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View Full Version : Low Temperature Killing Fish?

FSUseminoleEM1
05/03/2011, 08:56 AM
Hey, need some help with what I think is a temperature issue.

Last week I lost a cardinal fish within days of adding it to my tank. Yesterday I added a peppermint shrimp - dead this morning. My new thermometer is still in the mail, but I always thought the water felt a little cold...


Today, after a quick Google adventure, I find out my StealthPro 100W heater has been recalled. I ran to the LFS, had my water tested just to be sure - it's perfectly fine, zeros across the board. Exchanged the heater & bought a stick-on thermometer to tie me over; it's reading about 74/75 degrees. Is this an alarming temperature?

Salinity = 32 ppt
pH = 8

Thanks in advance!
brian762
05/03/2011, 09:14 AM
How long has your tank been up for?
mike_cmu04
05/03/2011, 09:17 AM
No that is not why your fish are dying they are pretty tolerant to temp change if it is gradual. How are you acclimating your fish?
FSUseminoleEM1
05/03/2011, 09:23 AM
Two weeks in age.

Drip method - the shrimp took 35 minutes, the LFS salinity was rather low.
reefjunkie42
05/03/2011, 09:33 AM
get an ATO, and its too early to put fish in. there is most likely a cycle going on and it is considered inhumane to put livestock in at that point...also what kit are they using to test? always makes a diffrence
FSUseminoleEM1
05/03/2011, 10:19 AM
Wow. I'm sorry for consuming your time, but the shrimp is definitely alive. What my girlfriend saw (and freaked out over) wasn't a dead shrimp - his exoskeleton.

Ha.
hogben
05/03/2011, 10:23 AM
Wow. I'm sorry for consuming your time, but the shrimp is definitely alive. What my girlfriend saw (and freaked out over) wasn't a dead shrimp - his exoskeleton.

Ha.

The molts do look very real!
Chris27
05/03/2011, 01:55 PM
Was the tank set up with cured live rock? If so, I would imagine that 1 small fish isn't going to be much trouble. If the shrimp is alive and thriving then it's safe to say that the water chemistry is ok....and will be ok.

Fish can be tricky little buggers, in that they can show no signs of disease, yet die a few days later. That is why QT is such an integral factor in successful fish keeping. Having them in a tank devoid of any rock, inverts, or sand allows you to treat quickly and effectively.

Having said that, rapid temp changes usually aren't that bad on fish, especially when the temp is lower, quickly elevated temps above 85 can be troublesome, but 75 isn't usually a problem. Cardinals can be hearty fish, so either it had something wrong with it when you got it, or you just got a dud that didn't do well during shipment or the move to the new tank.