Resolved 2 fish and 1 invert dead, the rest are breathing very heavily. Please healp.

hey we all make mistakes i once put a lava rock in my sump thinking it was a good pourious rock to build up benifical bacteria was i wrong,all my fish died in a matter of hours and it took a while to get the tank back to normal...i diddnt know lava rock had meatals that will kill...my lfs said it would be ok ....so dont be to hard on ur self thats the fun of this hobbie learning..

 

I suppose you're right, my friend. Of course I can't help but feel sad about the ones that died, but I understand that as a first time reef tank owner, in fact, first time fish tank owner altogether, I'll make lots of mistakes.

There is a good news though. I've noticed my bicolor baslett barely moved before I removed the dead ones from the tank, so I left him in!!!! :sweethear

It's been 4 hours since I put all the bubbles in there, and he just barely moved from one hiding spot, about 6 inches to another spot. I can see he's slowly breathing and I hope that he can recover. I need to research about any permanent damage that oxygen deprivation could cause to this type of fish. I'm afraid he will stay like this (kind of like in vegetative state) forever.

You think he will recover? I hope he will.

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

- Mag.

 

Curious if you've had a chance yet to remove that gravel substrate and get some sand? If you havent read this take a look: Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds

I feel you'll never get adequate results with gravel in a saltwater environment. I never got good results with it in my freshwater endeavors either actually. I wound up replacing everything with sand over time.

Im sorry to hear about your fish loss.

 

bje, No, unfortunately I haven't replaced the gravel yet. I'm getting the materials for my sump and once that's up and running I'll start switching the gravel for sand by sections.


It's been 7 hours since I last checked on the Bicorlor Baslett and he's still in the same way. Breathing a little better, but still near the bottom. He just moved another 3 inches from last nights spot.

I hope I didn't make him a vegetal

 

Does anybody know what are the permanent or long term damages a fish could get from oxygen deprivation?

Now I can't find my small bicolor basslet. I hope he's recovering in some hole.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

- Mag.

 

I would never use a lid... just like slocal said, it is important for the oxygen flow to have an open lid.... have you checked your ammonia levels yet?

 

So sorry about your loss but that's one of the the things that happen to all of us that are beginners in the hobby, I guess....

 

Any updates on your lil soldier?

 

YES !!!! Bicolor Basslet is all better now! I noticed the shrimp were scavenging for food on the gravel, and thought that was a good sign, since if the little one would have died, they would be all over him. That was the case with the Lemonpeel.

Finally, after I moved one of the rock, I saw a glimpse of purple and yellow just flash behind a rock. He already ate some sinking pellets and seems to be doing a lot better.

He is acting a little strange, taking quick 360 degrees turns and kind of charging this one spot on one of the rocks... always the same rock and always the same spot.He hits it with his left side, right behind the gills I think. He doesn't look hurt.

Can Oxygen deprivation make them stupid? Or act funny like that? I don't mind the 360's, but he may get hurt if he keeps charging that rock.

He's all over the tank though. I'm very happy :trampolin

Cheers everyone!! THank you for all your good advice and extremely quick response. I'm sure they would have all died if it wasn't for your help!

Tons of karma delivered!

- Mag.

 

Well it makes humans stupid so im guessing the same thing would occur with fish