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Heidi, I know you fussed over all of your fish, but the cichlids had a special place in your heart.

Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and repeat after me...angelfish, angelfish, angelfish.

... my last 80% water change was meant to be a 20%'er. Good thing I have the tank in the basement while the living room is being remodelled. :-( Sorry about your fish.

time will heal everything...i shall wait for ur next newly set-up tank!!! cheers!!!

Just to share with ya'll a pretty good picture of what it looked like...a lot of the others are way to busy, to get anything but blurs on some of the fish...



heidi michelle attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

First of all, (((Heidi)))

Next, a little item that cost a grand total of 59p at my LFS. Stops this happening once and for all. A check valve.

It's very simple. It's a spring loaded one way valve. One way it lets the air pump push air into the tank, but if any flow in the reverse direction happens, the spring clamps the valve shut. No back flow, no losses.

However, if 59p is too much to spend () then the simplest way of making sure that you don't get back-siphoning is to arrange the air tubing so that it coils in an arc above the aquarium before heading for the pump. Or, best of all, mount the pump on a shelf above the aquarium height. All three of these techniques have been, at various points in my fishkeeping career, employed to prevent unpleasant accidents. Of course, the Panda Fun Palace™ doesn't need this, because it's UGF is powerhead driven. But the breeding aquarium uses an air pump, which I hang 12 inches above the aquarium using a little hook on the stand that holds both aquaria. Back siphoning is an impossibility if the pump is a foot above the aquarium level.

Hang on, I'll see if I can find the check valve ...

This is the beastie. Looks EXACTLY like the one in my UK LFS. Go buy a few, everyone, and save yourselves the same heartache as Heidi.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Heidi, I'm sorry to hear about your loss , However don't give up, I know its hard as I've lost a BGK, Black Lancer Cat, and my original pictus due to a broken seal (I nearly gave up altogether). But jump back in there and give some more Fishy Friends a home of care and love that both they and you deserve it.

And Above all Remember It's not your fault, as it was beyond your control Have a good day.

-Hollywood



Last edited by hollywood at 03-May-2005 20:53

Thank you all for the words of encouragement...today was really tough and poor little KTS sat with me near the end of the day and shared my tears...she really is a dear dear child, and I love her so...

I didn't stay for my evening Sign Language class tonight I just couldn't do it...but came straight home, determined to at least fill the tank, rinse it (why not, I have a python) along with remove my friends, that I couldn't remove last night So here I am with the python, not worrying about temperature for once, and the tank starts pouring out the bottom So apparently it wasn't the airline hosing, but a flipping seel has busted><

On the plus side I have removed all the limestone, and half of the gravel, and dismounted all filtration devices, along with everything else...so far I can't see a crack, so I suspect it is the seal on the front of the tank...does anyone know of a way to test this theory? I at least want to have water in it, and maybe some plants for now till I know what I'm going to do.

Also later this evening when little one has been put to bed, I'll be having a burial for those that were in the tank...They will be going under Leslie's rose bush...my poor little babies...

heidi michelle

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I'm so sorry for your loss. I have only one fish (a male betta splendens called Arnie) and I'd be devastated if I lost him so I can imagine how you must feel.

To avoid such catastrophies as this, you should always place your airpump above the waterline in your tank so if it does fail for some reason, a siphon cannot occur. Though like everyone said, accidents happen. Put it behind you and look forward to making new fishy friends when you feel better!

Someone please, tell me I'm not the only this has happened to

I have lost a ten gallon tank to water siphoning through the airline tubing. I have lost the majority of the water from a 125 to the same thing, but the fish lived (line didn't go deep enough to empty the entire tank). I lost all of the fish in a 30 gallon tank to heater failure (soupy boiled looking) except for 2 bristlenoses that survived temps over 96 degrees. And I lost all of the fish in all of my ponds when my estranged husband turned off the filtration, pumps, waterfalls, fountains, filters and stopped feeding the pond fish. Lost over 30 clown loaches in a move from Ga to Ne and 3 bala sharks that were nearly full grown.

I feel your loss, I really do. Just don't leave the tank empty, it will hurt that much more. Remember them, think about them, and learn your lessons. There is so much more to this hobby than most could ever understand. There are fish you have wanted, but never could get because of compatibility etc. Now is the time to pursue another tank you've always wanted.

:hug:

Koi

Empty chairs at empty tables, the room silent, forlorn.

I'm so sorry, heidi.

This whole thing reminds me of that time my first goldfish (Herb) cooked in his bowl during a heatwave many years ago. We've all gone through something similar.

But as some have said, not that it makes up for your loss, but you've been given an opportunity to use the knowledge and experience you've collected caring for this tank to start over and make something new and perhaps more enjoyable - or at least enjoyable in a different way - than the one you lost.

My condolences once again.

---

Back in the saddle!

Oh my G*d. That is tragic. I am sure that there are no words here that can fully convay your loss. Just remember that these things do happen to others and that we are all thinking of you. I am sure that we will all learn from this accident. We almost loss all our fancies when my toddler turned our heater up to over 30C. We went to bed and only realised when the dog asked to go out in the early hours and I happened to look in at the fish as we passed through the lounge.

We were lucky but it shows how easily things can happen.

Thoughts are with you, take care and big hug Caroline

As ya'll know I've been quite proud and happy with my 55 gallon tank of cichlids. I loved their silly personalities. Bubba would come and let me pet his silly self, and nibble at my fingers. Piggy, a Rusty would always try to take a chunk out of fingers. at one point I had to remove my finger to pry his little fiesty body off There was one of the Acei's that John.Stone told me was the alpha fish in his tankwasn't so in my tank, but missing his gill flap didn't bother him at all, he'd fight for the food with the rest of them. It was this tank that caused me to develop an interest and love in the African Cichlids

Well, last night I came home after a seriously trying day, and found that one of my airlines to the pump had come looseThis wouldn't be so bad, a little less circulation, but I tend to have more current then necessary. But, me leaving the school in tears after a miserable meeting with my vice-principal, wasn't going to be the end of my sour day. As it turns out, when the airline came loose, it also started a syphon going on the tank I don't know how long it took, but apparently it didn't take too terrible long]:|My livingroom wasn't terribly flooded, but then I had been sorting laundry to wash, so it soaked up most of it At this point most of you can probably guess what else had happened...but for those who haven't guessed already, I was too late to save my babiesI must have cried all night, but am not really sureI do know that I didn't sleep, and I know that I'm in an even worse mood than I was in yesterday...So I guess for now I have to say goodbye to my cichlidsAnd when I get home this evening I'll clean up the tank. Not gonna get rid of it, but I just can't bare to do anything else with it right now

Someone please, tell me I'm not the only this has happened to...I feel so absolutely horrible, and would probably still be crying, if I wasn't already out of tears
hml

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Stuff happens, Heidi. Sometimes it's a real bummer, so sorry about your fish. I'm with the ones that say fill'er up right away. Get some check valves for the airlines and pick out some new fish.

Have a better day today, Mike

[side note]Jim, love the avatar [/side note]

So sorry Heidi Loosing A fish is sad and frustrating enough, but a whole stock? :#( However, I agree with heaven2:

dry your tears, take a deep breath, know that accidents happen, tell yourself over and over "it was an accident" and then ---> move forward

! Things like this happen to the best of us. If I recall correctly, you have spawning going on all the time in your 125g. You must be doing SOMETHING right! Like so many other things, you just have to "get back up in the saddle"... or jump back in the tank in this case Don't give up so easily... take a few days to grieve and clean up, then start planning the new decor and stock for that aquarium

><>Dani<><

So sorry Heidi, that is devastating. I agree with old timer...get back on that tank and put some more babies in there! You will feel much better, much sooner, if you aren't looking at an empty tank at night.

And just remember that there are lots of orhpans in the world that need a happy tank to live in...

That same thing happened to me many years ago, however I was fortunate enough that I only lost part of the fish.

A very traumatic episode to deal with, Heidi. But, again it was an accident that has happened to many of us.

I encourage you to set the tank back up again as soon as possible.

Jim

---

Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

Almost happened to my clown loach tank. Hubby decided to turn off the air pump for some reason, and by the time we finished cooking, the drawing room was flooded.

It made me stop using air pumps. I place my power head a little high, almost touching the water surface for good agitation, and keep it turned on at full.

If you have your filter on constantly, you dont need to use those silly air pumps. They are quite capable of starting a syphon when the power supply is turned off.

I am sorry for your loss Heidi.

*hugs*

Oh, heidi, that's awful! *big hugs* Poor fishies. I'm so sorry... it's the stupidest malfunctions that can cause the worst problems.

*hops in heidi's lap and curls up in a bundle of soft fur, purring soothingly*

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Oh Heidi, I am so sorry for your loss. I too have suffered an unexpected total tank loss and know how hard the hurt can hit... and I did not have to deal with a flooded floor and soaked laundry...

In my case, a tank heater failed in the on position while I was away on holiday and the tank sitter did not notice before the tank was literally "fish soup". I lost everything and was devastated - these were not just fish to me, they were much loved and pampered pets. The tank sat there, empty, for 2 or 3 years before I finally decided it was time to start over. I had other things going on keeping me really busy, so it was not just the heartbreak that kept my tank dry... It was great getting the tank back up and running and I've taken great pleasure from it ever since.

Looking back, I wish I had not left it dry so long... so, my advice to you would be ... dry your tears, take a deep breath, know that accidents happen, tell yourself over and over "it was an accident" and then ---> move forward. Try to think about this as a chance to rethink the aquascaping of your tank, to reconsider which species you would like to maintain, maybe invest in new substrate and architectural elements such as driftwood etc (look for the faint silver lining in the rain cloud).

BIG HUGS

That totally sucks

I had it happen once, almost half the tank on the floor because the power went out. It drained right back THROUGH the 1 way valve, through the pump, and out the air intake onto the floor

was not pretty. Went through 3 rooms and almost killed the heater

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett