capekate

Well, its just almost one month that Ive had my sand bottom 125 set up. All fish are doing fine. twice weekly water changes and vacuuming the sand has been done on a regular basis
Today was different.. a few things happened that normally do not. One, I opened the Penn Plax 1500 cascade canister in hopes of cleaning out a few sponges for the first time. Well, another story but with no experience, I ended up with a lot of water on the floor, shut it back up and didnt touch it.
After doing almost a 50% water change, I used the vacuum to go deep into the sand and took out brown clouds. I tried not to let any of the brown clouds leave the vacuum hose tho as it was sucked up.
ALso... when I turned the canister back on it released all kinds of gunk back into the tank leaving me with more of a mess than I had started with three hours before. Which I had no choice, but to do yet another water change.
These are the only two things Ive done differently today.
Now since doing this, the playties have been either hanging out at the top edges of the tank, or almost sitting on the bottom. The rainbows who are very active.. are hanging out together pretty much treading water. The two small bala sharks are playing in the water flow from the air stone.
The BR Parrots are in thier caves...
None of this is normal behavior.. I am really worried that I have released methane gas from under the sand. What do I do about now? I just did another water change about 25%, added prime.
My water test readings are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 10 nitrate.
Sorry for the long post.. but I have been reading up on methane gas pockets in sand bottoms, but have not come across any solutions to help the fish?
Any one have any suggestions on what I should do?
thanks... It doesnt look good from this end...

Llama

Methane isn't toxic or anything, unless it displaces the oxygen.

Personally I'd make sure the tank is aerated well, but there's nothing much you can do.

capekate

thanks..
ok.. displacing the oxygen... well, I can turn up the air stone and the filter flow to the spray bar. With all the water changes, has that helped at all?

Llama

The water changes would have removed a portion the dissolved methane, so it would help.

The airstone and the spray bar should defentally help the methane to disperse into your room. Otherwise the methane isn't toxic, so aside from the temporary lack of dissolved oxygen, there shouldn't be any long-term harm.

capekate

Thank you!
... I have heard so many stories of fish dying very quickly from the gas pockets. I just turned up the spray bar and the air stone.
Ive opened the glass hood a little bit as well, will this remove the methane that goes to the top of the water?Or does it?
Ive also read that it is very rare to have a methane gas pocket.. other than that, Im not sure what could have gone wrong in so short a time.

Butterfly

Kate did it have a rotten egg smell? If no, then you are ok. A good water change will do.
Carol

capekate

Hi Carol, not really the rotten egg smell, but there was odor to the water.
The whole day has been spent on that tank and I probably changed out 75% of the water throughout the day. The nine playties who were doing just fine up to all this happening are hiding out in small groups. three in the bottom corner, one inside the java fern, another behind a pot etc etc.
I just dont understand it... But I know my fish are not happy and they were just fine til I did the water change today...
Would it be a good idea to move the platy to another tank, say the 29 with an Angel in it?

mare2009

Hi sorry about your filter problems, jeesh. I know you turned the filter off, wonder if it needed to drain but what do I know Anyways what I do know is what Carol said, the water would smell just horrible Kate if a lot of methane was released, not just a little. The fish may be stressed because of it, hopefully thats all..

capekate

Thanks Mare
well... since Ive never used the canister filters before, I have some reading up to do.. but in the meantime, your right about the possibility of stress. These fish have not seen that much action in their tank in one day before!
The rainbows are back acting like themselves... the BRs are pretty much ok. The bala's are kinda hanging vertical at times, with their heads aiming at the bottom, but then swim ok... so not sure about them or their normal behavior, they are teeny things anyway. Its just the playties now that are still not acting normal and I will have to watch them and hope for the best.

Butterfly

Kate you probably caught it as the problem started. Changing that much water most likely took care of it.
See if they still seem stressed after all calms down then decide whether to move them or not.
Carol

capekate

Thanks for the advise Carol. I will do a wait and see on them then. It was a very long day working with that tank... and hopefully time will see the playties doing better.

Llama

Any update regarding this?

cerianthus

Sorry to hear what has happened. I hope things are back in order today.
I dont know where you got the info on Methane Gas in fish tank, but I doubt it was methane gas. Although Methane is not water soluble (if memory serves) as is with Hydrogen Sulfide Gas(H2S), I would assume possibility of H2S being released which can be free from water fast thru vigorous agitations.
With an assumtions that it was Methane Gas, it can be toxic at high concentration as such gas (methane, ethane) can be massively produced by certain algae (red tides) causing devastation on fish farming including Gastropod, Arthropods) industries along the coast line. But I strongly doubt this is what happened.
Since you sand is pretty new (dont know the depth of sand), I strongly doubt it was H2S. One can see obvious bubbles rising as sand is disturbed. This also can be Nitrogen Gas (N2) being released fron denitrification process.

From the symptoms you described, I can say I've seen such happenings, from many experiences, is/perhaps due to too much water changes (drastic changes in water chemistry) performed at one time. I've read enough Fishloriian stating stable pH is important. Well, it is not just simple pH but stability of entire water chemistry. Such drastic changes should be avoided. You could have done 50 % pwc for many yrs w/o mishap but it can catch up one day and cause a concern.
Try not to do massive PWC rather do smaller pwc and alternate the vacuuming portion of substrate with each pwc.

Hope all the inhabitants are out of such shock!

Oh, one more thing, Odor from H2S (rotten egg smell) can dissipate rather fast to a point where one can be exposed to odorless H2S but no concern to us unless in larger quantities but can be detrimental in small amt for fish. (Tank has to have deep sand bed which has been neglected for long long time to have massive amt of H2S to be released to be concerned).

capekate

g'morning Llama
It looks like everyone is pretty much back to normal. Lost one fish, a baby Bala. So hopefully all is well now with that tank. The Playties are all fine and didnt loose any of them, thank goodness.

Lucy

Sorry about the bala, Kate, always sad to lose a fin baby. I'm glad everyone is looking and acting normal again.

capekate

Thanks Lucy,
the Bala's were a impulsive buy at the store and now I have the remaining one left in the tank, thought about getting another replacement but decided against it.
Everyone looks good an today I am off to Petsmart, either cory cats or mystery snails to help agitate the sand. Not sure what I may come home with tho..