# My fish are dead!



## charden08 (Mar 18, 2011)

Ok so I came home today and did a 50% water change. I was using an Aqueon Water Change Kit. Everything was going fine until I started pumping water back in. All of my fish started acting crazy and then just went belly up. What did I do wrong?


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

Did you use tap water? Or describe anything unusual you did during your process.


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## charden08 (Mar 18, 2011)

I used the water change kit that you hook to your faucet. They were darting around towards the top and then started floating down.


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

did you try to get the temp the same or close to it?


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## charden08 (Mar 18, 2011)

I tried to..it was just a little warm to the touch but the temp gauge shot up..I bet the water was too hot...damn my kids going to be pissed!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

temp, chlorine (always dechlor for the volume of the tank), low oxygen, pH, 

Any of these can mess up a water change. If fish act strange when you start to fill the tank, stop. 

The most common 'user error' are temperature and forgetting to dechlor. Also miscalculating additives such as buffer.

Be aware that your water can and will change overnight with no notice. As long as it is 'safe to drink', a water system don't have to tell you anything. They can switch between surface water, tower water, well water, & water bought from a neighboring system. They can add chlorine, chloramine, straight ammonia, 'adjust the pH" with NaOH or HCl, add corrosion-inhibitor even if they started with 'ideal well water that doesn't need anything. If you have your own well, you can suck up what you neighbors threw down theirs.


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## charden08 (Mar 18, 2011)

I think it was just the temp change...I threw the 2 survivors in my 55 and they are just fine.


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

It might be easiest to put water into a bucket, test the temp, and then into the tank :] Sorry to hear about your loss though.


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## chronoboy (Jan 17, 2011)

For my 55g I keep six 1.5g juice jugs i have rinsed out, with my replacement water and i change out water about twice a week, and after i do a water change i refill the jugs add dechlor+ and put then back under the stand with no cap on to let them sit a few days, and i do two for my 20g.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

sounds like temperature shock. it's important to try and get the temp of the fresh water within 2 degrees ( or basically matched perfectly ). i just run my thermometer under the faucet while tweaking the hot/cold controls, and maintain a consistent temp. i'll then fill my container with the water running over the thermometer and into the container while monitoring the temp. i'll repeat this every time i have to fill the container, to fill the tank, while maintaining consistency. even doing it like this, i was still a bit off one time, and i sent my espies into thermal shock. they turned white and were gasping for breath. i thought they were goners, but i got lucky, and they all made it. sorry for your loss.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

test it with your hand next time. You should know what temp is pouring into the tank. 

Had to be really hot to kill all the fish....

FYI stuff doesn't go down a modern well, waste water goes into a septic then liquids go to a drainage field. There are lots of bacteria that chew stuff up in both. Well pumps from the aquifer, while it is true something can pollute the aquifer it takes a long time. The water/material has to seep about 180 ft down threw bedrock first.


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## Trout (Mar 16, 2011)

This is why I never do more than a 20% water change. My water is always at room temperature when I put it in the tank, but I'm not adding too much new stuff to it, so the heater takes care of it in a jiffy. Sorry about the fish. Better luck next time.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

But if your neighbor has a well into the same aquifer and doses his well with bleach at exactly the wrong time, you could, in theory, suck up the bleach before it dilutes. Agree its unlikely.


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