# Sad day today



## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

Well, I don't know what happened, but we lost two fish today! :-( 
My moms gorgeous Shubunkin goldfish and one of the feeder minnows, I feel really down I don't know what happened. I changed the water about 70% the other day (unintentionally let the cleaning go a few days too long) all my levels seem fine.
I can understand the minnow because its only a feeder. But the shubunkin was a healthy peppy little guy 3" long in a 36gal.

RIP Pole dancer (named him/her that due to black shading above eyes) you were so cute! Swim free in your never ending pond.


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## shift (Dec 21, 2012)

Sorry about your loss.

I just came down to find one of my rummies that bit the dust to  First fish death in years


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

This is my 5 4 of them feeders 1 of them my main fish, :-( 
Last year I lost a fish in November, but when i got him he was kind of slow first fish tank I started and I didn't know what to look for so i was like... BIG EYES! o:

Then he died two weeks later. :-( 

But anyways. Really sad to lose fish because the completely depend on you for theirnsurvival and when one dies its so sad because of the dependency upon you reason. ._.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

Condolences on your losses but don't feel bad! It happens to the best of us


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

Thanks. And i know but still. I get attactched to my animals and feel bad. D:


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

OK terrible horrible day... my guppy that was in the tank died as well!!!!!!!!! T.T
And it looks like two of my goldfish could be on their death bed. They aren't struggling, but I see them blazing around on the bottom of the tank. If I put the net by them they will properly swim away.

I could honestly cry this is so frustrating... -_-


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## shift (Dec 21, 2012)

Sounds like something is up with your tank. Test your water parameters or do a big water change


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

sorry to hear. sometime this just happens. i lost my breeding angels overnite.........not a mark onthem, not bloated...............we all do what we can to keep them healthy and happy and it is sad.yet the extra angel i have in with the demisoni's is fine. go figure.


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## badrad (Aug 6, 2012)

sorry to hear about your loss. always hard one to lose fish for any reason.
70% water change is pretty massive in one change. probably shock in the changes in parameters could have contributed to their deaths. without sounding like preaching, but always better to do frequent smaller ones rather than one huge one, and definitely should rarely go beyond 50% if the fish otherwise appears healthy.


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Check your nitrates and ammonia levels. Everything always "looks" fine until a fish starts dying here and there.


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

@shift:There has to be. I don't have anything left from my test kit though.... I had done a big water change because i was really busy and couldn't get it done weekly like I normally do.

@onefishtwpfish: thanks. I guess. As that sucks. :-( and weird. .-.

@bad Rad: thanks. And i know but I had accidentally let it go on to long and it needed to be done. I figured (with the minnows and guppies and all the golds) being slightly over stock that size water change wouldn't harm them.

@Nicole: My test kit is empty, I can't do that now sadly. ><


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

I highly suggest you get more test kits, they are perhaps the most useful things to have when keeping fish! If you cannot afford them in the near future you it may be wise to just assume that your levels are askew and do something like a 20-30% water change every day if time permits and reduce feeding/dont add new fish for a couple of weeks.


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## badrad (Aug 6, 2012)

just a question on how you do your water changes - are you adding water in straight from the faucet or is the water dechlorinated/treated prior to putting into the tank?
as a matter of good practice, you should try to make sure that you treat the water before you put into the tank, as chlorine/chloramine and possible other chemicals from direct tap water will affect the fish and the bacteria colony in your tank. Prime is a good treatment for new water. With a large water change, it is also advisable to put in some Stability to replenish any beneficial bacteria that might be destroyed or lost in the water change.


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

@Steve: at this time I can't afford it, I however have the option of going to pets art or pet land for a free water sample testing. I go to either or on a weekly basis (mainly never buy anything there to see fish and hold the animals. :-D lol)

@bad Rad: I normally do and leave them in the tank and put in sea hem prime (I do almost a full cap), but with this water change I put them into jars with the water from their tank and then put the water in then the sea hem prime and let it set for 15 mins before they went back in.
When i do the 20%-30% change for the length I've owned my fish it's never harmed them I think this big change is what did the three in because I've never done a big change before.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

I had a little bit of trouble understanding what you were saying to badrad, but if I understood correctly and you put the water in your tank and then add seachem prime afterwards that could be a problem. Chlorine is present in tapwater and can damage fish very quickly so if it is present in your tank for a couple of minutes every week it can do damage over time. Also, you said that you put in a full cap almost every time. How big is your tank? Usually a full cap is enough for about 70 gallons worth of water. So if you're doing a 20% water change on a 70 gallon tank you only should be using 1/5th of a cap. I have heard (but am not totally sure) that putting in TOO MUCH seachem prime can also kill your fish. Make sure to read and follow the labels!


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Heat, temperature and O2 level could be a significant factor over the last couple of days.


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

@Steve: oh sorry, I siphon the water out then put it in then the water and it all kinda mixes together. Lol well, by nearly a full cap I mean full cap for me is to the top of the thread, I do a the next thread down. I was told top thread is 50gal I have a 36gal. I was told it doesn't hurt to add in a little more, but maybe the pet store is wrong? 

I never actually thought of it but I always do like the 40gal mark on the lid, but i never actually tale the full amount out so I could do less. Or rather should.

@gklaw: the heat could be a possibility we try to keep the house at 72. We leave all our windows and our porch open wide at night and by the time people are up its like 67 and gradually goes up to about 73 tops.


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

No heater?? That's quite a temperature fluctuation...my tanks are max +/- 1C.

A capful for a 36G is fine. You can overdose on Prime quite a bit before it actually becomes lethal. I think it says on the bottle too.

I would still get your water tested nonetheless. We can only guess what happened without it.


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

Goldfish don't need heaters and I've kept guppies and bettas in the past no issues without them and they thrive..  my tank actually gets to 69-73tried my moms expensive meat thermometer. Lol.

Ah OK. Well at least now I know I can use less.  out of curiosity why does it smell like marijuana mixed with decaying skunk? XD its like love/hate smell. .-. Love the marijuana smell hate the decayed skunk part. XD

Yeah, I will I'm picking up an order of 500 crickets today so I'll bring in a sample. I think pet land south surrey does free samples. I know the one in Langley does.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

Do you have a thermometer always in your tank (like one that is attached to the glass or sinks to the bottom) or are you just sometimes putting in a thermometer to check the heat? It's always wise to have a thermometer in the tank 100% of the time. Knowing how much your temperature fluctuates is important. Some fish can die if the temperature fluctuates too much in a single day.


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## Fishy_Addiction (May 3, 2013)

Oh those temps were house temps that I had mentioned for the 67-73.

I don't, I keep meaning to get one. I am going to pet land south surrey today but the markup is too expensive. For example 6" silent wheel hamster wheel $20, pet land Langley $15, petsmart $10.
They even expext nearly $7 for a crappy looking guppy. XD whereas langley is like $4-$5?


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