# Confused/Worried about a death..



## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Yesterday I did a 6g water change in my 55 gallon aquarium. The levels were fine, Nitrate a little high but nothing major. After the water change I started to feed them and suddenly the Foxface Rabbit fish starts going crazy hitting everything and he had pretty big white spots on his face and it looked like there was a film on him or his skin was peeling off I do not know what it was I called the local LFS they said it could be ich but they doubted MV...

This morning i found just him laying on the bottom dead with some hermit crabs on him...

Yesterday before the water change he was fine just like regular eating and everything...

Please help quick before this disease/fungus hurts anymore of my live stock!!

I am willing to do almost anything less than the cost of my fish in there now ($180). 

...Tank info...
55g
Emperor 400 (planning on upgrading just havent got to it yet)
SeaClone Protien Skimmer
2 T-12 40w + 2 T-5 26w
40lb LR


<BioLoad>
Powder Blue Tang
Hippo Tang
Percula Clown(2)
bubble tip anemone
cleaner shrimp
blue leg hermit(60)
Turbo Snail (2)​


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

what levels did you check? Was the water you put in the same as you took out as far as pH, and specific gravity?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

I didnt check the ph but the salinity was the same??


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

How long had the new water been mixed?
Did anything get stirred up during the water change?
Did any rocks get moved during the change, or grind into each other?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

TheOldSalt said:


> How long had the new water been mixed?
> Did anything get stirred up during the water change?
> Did any rocks get moved during the change, or grind into each other?


The new water was mixed about 15-30 minuites.
idk mabey a little bit of detrius.
no the rocks were sturdy.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

doesn't sound like a disease... possibly a physical injury of some sort or some kind of poisoning. Already I'm ruling out poisoning because your other fish are fine.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Ah, ha..

Okay, I see one BIG problem right off the bat.

You can't just mix up a batch of water and use it right away like that. 
1-- the salinity will fluctuate wildly for several hours as the salt dissolves & the temperature changes
2-- there is an imbalance of dissolved gases in water just out of the faucet.

What you do is mix up the water until it's pretty close to how you want it,and then let it sit for 24 hours while being aerated either by airstone or hang-on filter or whatever. This allows the dissolved gases to reach the levels they're supposed to be for aquarium use, and it lets the salt dissolve fully & stabilize.
After that you can check it again to make sure it's still where you want it, and if it is, it's good to use. If not, make needed adjustments.

This is a common beginner mistake which kills a lot of fish. Luckily, it's not one that tends to get repeated.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

so thats what you think killed my fish??
but why not any of the other ones?


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## i have crabs (Apr 30, 2006)

undisolved salt will burn thier gills and cause big problems


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## im_a_clownfish (Sep 19, 2005)

What if I am using reverse osmosis bottled water? Do you still have to let it sit for 24 hours or just an hour or 2 to make sure the salt has stabilized and dissolved.

Also, if I am going to let the water sit, it's going to cool. If I pump 6 gallons of room temperature water into my 65g tank, how much of a temperature fluxuation will it make to the tank? I'm not pouring the whole thing in - I use a 300gph pump to pump it in. The reason I dont let the water sit long as that I dont want it to cool - but if it does cool to room temperature, will 6g or even 3g at a time drastically change the temp in the tank?


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

if you have an extra heater, you can put it in there, if not, room temperature water isnt that far off, (unless your room is 90 or 50,) and if you add it slowly like you say with the pump, it should be able to take the slight change, but its very important to have the ph very close, and the SG very close. a little but off isnt a big deal if your adding it slowly.


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