tragedy has struck .. need assistance

[REYREY]

Hello everyone... yesterday a big blow happened to my son's tank.

125 gl.. with two canister filsters... one a 350 mag and the other a 4 canister filter... some air bubbles.. and lights and heater.....

fish... overloaded...but it was maintained for a while with that load capacity...

3 large oscars...2 red ear slider turtles, one soft shell turtle, one juvinile oscar.. one black convict, 2 plecos.. 2 diff catfish..... that is alll that is left......... :O( so sad... my son is going to be sooo upset...

what we lost... 5 blue gills.. 1 pictus catfish.. one firemouth... one black convict................. my son had caught all the blue gills at Joe Pool Lake himself....they had been in there more than 8 months... NOT HAPPPYYYYYYYY


so... I am thinking that the firemouth die and the frenzy started...fish eating fish..... that in turn fouled up the water..... the blue gills started to go and again fish frenzy with the dying fish.... needless to say... fish parts everywhere.... stank water smell.... all in a matter of 24 hours...

I have the tank undercontrol... water parameters getting better...

here is the problem...

On the surface of the water...you have all the oily residue from the fish being eaten... I mean sooo much oily residue that it sticks to the python when I was changing water and such.......

Without a Protien Skimmer... how can i get rid of the oily film on top.... I have the spraybar return breaking the water surface for aggitation...also have a strong bubble wand for surface aggitation....

BUT I want to get rid of the oily film.... I was thinking of putting PLASTIC balls on the water and letting them film over and rinsing in HOT water....then repeating untill all the oil is gone????

anyone else have any ideas ON HOW TO REMOVE THE SLIME OILY COAT???

[xtc]

cheese cloth?
A fish net loaded with gravel- rinse real well after each scoop?
Complete breakdown

[glostik]

Do you have an overflow box you could use?

That would be the best way.

Otherwise,I would use a cup and start scooping out the top parts of the water.

Sorry to hear about this.

[Shayman10]

I have used a paper towel. Take a piece and flop it out flat on the surface and then pull it out and toos in the garbage.......then repeat.

Seems to work OK.

Sorry for you loss......it is always a bummer...

[AndrewH]

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss!! I hope he takes it as good as could be expected.

I thought turtles would eat dead fish?

[REYREY]

thank you all for the ideas... NOT A COMPLETE BREAKOWN Chris!! uhhh nope...

The fish were half eaten and such... but I think the turtles got full...these were not small fish... 8 months in the tank...the blue gills were around 4 inches high...about 6 inches long... and healthy fat!!!!

I used a brine shrimp net and just scooped the top of the water...that helped quite a bit... will probably continue to do that till all the filtering really takes over again...

Thank you alll for your simpathy.... I will let my REYREY know that others feel his loss also!!!

cheese cloth...hmmm.... good for one pass through...just like the paper towels...wonder which would help most...

[bra8ndy8]

Sorry for your loss!!

[Travis_Conklin]

"Ditto" Shayman10, that is what I have heard to do. Sorry to hear about your loss.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Gee, I am so sorry about you and your son's loss! I wish I could recommend something to help remove the oily residue, but I can't. I think I would continue with the brine shrimp net and use some paper towels, like was suggested. I had a mishap of my own Sunday. I have used Tetra AquaSafe in the yellow bottle for years. I get it at the local Walmart. I found out, luckily in time to save half my fish, that Tetra also puts out a bottle that is almost identical,called Easy Balance, or something like that. It does NOT remove chlorine!! Same yellow bottle, same label design,etc. One has a blue label though and the other is a turqouise. I saw one yellow lab go down to the bottom and we frantically put all of the fish in my 50 and 55 into my two 10 gal. blue lobster tanks! We had water everywhere! My son ran to Walmart and grabbed the Aquasafe, and an hour later we had them back in. I lost my female Red Empresses, one female Iceberg, all my labs except one,all my Kenyii females, including one that was holding a ton of fry,and one of the only two Kenyii males I had. It was so heart-breaking! I did not want to post because I was afraid everyone would think I was an idiot. I mean, I just did a massacre in my 55 last fall, when I forgot to add the chemicals. Sorry to throw my tragedy in with yours, it just made me realize that things do happen to other people,not just me. Believe me, I will check out each bottle I buy from now on, now that I know!

[sailfin2]

Sorry for your loss. Hard thing for a kid to understand.

[Misty]

Oh no...not the tank we were so fascinated with! It was amazing...So sorry for the loss, I know he must be heartbroken.

I did a search and found this, http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/problemsolving/a/oilslick.htm

[REYREY]

Gee, I am so sorry about you and your son's loss! I wish I could recommend something to help remove the oily residue, but I can't. I think I would continue with the brine shrimp net and use some paper towels, like was suggested. I had a mishap of my own Sunday. I have used Tetra AquaSafe in the yellow bottle for years. I get it at the local Walmart. I found out, luckily in time to save half my fish, that Tetra also puts out a bottle that is almost identical,called Easy Balance, or something like that. It does NOT remove chlorine!! Same yellow bottle, same label design,etc. One has a blue label though and the other is a turqouise. I saw one yellow lab go down to the bottom and we frantically put all of the fish in my 50 and 55 into my two 10 gal. blue lobster tanks! We had water everywhere! My son ran to Walmart and grabbed the Aquasafe, and an hour later we had them back in. I lost my female Red Empresses, one female Iceberg, all my labs except one,all my Kenyii females, including one that was holding a ton of fry,and one of the only two Kenyii males I had. It was so heart-breaking! I did not want to post because I was afraid everyone would think I was an idiot. I mean, I just did a massacre in my 55 last fall, when I forgot to add the chemicals. Sorry to throw my tragedy in with yours, it just made me realize that things do happen to other people,not just me. Believe me, I will check out each bottle I buy from now on, now that I know!


I am sorry to hear about your loss also!!!! DEAD Fish everywherre.....


Thank you Misty.... seems as though papertowels do the trick... will be trying this tonight..... the tank mates are all vigoerous and good... NOW to get them to PRE DISASTER STATE!

[kewlkatdady]

Dang Reyes....
Sorry for the loss.

No help on the oily surface...

[EAST_TX_RN]

Yeah, I was feeling really stupid(again!), but my family looked at both bottles and said that it would be easy to confuse the two,especially since I didn't know there was the other type in the same yellow bottle. The good news is, I'd given some labs and Kenyii to my housekeeper's daughter, so she is supposed to bring some back this Friday. A friend of hers also gave her a 10 inch common pleco to give me, though I figure it is way too big for my 55. Do you think your son would be interested in it if I get rid of it?

[REYREY]

yes my boy would be. He currently has one in there that is about 14 inches or so... big sucker.. LITTERRALY!!! so another that size would be good...they help keep the tank clean on the bottom....

If you want....I have a 4 inch.... NO JOKES... LOL...

really...have a 4 inch common that we can exchange....

HOWEVER... Terrell and Grand Priaire are a little far from each other... We would have it make it more worth the drive for both of us...

What kind of fish do you want??? I have some BLUE MBUNIs... I need to let one or two go......as far as Africans...that is all i can part with...

I do have a CRAP load of Kribs...they need to go.... They kill all my other platys and well that is just not COOL!!!!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Would the common pleco beat up on my BN's? I may want the 4-incher. Thanks for the other offers but I am hoping to get some of my old stock back on Friday. I have plenty of Kribs. We could meet somewhere in Dallas or Mesquite, if that is okay with you. Let me see this pleco I'm getting first, to make sure it is in good health. Will get back with ya!

[REYREY]

ok

[EAST_TX_RN]

Would the 4 incher be okay to be around my BN's? You don't have to trade anything though, I just want to help out your boy, poor kid!

[supersmirky]

I got some Mollies....want some? :hehe:

[REYREY]

LOL!!! uh... if the mollies go in that tank... the oscars and turtles will have a heyday!!!

thank you for wanting to feed our fish for us!!!

Update on the tank....


all fish and reptiles look GREAT... the ones that survived look like they did prior to the fatal blow!!! my son comes home today...we will see what his reaction is...

ALL equipment is funtioning good... made some minor arrangement changes to the decor and intakes to help me ensure I do not see any blockage and such...

thank you allll for your support and kind words... THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!

[Blake]

sorry to hear about that... I have a 10-11inch common pleco you can have I live fairly close too... (near 360 and 183)

[EAST_TX_RN]

Shoot,Rey-Rey, you might ought to take Blake up on that deal. My housekeeper did not bring the pleco today. She said her net was not big enough and she wasn't about to try to catch it by hand(like I suggested). She seems afraid of it, lol! Anyhoo, don't know when I will ever see this pleco!

[bgbdwlf2500]

didnt read through the whole post but a wet/dry shop vac works great to siphon off the top...ive done it, works great....

[bra8ndy8]

I wouldn't catch it by hand! I attempted that with Jaws one time......and came out with my hand bleeding! And trying to get his big butt with a net is impossible!! We use a gallon pitcher and a net!! ITS FUN!! We all end up soaking wet!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Oh! I am glad you let me know that Brandy because I was going to suggest I go over to her house and catch it by hand! I tried to catch my male Red Empress recently and got finned good!

[bra8ndy8]

Plecos fins are like getting finned by a catfish!! It HURTS!!!

[EAST_TX_RN]

That would hurt! Thanks!

[REYREY]

update... very similar finding to the shop vac note posted.

As I was tending to my babies in this tank this past thursday... I was messing with ensuring one of my canister filters was syphoning enough water.. by putting my finger on the hole and well you know the rest...

sooo... holding the intake tube right at the water line from underneath...well you get a great syphoning of just the water surface... worked great!

and the rest of the fish are diong well again...

[kewlkatdady]

good to hear the rest are doing well...

you coming to the G2G?


update... very similar finding to the shop vac note posted.

As I was tending to my babies in this tank this past thursday... I was messing with ensuring one of my canister filters was syphoning enough water.. by putting my finger on the hole and well you know the rest...

sooo... holding the intake tube right at the water line from underneath...well you get a great syphoning of just the water surface... worked great!

and the rest of the fish are diong well again...

[EAST_TX_RN]

That is good to hear. I finally got that pleco and it is only about 6-7 inches! If something comes up and you need it, let me know. I have him/her in my 55.

[Trippy]

cloth ,i think will be the best .

[jgauna]

sooo... holding the intake tube right at the water line from underneath...well you get a great syphoning of just the water surface... worked great!

Ok i got an oil slick from somewhere or something. Reyrey, am i getting this right get the intake tube from my canister filter and hold it right at water lever suck up as much of the oil residue as possible.
No shop vac here. Where can i get a brine shrimp net? The one thing my wife forgot to get at the store today (paper towels). My luck.

[BlackJew]

I wouldn't catch it by hand! I attempted that with Jaws one time......and came out with my hand bleeding! And trying to get his big butt with a net is impossible!! We use a gallon pitcher and a net!! ITS FUN!! We all end up soaking wet!


roflmao:hehe:roflmaoroflmao:hehe:

[bra8ndy8]

You can picture it huh??? You can come try!! LOL

[supersmirky]

Ever try this handy filter for skimming the surface?

http://shop.bhg.com/product/skimmers/265013/current-usa-subcurrent-surface-skimming-aquarium-filter.html

[pam916]

I am sorry for your loss. Turtles are notorious for being messy eaters and fouling the water in their tank. Sliders grow large and eventually figure out how to catch fish.

East TX RN: Sorry to hear of your loss. Believe me, you are far from being the first person to forget to add chlorine remover to your tank after a water change. I use Chrystal Clear brand chlorine remover and there are like 5 other products that they carry that come in the exact same size bottle and same color and size print on the label, the only difference is the name of the product and I can see how it would be really easy to confuse them.

[jgauna]

Alright just noticed that i have this oily residue again. Anyone have a clue as to what causes it? Checked the tank as far as i can tell no fish are dead. Did 45% water change Saturday. I woulld really apreciate any advise or input as to what may be causing it if it is not a dead fish.

[Trallen44]

Do you have any surface agitation?

[jgauna]

Yes i have spray bar from my eheim for surface agitation, As well as an ac70 power head blowing across the top of the tank. Just added another power head right before i posted other thread.

[Trallen44]

I think some of comes from the food we feed. Mine has always gone away with surface agitation. I would probably use paper towels to get it off the top then.

[jgauna]

found what the problem was in the 1 fake plant i have in the whole tank
Dead fish
Problem is i do not know which fish it was, which sucks
Thanks for the help anf hearing me rant

[lellison]

so sorry for your loss!

lellison added 1 Minutes and 53 Seconds later...

lellison added 3 Minutes and 27 Seconds later...

I had a mishap of my own Sunday. I have used Tetra AquaSafe in the yellow bottle for years. I get it at the local Walmart. I found out, luckily in time to save half my fish, that Tetra also puts out a bottle that is almost identical,called Easy Balance, or something like that. It does NOT remove chlorine!! Same yellow bottle, same label design,etc. One has a blue label though and the other is a turqouise. I saw one yellow lab go down to the bottom and we frantically put all of the fish in my 50 and 55 into my two 10 gal. blue lobster tanks!


I use AquaSafe also, thanks for the heads up! Sorry for your loss as well!

[small fry]

Sorry to hear the bad news. At least your son was gone. I was thinking paper towels also, but the shop vac idea sounds pretty good. :exactly:

[rolloffhill]

I had a mineral oil slick in my planted tank from my bubble counter. It was about a 1-2 tablespoons I would guess. I started with paper towels but there was so much I ended up taking the python and putting the siphon above the waterline and submerged it just enough to draw in a little water at a time. Kinda like a skimmer drain. Got most of it out that way and then went back to paper towels to finish it off.

[jgauna]

started with paper towels but there was so much I ended up taking the python and putting the siphon above the waterline and submerged it just enough to draw in a little water at a time. Kinda like a skimmer drain
This is what i did, found it to be most effective.
As for the loss, crap happens.

Just a heads up this is a very old post and most of what has happened other than my recent oil slick have since come and gone long ago.