No Survivors: What just happened?

So interesting thing happened a few minutes ago, I fed my fish and wasn't really paying attention. As I walked away I stopped, something was wrong but what? Returning to the tank I flipped the light on again, and all the fish were missing.

Now this isn't normal behavior at all, so I set out to investigate. That's when I saw Fishmageddon. Overnight I had lost my entire tank. Three plecos and two Gouramis.

I've recently started growing plants in my tank, and daily I check their progress enthusiastically. I normally check the water every other day, and do water changes as needed. (Usually needed bi-weekly for debris alone). To say this development was a shocker is an understatement. I've been keeping this tank healthy for nearly twenty years after all.

Hidden away behind my sunken ship decoration, was something I've never seen before. I don't have a camera, but found an of the same substance.


I never noticed this any other day, and it coated the dead fish who a day earlier were swimming merrily along. It has formed a patchy blanket behind my decoration and has spread at outlandish speed.

What in Tetra's name is going on?


--------------Info--------------

20 gallon tank
laterite substrate 2 inches deep
fish: 3 pleco, 2 dwarf blue gourami

---------------Care-------------

Water monitored every other day for last two weeks, after a sudden ammonia spike killed a loach.
Water changes as needed, so far a 25% swap and a 50% swap got everything back to where it should be.

---------Changes------------

Changed light from fluorescent to LED
Changed feeding pattern from 6am to 6pm


------Thoughts-------

My cousin got 5 feeder goldfish and put them into my tank a few weeks ago, and I freaked out on him removing them as soon as I found out. Thinking maybe the ammonia spike could be from them, as I already had a large goldfish in the tank I was prepping to give to a local librarys aquarium. Didn't discover the ammonia spike till the loach died a few days later.

Nitrogen cycle potentially triggered?



All help and advice is greatly appreciated

 

How old is the tank? Feeder goldfish are petrI dishes with fins, probably left all types of nasties in there.

 

What are you tank parameters? - Please test those using an API Freshwater Master Test Kit and report back.

 

How old is the tank? Feeder goldfish are petrI dishes with fins, probably left all types of nasties in there.

20 years as a whole. The most recent fish, are the ones that died today and I got them a little over a month ago. (The goldfish and loach were much older, 8 years and 2 respectively, and died two weeks ago).

What are you tank parameters? - Please test those using an API Freshwater Master Test Kit and report back.

I ran out of strips 3 days ago (everything seemed stable), I'll grab more and report back.

 

Does it seem like a fungus?

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Latimeria, strips are not recommended as they are notoriously inaccurate and much more expensive than the liquid test kit in the long run

 

Salye It seems a lot like it. I haven't noticed any deposits of uneaten food, but it's possible they got into the ship.

@peace, I'm aware I have an order for coming, but the strips were all I had readily available at such short notice. My local pet store only carries the API 6 test strips. It at least gives me a rough idea of what is going on.


Here are my levels, drastically off from when I checked last.

NO3 ---------- 160
NO2 ---------- 2
PH ---------- 6.5
KH ---------- 80
GH ---------- 180

 

@ye It seems a lot like it. I haven't noticed any deposits of uneaten food, but it's possible they got into the ship.

@peace, I'm aware I have an order for coming, but the strips were all I had readily available at such short notice. My local pet store only carries the API 6 test strips. It at least gives me a rough idea of what is going on.


Here are my levels, drastically off from when I checked last.

NO3 ---------- 160
NO2 ---------- 2
PH ---------- 6.5
KH ---------- 80
GH ---------- 180

Your Nitrates are extremely high and so is your Nitrite. I would dig around to make sure there's no dead stock or any uneaten food causing a Nitrate and Nitrite spike...

 

On closer inspection the white material appears to have been a fish that died overnight and for whatever reason looked like it went through a blender.

I did a 50% water change and cleaned the tank. The levels are a lot better looking.

NO3 ---------- 20
NO2 ---------- .5
PH ---------- 7
KH ---------- 60
GH ---------- 180

At this point I fully expect to have to start the nitrogen cycle all over. The plants seem fine with this. Seeing as how my tank is depleted, I may as well upgrade as I won't have to worry about over stressing the fish now =/

What a nightmare

 

I agree that those numbers are high. Though it could be from your livestock loss.

If they have been that high prior to your fish loss that could be your culprit. But if they all died in one night I'm not sure. That's why I was asking of fungus.

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Fungus certainly isn't off the table, to say I'm 100% sure of what it was would be a bold lie. I should have took pictures before I cleaned it.

If, by chance, it was a fungus. What would have been the proper way of control and elimination?

 

I'm not certain of medication names but there are a few if them on the market. If your concerned I would medicate the tank before adding any more livestock. Of course get there nitrate levels in check too

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My guess would be that one fish died without you noticing and caused a massive nitrate/nitrite spike upon decomposing.

 

So sorry to hear about all your fishies I hope you get to the bottom of it and have better luck with your next ones

 

If you don't have anymore livestock in your tank you will lose your cycle unless you add Ammonia, fish food or actual fish.

 

If you don't have anymore livestock in your tank you will lose your cycle unless you add Ammonia, fish food or actual fish.

Please do not promote fish food as a source of ammonia. During a true cycle it is useless.

 

Please do not promote fish food as a source of ammonia. During a true cycle it is useless.

Sorry, I'm using the widely known examples given by people. I should put a caveat that I don't have experience with either of those as I usually do fish-in cycles.

 

Sorry, I'm using the widely known examples given by people. I should put a caveat that I don't have experience with either of those as I usually do fish-in cycles.

No worries. But for people who are new to tanks we should be as accurate as we can be

 

I'm sure with 20 years experience you can maintain your aquarium for fish to come. But because it hasn't been said, check your equipment. I'm basing everything I say on a sudden loss, and equipment malfunction has been known to do that

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