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Not sure what happened


mtnmonster
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Came home tonight and discovered all 5 neons I had were dead. I immediately checked ammonia and other parameters. Everything was good. All other fish and snails seem to be fine. 

I did do 60% water change, moved driftwood, added well rinsed gravel and replanted a few plants. I used API stresscoat for water conditioning and added a squirt of easy green. Nothing different than usual.  I usually do a 40% change but I noticed the water a little cloudy and I am temporarily slightly over stocked but the tank has handled the extra bioload very well. Not sure what has happened.  

All equipment is functioning normally. But the water is still a little hazy. I'm going to do another water change and keep an eye on parameters.  Before I left today everything was fine except the kuhli loaches were freaking out because I moved things but they are acting fine now. Any ideas as to what happened or what I should do next?

My tap water tested normal as well so I doubt its that.

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On 12/10/2021 at 9:37 PM, Colu said:

How long have you had the neon's and have you add anything new to the tank resently 

I did add some well rinsed gravel in a few areas other than that noting else. I had them for about two months. Now that I think about it I did notice some strange behavior from them before I did the water change. They were staying away from each other and when one would get close they'd chase. Usually they stayed pretty close and never scattered like they was this morning. I checked the water and nitrates were up to 50 that's why I did a water change. 

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On 12/10/2021 at 10:34 PM, Wingman12r said:

Maybe a case of old tank syndrome.

What is your water change schedule? Was 60% necessary?

This tank usually get 40% every 7 to 10 days depending on how much I feed. I was at 10 days this time and since I moved the driftwood and relocated a couple plants I vacuumed the gravel where I couldn't get to before and ended up removing more than I planned. I'm thinking I just did too much too fast. I'm just trying to figure out what happened and fix/prevent it before I replace them. 

Now that they're not in there, is there a chance my betta could turn aggressive if I replace them? 

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On 12/10/2021 at 8:50 PM, mtnmonster said:

I noticed the water a little cloudy

 

On 12/10/2021 at 9:48 PM, mtnmonster said:

nitrates were up to 50

 

On 12/10/2021 at 11:37 PM, mtnmonster said:

I'm thinking I just did too much too fast.

This progression makes me think this…too much to fast disrupted the bacteria a bit too much. The cloudiness may have come from a temporary ammonia or nitrite spike from the disruption causing a small bacterial bloom the end result being the unusually high nitrates. The odd before hand behavior and whatever caused it coupled with the possible stress from the spike may have been your cause. I’m very sorry for your loss. I know I have a tendency still to do too much too quick. I have made it a priority to do only one thing at a time. Sponge clean one day, change something a few days later clean a hob or trim plants later. I make it a point to test everything for the next few days after big changes. The ammonia/nitrite spikes are quick to come if I’ve done too much but also quick to disappear and my only indication I had one would be high nitrate spike unless I do my daily tests after changes. 

Edited by Guppysnail
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On 12/10/2021 at 11:37 PM, mtnmonster said:

This tank usually get 40% every 7 to 10 days depending on how much I feed. I was at 10 days this time and since I moved the driftwood and relocated a couple plants I vacuumed the gravel where I couldn't get to before and ended up removing more than I planned. I'm thinking I just did too much too fast. I'm just trying to figure out what happened and fix/prevent it before I replace them. 

Now that they're not in there, is there a chance my betta could turn aggressive if I replace them? 

It's possible you had an anoxic region under the driftwood and established plants and when you moved them and then gravel vacced you released hydrogen sulfide that killed the neons. That would be my best guess. Smaller, more active fish would be more susceptible to a contaminant like hydrogen sulfide while a larger, less active fish like a betta could survive it more easily.

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Thanks for the responses everyone.  I tested the water again this morning and all seems to be well. The remaining fish are acting healthy and active. The snails and tiny baby clown pleco seem to be actively munching on some algae.  I'm beginning to wonder if my cloudy water might be a bit of an algae bloom as well. I'm going to keep monitoring for changes.

I do remember a little over a week ago I did detect a small nitrite spike prior to a small water change.  It resolved without issue and could probably be why my nitrates were higher than usual this time. I also did keep the lights on longer than usual a couple days. So I'm thinking extra nutrients + extra lights = extra algae. Sometimes less is more and I won't do as much next time. I am going to add another nano size sponge filter just for a little more filtration and plus I need to have an extra cycle filter for emergency use.

I'm glad I've found this forum because it has been very helpful. You guys make it that way thanks!

Edited by mtnmonster
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