Sand sifter crisis

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Plenipotentiary-at-large
Just did a water change on my five 1.5 inch sand sifters. Matched pH, temp and detoxified Chlorine with PRIME.

They all started swimming up and down like Corys do when they're pleased, settled to the bottom and then two (now three) of them went into some sort of shock, lost equilibrium, did a few brief spastic runs across the tank and expired. The other three (now two) seem OK for now except serious gill action.

WTF!? Never used PRIME before but everything else was as usual. This so absolutely sucks.

Thoughts? Advice.

Samuel
(415) 632-7174
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Prime

I use Prime and have never had an issue, so what you're describing is a complete mystery to me. Did you put enough Prime in for the entire tank (assuming you added the Prime directly to the tank and not to a container with the new water in it)?
 
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Put it in the new water just like it recommends on the bottle.

1 ml for 10 gallons.
 
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PRIME my a**.

Apparently it doesn't work quite as quickly (or effectively) as API's Tap Water Conditioner. Never killed a fish with chlorine before, really p*sses me off.
 
C

Cartel

Members
I only use Prime no problems here in fact I have forgot to declore more then halfway through a water change added Prime and all is well.
 
Travis

Travis

Members
My sand sifters seems to be the most sensitive to water changes. I find that the best way to minimize them from going into shock is to add water back to the tank slowly. For example, I will siphon in 2-3 gallons at time over a 5 minute period. Wait about 10 minutes and repeat. This also allows time to monitor the fish and see how they are taking to the unfamiliar water.
 
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Yep. Suppose I was too cavalier.

**** I hate learning from mistakes that involve fatalities.
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
No recent experience with sand sifters, but (other than the smell and price) I'm a big fan of PRIME...

It's hard / nearly impossible to overdose.

It's quite possible that they were stressed from the transport.

Matt
 
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No transport, established tank.

40 breeder - all that was in it were the 5 juvenile Enantiopus. Lost 3, looks like the other 2 will make it. Was a pretty lonely looking tank already, now it's sort of desolate.

Anyway, apparently 1/2 ml Prime/per 5 gallons H2O does not deliver more or less instantaneous chlorine removal - pray tell what amount does?
 
mchambers

mchambers

Former CCA member
Prime

I think the cap is 5 ml, but it's marked to show 1 ml increments.

Sam, I've never had a problem with Prime, so I wouldn't assume that it is slower to act than other dechlorinators.

This article suggests that Prime is better than most:

http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2007/04/aquarium-water-conditioners.html

but I don't know if the author knows what he is writing about. Having said that, I think Prime is the dechlorinator of choice for many aquarium users.
 
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No. One cap = 5 ml = ostensibly sufficient for 50 gallons

I case anyone else is wondering I can/did read the directions and my numeric computational skills are superlative. Other judgmental abilities seemingly less so...
 
fischfan13

fischfan13

Banned
Avatar said:
Just did a water change on my five 1.5 inch sand sifters. Matched pH, temp and detoxified Chlorine with PRIME.

They all started swimming up and down like Corys do when they're pleased, settled to the bottom and then two (now three) of them went into some sort of shock, lost equilibrium, did a few brief spastic runs across the tank and expired. The other three (now two) seem OK for now except serious gill action.

WTF!? Never used PRIME before but everything else was as usual. This so absolutely sucks.

Thoughts? Advice.

Samuel
(415) 632-7174
Click to expand...

Sam, over how long of a period was it between water change, adding Prime and the fish dying?
 
Spine

Spine

Members
I lost 2 of my Enantiopus melanogenys juvies not long after I introduced them to a established tank. I use prime and have never had any problem even after adding prime after starting to add new water(whoops). I think my fish were weakened from traveling in a bag for a day or so. I guess 2 out of 9 fish isn't bad,the rest started feeding and settled in immediately.
 
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fischfan13 said:
Sam, over how long of a period was it between water change, adding Prime and the fish dying?
Click to expand...

Prime went in the water before being added. The first one started spazzing about 10-15 minutes or so after the last 5 gallons out of the 15 replaced went into a 40. 10 minutes later another one spasmed, and the last one about 20 minutes after that. Just rolled over sideways like, started twisting around and darting and in each case died in 2-3 minutes. Temperature was exactly the same - does this sound like chlorine or pH shock to you? No experience with either really.
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Dang Sam. That does suck.

Also a big fan of Prime and doing big water changes on all tanks, including the Tang tanks. Had bad luck with some Callochromis that I brought back from ACA, but the survivors since then seem as hardy as any other Julie/Cyp/Altolamp I have in terms of changing water.
 
Julie

Julie

Members
Sam, that totally sucks... sorry.

Sandsifters are without doubt one of the toughest/most sensitive of the Lake Tang cichlids. Many fry/juvies are sensitive to large water changes, but at that size, they should be getting less sensitive. And, unless I miss my guess, this isn't the first wc you've done on that tank since you got the juvies months ago? So, unless you just changed from TAP to Prime, everything is as it was the last water change?? How frequently do you do your wc's? Did the timings change drastically?

Is is possible that your water supply changed in someway? Many municipalities change their treatment, and of course don't bother to notify their customers. Makes me glad I have well water, tho depending on the amount of rain/drought conditions, it changes, too... along with whatever fertilizers end up in our water tables because of all the farming in our area.

Anyway, sorry for the loss, hopefully the other two will prove to be hardier. Perhaps some nice quiet cyps would help in your tank (not kitumbas, but the blue flashes are nice) or paracyps.
 
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