All my fish are DEAD!

[Reefing102]

I’ll add my $.02. I am sorry to hear about your loss. And I don’t think the LFS offer is bad. Whether or not you shop there after is up to you but that would be the easiest way to “impact” them after the fact.

That said a little citric acid in a tube doesn’t make sense to a full fish crash. Sounds more like they may have left the bottle on top of the tank and it then spilled causing a huge ph swing

 

[AydenLincoln]

Not for small claims usually

I mean anything can be it’s just not usually worth it.

 

[muffinmanXL]

How many assumptions are a lot? What are those said assumptions? The only judgement I believe I made was, it is a " Shared responsibility".
I do not think I was Judgmental. But my summary statement, I feel, could be pretty helpful. In Life...
I am sorry for his loss also. But I am not going to placate someone because he feels his emotional loss deserves a whole new tank set up. The store said they would replace what was lost, by proxy admitting their mistake. If the OP just left it at that, do you think we as a group would say " Nay! You deserve their first born?" (well maybe) I don’t believe (hopefully) that would be the case. The kid has choices in life. It is his decision what those choices are.

Thanks, the view must be nice from way up there.

For starters, assuming the OP didn’t do the proper vetting (with LFS in real life and the hypothetical nursing home) and that his actions do not back up his words. And assuming he is seeking advice vs just wanting to be heard.

Keep dishing that unsolicited life advice though; I’m sure you’re more than qualified to do so and lord knows the internet needs more of it.

 

[kronos571]

Sorry to hear about the loss. That’s really tough.

If the LFS contaminated the tank, causing the fail, I think it’s their fault. But I would keep this in perspective: nobody set out to hurt the fish. Rarely does someone come to work to say, “I think I’m going to be careless and hurt some animals today.” The outcome stinks, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anyone intended to hurt the fish.

If it were me, I’d make a list of what I need to be up and running. List your fish and confirm the LFS will replace or pay you for nominal retail value if they can’t source them all in a timely way. Maybe an ICP test to check your water first? Then what else do you realistically need to get running again? The alternative, if you can trust them, is to ask them to come in, clean up, and restart your tank for you, maintaining it regularly for a certain amount of time and helping to ensure all the new livestock survives. That’s a big ask, and you may not want that, but it’s something to think about.

I’m not sure I would go the court route myself. You never know what a judge would decide. The LFS probably wouldn’t even argue it - they’d likely call their insurer to deal with it, so you wouldn’t get any satisfaction there. A lot of jurisdictions consider pets to be property, and they’ve offered to replace the property, so it sounds like an uphill battle to get much else to me.

 

[dadnjesse]

Maybe you'll get on Peoples Court. The courts want you to settle with the other party if possible.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Not to be insensitive because truly not meant to be - at all - was it just the fish that died? Coral? CUC?

 

[MaxTremors]

How would you feel if you placed your grandma in a nursing home and she died because the nursing home gave her the wrong pills and someone said it was your responsibility? Same principal man. I am just really sad and torn up expecting support from this amazing community and you are saying I screwed up. I am sorry if this is taking too far, but I LOVED those fish and you basically saying I killed them crushes my heart. I tried to provide a excellent life for them. I am sorry if I am not up to your standards. Which in that case makes me just want to cry in a corner and wish they were back which is what I’m doing.

and thanks to everyone who was supportive

Gobyboy signing off

I don’t think you necessarily did anything wrong, and I am sorry for your loss, but you do bare some of the responsibility here. If it were my tank full of fish I was attached to, there’s no way I’d trust some random LFS to move the tank (I don’t even trust LFSes enough to buy water from them) without at least supervising them. But most likely I would’ve moved it myself and ensured everything was good before leaving town. You said you were going to college, so it’s not like it was some emergency thing you couldn’t have planned ahead for. That said, I do think that the LFS needs to replace the lost livestock, but expecting a new tank is absurd if they didn’t damage the tank. I don’t think think it’s unreasonable to be upset about it, I’d be upset too, but I don’t think it’s reason to leave the hobby. If you cared enough about the fish to be that attached to them, you obviously enjoy the hobby, there’s no reason to punish yourself by leaving the hobby.

 

[Gobyboy]

Here is my final comment. I loved my fish. I didn’t want to leave them. I wanted to bring them to college. My parents said it wouldn’t be a good idea and I agreed. I was going to do it myself, but my lfs said they could do and do it better than me and ASSURED ME they would be ok. I do regret not doing it myself, but hindsight is 20/20. I thank you all for the support, but I probably won’t get back in the hobby because I can’t take what I’m going through again. I got my two clownfish and was instantly in love with both just the hobby, but them. They were what kept me sane some days. The thought of them being safe is what got me through the first few days of college. Now that they are gone I don’t know what to do but cry and wish they were back. They were not just fish they were family. I know I may just be throwing myself a pity party, but I need to vent.
I will never forget you floppy and skippy you were the best fish anyone could have. You are the reason I got on reef2reef and the reason I got to be in this community

 

[dadnjesse]

Keep your head up. Losses hurt, keep moving forward.

 

[Tamberav]

Here is my final comment. I loved my fish. I didn’t want to leave them. I wanted to bring them to college. My parents said it wouldn’t be a good idea and I agreed. I was going to do it myself, but my lfs said they could do and do it better than me and ASSURED ME they would be ok. I do regret not doing it myself, but hindsight is 20/20. I thank you all for the support, but I probably won’t get back in the hobby because I can’t take what I’m going through again. I got my two clownfish and was instantly in love with both just the hobby, but them. They were what kept me sane some days. The thought of them being safe is what got me through the first few days of college. Now that they are gone I don’t know what to do but cry and wish they were back. They were not just fish they were family. I know I may just be throwing myself a pity party, but I need to vent.
I will never forget you floppy and skippy you were the best fish anyone could have. You are the reason I got on reef2reef and the reason I got to be in this community

I would take a break but keep the tank and stuff as it sounds like you really enjoyed the fish and may want to get back into it at some point.

There are clownfish who needs homes!!

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Unfortunate situation all around. Believe me when I say, anyone in this hobby either already has, or WILL, come across something at some point that will make you question everything and want to throw in the towel. That's when you need to take a step back, breathe, and think it through. It's a great hobby and if you really love it, it would be sad to let it go.

Stuff happens! That being said, it sounds like you were very attached to your fish. Good thing - means you care. The bad thing is, things can happen to our little slice of the ocean and the living things in it... and it hurts when it does. Some people aren't as attached to the animals and there's nothing wrong with that, but when you ARE (I am too, I hate losing fish and even inverts), I understand that makes it hard to move on from something like this. But you also should understand it is an unfortunate risk of the hobby that you will experience losses. Of course we all would prefer that nothing bad ever happens to our tanks!

Personally I think you made the right move not taking the tank to school and were trying to take care of things as well as you could. If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure I'd fully restock the tank until I was done with school. Too much to worry about while away. But that's just me (I'm a control freak and don't like anyone else taking care of my tank, lol).

 

[cdnco2004]

What was the issue with using citric acid to clean the tank? I have seen a lot of references to using citric acid to clean tank and parts. They even talk about it on BRSTV in one of the "I will never do X again" videos. Randy says "I will never use Vinegar to clean any more and will use Citric Acid" and then Ryan and Randy talked about pros of Citric Acid vs Vinegar. So I am really confused. I used Citric acid to clean a usd 210g tank that I plan on using as my forever tank. I am about to the stage of putting it up and filling it. I cleaned the tank and all the gear with citric acid.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Typically if you have any type of animal it’s your responsibility. If you buy a Doberman pincher for e.g. and don’t take it out to play ball, and exercise, it tears up your yard and house. Is that the dog walkers fault or yours? You signed up for the hobby

You are talking garbage now come on

 

[Rmckoy]

What was the issue with using citric acid to clean the tank? I have seen a lot of references to using citric acid to clean tank and parts. They even talk about it on BRSTV in one of the "I will never do X again" videos. Randy says "I will never use Vinegar to clean any more and will use Citric Acid" and then Ryan and Randy talked about pros of Citric Acid vs Vinegar. So I am really confused. I used Citric acid to clean a usd 210g tank that I plan on using as my forever tank. I am about to the stage of putting it up and filling it. I cleaned the tank and all the gear with citric acid.

I don’t believe the citric acid was the issue .

 

[cdnco2004]

I don’t believe the citric acid was the issue .

I would hope not. I found so many articles about cleaning tank and equipment with Citric Acid, have not seen any warning that it could harm anything.

 

[Rmckoy]

I would hope not. I found so many articles about cleaning tank and equipment with Citric Acid, have not seen any warning that it could harm anything.

A little
Example .
I just added little fishies marine snow .
the ingredients have citric acid in it

 

[cdnco2004]

They are using it as a preservative. I do not think the little that would be used as a natural preservative would be enough to cause any issues. The amount would be so miniscule.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I would hope not. I found so many articles about cleaning tank and equipment with Citric Acid, have not seen any warning that it could harm anything.

Same here - and I bought some from BRS... I would think if it was a known issue they wouldn't sell it.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Same here - and I bought some from BRS... I would think if it was a known issue they wouldn't sell it.

I think the *potential* issue with the OP's tank is the possibility that an unknown amount of citric acid entered the tank while the fish were still in it... I believe that may have been ruled out in the 4 pages of posts, but the point is, the safety of regular use of citric acid to clean tanks and equipment was never in question.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I think the *potential* issue with the OP's tank is the possibility that an unknown amount of citric acid entered the tank while the fish were still in it... I believe that may have been ruled out in the 4 pages of posts, but the point is, the safety of regular use of citric acid to clean tanks and equipment was never in question.

Ok that makes me feel better, thanks!