I Killed Two Fish

redfishbluefish · Mar 2, 2016

I killed two fish, but why did they die?

I did something stupid....left a nylon string in the sump area that eventually got sucked into the return pump. I documented that stupidity HERE. My return pump wasn't running for maybe 10 hours. Two MP40's were still running in the DT. The DT temperature dropped to 72 F (normally 78).

I lost my Long Nose Yellow Butterfly (8 - 9 years old) and a Coral Beauty Anglefish (5 - 6 years old). Surviving were four clowns (2 in DT; 2 in the sump), two tangs (Scopus and Yellow), two Pajama Cardinals, and a Melanurus Wrasse.

What killed my two fish....a 6 degree drop in temperature or maybe lack of oxygen? I'm at a loss!!! Not a good day!

4FordFamily · Mar 2, 2016

Lack of oxygen seems more likely, 72 degrees even for a few weeks shouldn't impact much unless it dropped very quickly. I will say that my centropyge were more sensitive to room temp water but it took a week for me to lose my potters trio before I was able to figure out that my heater was off. The gal that was watching my tank had flipped the light switch and I was a moron and plugged the heater in to it (was a switch I never used).

eatbreakfast · Mar 3, 2016

I would inclined to think oxygen as well, though a combination of temp drop and less oxygen may have done it as well.

jamie callard · Mar 3, 2016

They say low or no flow for more then 4 hours may lead to death so my money is on low o2 due to pump failure

eatbreakfast · Mar 3, 2016

jamie callard said:
They say low or no flow for more then 4 hours may lead to death so my money is on low o2 due to pump failure

The mp40's should have helped keep some flow and oxygen levels up to a degree in the tank.

Duke4Life · Mar 3, 2016

Sorry to hear.

Fin · Mar 3, 2016

IMO, 2 MP-40s remaining on should have supported the tank for more than 10 hours. To me, temp would be more of a factor. But, we are assuming that it is one or the other and it just may not be. Maybe something else entirely.

Lionfish Lair · Mar 3, 2016

Blue, put up the picture of your butterfly. It's a great thing you kept them so chubby all this time.

With a temp change like that, shock played a factor. Temperature changes is like the top stressor in fish. It won't be an oxygen issue, because the lower the temp, the more O2 the water can hold. The common cold can take down "old people" and perhaps your aging fish just couldn't tolerate it.

I really am sorry. :-(

redfishbluefish · Mar 4, 2016

I am not a photo person. My camera is an older point-n-shoot camera. Here's the latest photo I have of my longnose.....blurry and out of focus:

However, my favorite has been the time I put a mirror up against the tank to hopefully stop my yellow tang from being so aggressive by seeing one of his own kind, and focusing on that. Instead my longnose saw the mirror and spent the whole time "facing off" with the other longnose by showing his dorsal spines. It was funny watching this.

RIP Longnose Yellow Butterfly! He was my favorite.