after water change- fish acted weird

r0bin · 02/19/2008, 01:36 PM

Hi everyone, I am no stranger to waterchanges, I do them every week. yesterday I went about my normal tank maintenance. I scraped the back wall of my tank with a razor blade, as I had an unusual about of green algae growing on it. My tank is near a window and I need new bulbs. The algae came of almost in sheets and my fish started eating it. Then I proceeded with my normal water change procedure. I checked the salinity, temp. and PH and everything seemed ok. Drained out 15 gals. like usual and notice I though my fish might be acting a little strange but honestly wasn't sure. I vacummed my crushed coral like always and then pumped in the fresh 15 gals that had been circulating for more than 24 hours. My tang shortly started darting around the tank in very short quick spurts. My clownfish started diving down at the substate and coming back up. Also the tang started swimming in very short circles. His gills and fins started turning white. My other fish seemed unaffected. I really thought I might lose my tang. Within 2 hours he fully recovered, and as far as I know all are ok today. The only thing I can think of is PH diff. to cause this. But I checked it ahead of time and they were the same. Since I don't know what happened I am scared of the next time I do a water change. Could scraping the algae have done anything negative?

The_Browns · 02/19/2008, 01:40 PM

Maybe the algae acted like LSD, He was tripping for a couple hours..

On a serious note I have not seen or heard anything like that. Maybe Oxygen Deprevation (sp?) or something.

r0bin · 02/19/2008, 01:42 PM

Yes I wondered about the oxygen also. I appreciate the joke, though, yesterday I was in tears, literally. One other thing my mushrooms all shriveled up, but xenia and GSP seemed unaffected.

otiso777 · 02/19/2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Browns
Maybe the algae acted like LSD, He was tripping for a couple hours..

This might not be too far off. Some algaes and cyanobacteria do produce toxins. I'm not saying that's what happened but it is something to look into.

r0bin · 02/20/2008, 05:55 AM

Anyone else have any ideas. I would really like to get some feedback on this b/c I do not understand what happened.

reptilemanmark · 02/20/2008, 06:57 AM

I vacummed my crushed coral like always and then pumped in the fresh 15 gals that had been circulating for more than 24 hours.

The last time I vacummed my crushed coral I had a similar problem. I lost a couple of anthias. The next time I vacum the tank, I might not do so much area 30% or something instead of 80% or what ever I can get to. I dont like stirring up the mess down under! I wish I would have gone with a sand bed.

maroun.c · 02/20/2008, 08:38 AM

could it be some non solved salt that stuck to their gills somehow?

r0bin · 02/20/2008, 09:50 AM

Appreciate the responses and thoughts. Anyone else have any ideas?

02/19/2008, 01:36 PM	#1
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	after water change- fish acted weird Hi everyone, I am no stranger to waterchanges, I do them every week. yesterday I went about my normal tank maintenance. I scraped the back wall of my tank with a razor blade, as I had an unusual about of green algae growing on it. My tank is near a window and I need new bulbs. The algae came of almost in sheets and my fish started eating it. Then I proceeded with my normal water change procedure. I checked the salinity, temp. and PH and everything seemed ok. Drained out 15 gals. like usual and notice I though my fish might be acting a little strange but honestly wasn't sure. I vacummed my crushed coral like always and then pumped in the fresh 15 gals that had been circulating for more than 24 hours. My tang shortly started darting around the tank in very short quick spurts. My clownfish started diving down at the substate and coming back up. Also the tang started swimming in very short circles. His gills and fins started turning white. My other fish seemed unaffected. I really thought I might lose my tang. Within 2 hours he fully recovered, and as far as I know all are ok today. The only thing I can think of is PH diff. to cause this. But I checked it ahead of time and they were the same. Since I don't know what happened I am scared of the next time I do a water change. Could scraping the algae have done anything negative? __________________ 125 gal. sumpless reef, Orange Ocellaris Clown, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Starry Blennie, Deltec MCE300, Kessil Lighting Last edited by r0bin; 02/19/2008 at 01:44 PM.

02/19/2008, 01:40 PM	#2
The_Browns Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 1,046	Maybe the algae acted like LSD, He was tripping for a couple hours.. On a serious note I have not seen or heard anything like that. Maybe Oxygen Deprevation (sp?) or something. __________________ Mike & Jenn Current Tank Info: 120g DT and 35g frag tank

02/19/2008, 01:42 PM	#3
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	Yes I wondered about the oxygen also. I appreciate the joke, though, yesterday I was in tears, literally. One other thing my mushrooms all shriveled up, but xenia and GSP seemed unaffected. __________________ 125 gal. sumpless reef, Orange Ocellaris Clown, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Starry Blennie, Deltec MCE300, Kessil Lighting

02/20/2008, 05:55 AM	#5
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	Anyone else have any ideas. I would really like to get some feedback on this b/c I do not understand what happened. __________________ 125 gal. sumpless reef, Orange Ocellaris Clown, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Starry Blennie, Deltec MCE300, Kessil Lighting

02/20/2008, 06:57 AM	#6
reptilemanmark Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 126	Re: after water change- fish acted weird I vacummed my crushed coral like always and then pumped in the fresh 15 gals that had been circulating for more than 24 hours. The last time I vacummed my crushed coral I had a similar problem. I lost a couple of anthias. The next time I vacum the tank, I might not do so much area 30% or something instead of 80% or what ever I can get to. I dont like stirring up the mess down under! I wish I would have gone with a sand bed.

02/20/2008, 08:38 AM	#7
maroun.c Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Lebanon Posts: 6,111	could it be some non solved salt that stuck to their gills somehow? __________________ 390 G mixed reef build Current Tank Info: 390G mixed reef

02/20/2008, 09:50 AM	#8
r0bin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Earth Posts: 1,132	Appreciate the responses and thoughts. Anyone else have any ideas? __________________ 125 gal. sumpless reef, Orange Ocellaris Clown, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Starry Blennie, Deltec MCE300, Kessil Lighting