailed the number of pharmaceuticals found in drinking water. Add that to chlorine (a carcinogen), fluoride (linked to arteriosclerosis), raw sewage mixing with post processing water in the ground via leaking pipes, and you should get the gist of my point. Sometimes fish just die - there is a reason, but we'll never know what it was.

I test water before and after treatment (Ph & sometimes O2), check tanks regularly, (Ph, ammonia, nitrites); it can all be perfect and sometimes a fish just up and dies while some tanks that look like swamp water (usually wild discus tanks) fish thrive in.

My water goes through two stages of particulate filtration down to 5 microns, an activated carbon canister, a UV sterilizer running at 10% of capacity (if it's in the water I want it dead), into vats where I add Ultimate and whatever I need for the type of fish getting the water, extreme aeration for at least a day and I still feel that it's not enough - and it isn't.

While you morn your loss, as I always do, check your water parameters (dissolved oxygen is important), fix what's not right if you find something, and realize that your fish probably lived longer in your tank then it ever would have in the wild.

As a friend of mine says - "tanks crash; fish die, stuff happens" - I am sure you did your best.

Condolences and Best regards,

Paul.

 

[Sonny Disposition]

Hey, thanks, Paul.

"tanks crash; fish die, stuff happens"

That really puts it into perspective. I'm thinking, though, that the fault was probably mine. I had several weekends away from home, and fell behind on water changes. I've done a water change in one tank or another every night this week, and am slowly getting caught up. I might just get caught up before something else dies.

Thanks again.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (animicrazy @ Apr 3 2008, 10:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Sorry about your loss - I feel real pain each and every time I lose a fish.

Water is a problem in Balto.; I have my own mini treatment plant to fix (as much as I can) the crap that comes out of the tap. A recent article in the national press detailed the number of pharmaceuticals found in drinking water. Add that to chlorine (a carcinogen), fluoride (linked to arteriosclerosis), raw sewage mixing with post processing water in the ground via leaking pipes, and you should get the gist of my point. Sometimes fish just die - there is a reason, but we'll never know what it was.

I test water before and after treatment (Ph & sometimes O2), check tanks regularly, (Ph, ammonia, nitrites); it can all be perfect and sometimes a fish just up and dies while some tanks that look like swamp water (usually wild discus tanks) fish thrive in.

My water goes through two stages of particulate filtration down to 5 microns, an activated carbon canister, a UV sterilizer running at 10% of capacity (if it's in the water I want it dead), into vats where I add Ultimate and whatever I need for the type of fish getting the water, extreme aeration for at least a day and I still feel that it's not enough - and it isn't.

While you morn your loss, as I always do, check your water parameters (dissolved oxygen is important), fix what's not right if you find something, and realize that your fish probably lived longer in your tank then it ever would have in the wild.

As a friend of mine says - "tanks crash; fish die, stuff happens" - I am sure you did your best.

Condolences and Best regards,

Paul.[/b]