OT Slightly: Aquarium Loss

[Benign Vanilla]

The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.

Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and could not
pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4 year old
had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom of the
tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I noticed
the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.

I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass cleaning and
update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which I
could not do with the barb.

Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I thought
I'd share.

BV.

[Bill Stock]

"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
> The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
>
> Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and could
not
> pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4 year
old
> had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom of
the
> tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I noticed
> the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.

Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates with
the indoor GF.

How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?

>
> I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass cleaning
and
> update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which I
> could not do with the barb.

You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.

> Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I
thought
> I'd share.
>
> BV.
>
>

[axemanchris]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> > agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
> >
> > Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and could
> not
> > pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4 year
> old
> > had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom of
> the
> > tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I
noticed
> > the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> > gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
>
> Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates
with
> the indoor GF.
>
> How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?
>
> >
> > I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass cleaning
> and
> > update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which I
> > could not do with the barb.
>
> You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.
>
> > Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I
> thought
> > I'd share.
> >
> > BV.

Not so weird... I recently lost 3 clown loaches. They were some of the
first fish I bought when I stared keeping an aquarium about 2.5 years ago.
I was devastated when they died. They had funny little personalities & were
my favourites. I still miss them cause the tank's just not the same without
them.

J.

> >
> >
>
>

[Nedra]

BV, I do understand how we get so attached to our pets - fish or otherwise.
That is one reason I refuse to buy additional fish. Adding another
Koi to the pond just isn't in the cards - not for me, anyway.
I'm so sorry you lost your buddy :(

Nedra

"axemanchris" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > > recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> > > agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
> > >
> > > Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and
could
> > not
> > > pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4
year
> > old
> > > had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom
of
> > the
> > > tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I
> noticed
> > > the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> > > gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
> >
> > Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates
> with
> > the indoor GF.
> >
> > How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?
> >
> > >
> > > I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass
cleaning
> > and
> > > update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which
I
> > > could not do with the barb.
> >
> > You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.
> >
> > > Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I
> > thought
> > > I'd share.
> > >
> > > BV.
>
> Not so weird... I recently lost 3 clown loaches. They were some of the
> first fish I bought when I stared keeping an aquarium about 2.5 years ago.

> I was devastated when they died. They had funny little personalities &
were
> my favourites. I still miss them cause the tank's just not the same
without
> them.
>
> J.
>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Ann in Houston]

"axemanchris" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > > recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> > > agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
> > >
> > > Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and
could
> > not
> > > pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4
year
> > old
> > > had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom
of
> > the
> > > tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I
> noticed
> > > the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> > > gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
> >
> > Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates
> with
> > the indoor GF.
> >
> > How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?
> >
> > >
> > > I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass
cleaning
> > and
> > > update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which
I
> > > could not do with the barb.
> >
> > You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.
> >
> > > Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I
> > thought
> > > I'd share.
> > >
> > > BV.
>
> Not so weird... I recently lost 3 clown loaches. They were some of the
> first fish I bought when I stared keeping an aquarium about 2.5 years ago.
> I was devastated when they died. They had funny little personalities &
were
> my favourites. I still miss them cause the tank's just not the same
without
> them.
>
> J.
Not to drag us back on topic or anything, but we recently had the feeling re
visited on us, when we lost three koi overnight, about a week ago. I didn't
mention it on the group because there was no mystery to it. They bailed
from the temporary tank that was their home while we poured the patio around
their new pond home. It had been so long since we lost any fish due to
disease or jumping, or just anything, that it felt weird to lose fish again.
And, two of these were nice fish, one because he was big - we had him since
2000 - and the other one, who was new, because he was so pretty. It's just
sad to lose so many at once. It occurs to me that there is a message here
that bears giving it its own thread. Sorry BV, to hear of your loss.
Ann

[ajames54]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message >...
> "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > recently.

snip .. sorry to hear that

>
> You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.
>
If you ever have need to Sterilize a tank I would recomend a super
concentrated salt solution rather than bleach.. it is a little more
difficult to do the work but it is far less worrying when it comes to
the rinse stage..

[Benign Vanilla]

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> > agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
> >
> > Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and could
> not
> > pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4 year
> old
> > had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom of
> the
> > tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I
noticed
> > the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> > gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
>
> Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates
with
> the indoor GF.

Turns out, the barb died, and somehow got hidden or caught in behind a plant
and I missed her. This morning she was floating, but the other fish had
apparently enjoyed a feast of fish guts, as she was mostly eaten. She
smelled awful as you expect, which is most certainly the source of the odor
I was smelling.

I plan to clean the tank hardily this weekend.

> How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?

It's 55 gallons. I have no idea what plants yet. I'll be researching soon.
Right now, I have some anacharis planted to see how it does. So far, so
good.

> >
> > I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass cleaning
> and
> > update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which I
> > could not do with the barb.
>
> You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.

There are other fish in it. So I am apprehensive to do so.

BV.

[Benign Vanilla]

"Nedra" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> BV, I do understand how we get so attached to our pets - fish or
otherwise.
> That is one reason I refuse to buy additional fish. Adding another
> Koi to the pond just isn't in the cards - not for me, anyway.
> I'm so sorry you lost your buddy :(
>
> Nedra
<snip>

If my pond pig continue on their current path, I will never need to add fish
again. LOL. As for the aquarium, my SO and kids have always loved neon
tetras. We can have them now, that the barbs are all gone. So that may be an
idea.

BV.

[Bill Stock]

"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
> "Bill Stock" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> > > recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> > > agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
> > >
> > > Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and
could
> > not
> > > pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4
year
> > old
> > > had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom
of
> > the
> > > tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I
> noticed
> > > the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> > > gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
> >
> > Too bad. Sounds like Nitrates or Ammonia. I'm always battling Nitrates
> with
> > the indoor GF.
>
> Turns out, the barb died, and somehow got hidden or caught in behind a
plant
> and I missed her. This morning she was floating, but the other fish had
> apparently enjoyed a feast of fish guts, as she was mostly eaten. She
> smelled awful as you expect, which is most certainly the source of the
odor
> I was smelling.
>
> I plan to clean the tank hardily this weekend.
>
> > How big's your tank? What plants are you considering?
>
> It's 55 gallons. I have no idea what plants yet. I'll be researching soon.
> Right now, I have some anacharis planted to see how it does. So far, so
> good.
>
> > >
> > > I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass
cleaning
> > and
> > > update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which
I
> > > could not do with the barb.
> >
> > You may want to break the tank down completely and bleach it.
>
> There are other fish in it. So I am apprehensive to do so.

OH, Sorry.

Some people recommend Potassium Permanganate 2 PPM in the tank to kill
nasties. But I think it would kill your Biofilter, some don't agree.

[Jim and Phyllis Hurley]

Sorry to hear about the loss, BV. We sympathize.

Jim lost a 10 year old Oscar this spring...hole-in-the-head. Sad end to an
old friend.

Phyllis

--
____________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Ask me about Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $120+ per child) at: jogathon.net

"Benign Vanilla" > wrote in message
...
> The last of the Fish Tank Mafia has died. My last tin foil barb died
> recently. She was somewhere between 4-6 years old. My wife and I can't
> agree. She is probably right, so let's say 4 years old.
>
> Anyway, the past few days I noticed an odor in the family room and could
not
> pin point it. Last night I noticed the water was very cloudy. My 4 year
old
> had fed the fish that day, and there was a lot of food on the bottom of
the
> tank. I added some water to the tank to replace evaporation, and I noticed
> the odor was from the tank. I changed the filters which were unusually
> gross. This is when I noticed the barb was gone.
>
> I plan to check the water tonight, and will probably do a mass cleaning
and
> update to the tank this weekend. I plan to add a lot of plants, which I
> could not do with the barb.
>
> Anyway, my barbs were like family members, as weird as that is, so I
thought
> I'd share.
>
> BV.
>
>

[Benign Vanilla]

"Jim and Phyllis Hurley" > wrote in message
. ..
> Sorry to hear about the loss, BV. We sympathize.
>
> Jim lost a 10 year old Oscar this spring...hole-in-the-head. Sad end to
an
> old friend.
<snip>

Yeah it sucks, but I am going to look on the bright side. I have wanted to
do some fun stuff with this tank for awhile, but have not been able to do so
because of the barbs. After Halloween, when I have some time, I will be
re-doing the tank with real plants, etc.

BV.