# Major Tank Problem



## flrancho (Dec 26, 2011)

My Mom is watching a Man's cats and fish while he is away on vacation. She told me yesterday that the tank is in quite a state.

The tank is, I'm guessing, maybe 10-15 gallons and hexagonal. It is greatly overstocked with a huge Pleco, uncountable Swordtails, an albino Cory and bunches of snails. I've seen the tank before, and I'm doubtful that its ever been cleaned a day in its existence.

Anyway, my Mom said the tank water is white as a sheet of paper, several of the fish are dead, the filter isn't working and many of the fish are going to the surface to breathe. I don't have any water readings since I haven't been over there to see the tank.

My Mom called the man she's watching the house/tank for and he would like to know what might be wrong...... I'd assume he'd give us permission to try to fix whatever is wrong if its not too late.

I may be able to get a pH and ammonia test on it, but it probably wouldn't be until tomorrow at the earliest.


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## Kimberly (Jan 22, 2012)

flrancho said:


> Anyway, my Mom said the tank water is white as a sheet of paper, several of the fish are dead, the filter isn't working and many of the fish are going to the surface to breathe. I don't have any water readings since I haven't been over there to see the tank.


You need to act right away if you want to save the fish

First: Take out the dead fish if you havent already. 

Second: do a large water change. Make sure if you are using tap water that you add some sort of water conditioner to make the water safe for the fish

Third: Try cleaning out the filter. Rinsing it will water. Make sure it is not clogged.

Now this is just to start so the fish that are still alive have some sort of chance to live.


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## Sorafish (Sep 15, 2011)

Kimberly said:


> First: Take out the dead fish if you havent already.
> 
> Second: do a large water change. Make sure if you are using tap water that you add some sort of water conditioner to make the water safe for the fish
> 
> Third: Try cleaning out the filter. Rinsing it will water. Make sure it is not clogged.


Agreed with everything she says. Though, I'd probably ask the man first, if he has any thing specific that he adds to his tank, like ph up or down, so that you don't shock the fish.

I'd go a step further and completely take apart the filter. Most filters are fairly easy to reassemble. A nice soak in some warmer water should do it.

Rinse the filter cartridge itself in tap water. The chlorine will get rid of any BAD bacteria for the most part, and some of the good bacteria will live so long as you don't soak it for longer than about 10 minutes.

Gravel vac the gravel until the water is clean. With a tank like this, I'd say that doing a 100% water change wouldn't hurt too much. Personally, I'd take the gravel, or the tank, and put it in the tub under the faucet to clean the gravel thoroughly. Sometimes dead fish will be buried in the gravel, and will cause the ammonia to spike and kill more fish.

I honestly wouldn't bother with a test kit. You already know the tank is toxic when there's more than one dead.


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