# tragic loss... and it's all my fault :(



## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

I bought 4 new heaters for my four small tanks. They have been keeping the water at a perfect 79 degrees. All my little guys were fine at breakfast... great water, great temp, bubble nests, active, happy. An hour later,  Zevo was gone  and his water temp was over 100 degrees. I am devastated. The heater went spastic. Needless to say, they are all out of the tanks now and being returned to amazon. Zevo was the happiest guy ever and I killed him! My heart is broken :sob:


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## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

we miss you, Zevo


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Wow...so sorry for the loss.....usually with high temps like that they will show stress signs....sudden death...it may be something else along with the heat that pushed him over the edge....

I have fish and fry in water over 100F outside-granted this was a slow change and the temp is cooler at different levels of the buckets and cools down at night...but for about 6 hours of the days the upper level of the water is 100+......

What is the water temp without heaters......and how do they act when the water is left at room temp.....


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## QueenBetta383 (Jul 23, 2011)

Oh my, I am very sorry for you're loss.
I'm sure Zevo will live happily in Betta Heaven.


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## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

Oldfishlady said:


> Wow...so sorry for the loss.....usually with high temps like that they will show stress signs....sudden death...it may be something else along with the heat that pushed him over the edge...
> 
> What is the water temp without heaters......and how do they act when the water is left at room temp.....


Their water temp without heaters looms around 72/73 degrees. They seemed perfectly happy without the heaters... active, bubble nests, eating, flaring, swimming, etc. I just added the heaters because I wanted what was best for them. When I checked on them at breakfast, all of the tanks were at 79 degrees. Within an hour, Zevo's was over 100 degrees and he was laying on the bottom. I hurried him out but he was already gone . The other 3 were still at 79. What else but the sudden and drastic temp change would have caused this? He was making bubble nests just this morning .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

This is so sad, and so freaky.. It was a technical accident, you shouldn't blame yourself for it. I'm sorry you lost such an active and happy boy.


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## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

Thank you all for your thoughts. Not to lessen the impact of Zevo's sudden death... this morning while running my quick errands, I rescued a little guy from petco. Having him to care for makes me feel better in a small way.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

At least with Zevo's passing, another betta found a home.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Its an honest mistake hun, every one of has or will do something to this effect eventually  My pre set heaters has one that's a dud. The first heater I bought actually! I put the heater in and went to bed an hour later. 5 hours pass and I woke up and checked on my tank... it was at 92F. This would be kinda ok for if it was a Betta but I had colder tropical fish. They were darting around and panicing. I had to toss ice cubes in, get the heater out ASAP. I am very lucky they survived. Like you, I was trying to do the best thing after I was scolded for not having heaters  I nearly killed them.... sorry, the heater nearly killed them. THE COMPANY nearly killed them. I, like you, was trying to do my best. I took that heater back for a new one.

What I do now is put the heater in a bare tank/clean mop bucket for 24h, and keep checking the temperature. If it stays constant for 24h, it's safe to use. 

I'm sorry about your boy 

Do the test on your other 3 heaters, but by all means get 4 new ones if it makes you feel better. I know it took me a long time to trust heaters again.


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## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

Pitluvs said:


> What I do now is put the heater in a bare tank/clean mop bucket for 24h, and keep checking the temperature. If it stays constant for 24h, it's safe to use.


I did this as well. I heated the tanks for about 12 hours with no fish in them and then monitored them the entire day after I put the fish back in... I thought I had it just right as they never fluctuated from 79 degrees  I guess the 1 heater was just no good or had a short or something... still took the rest out just in case. My larger plant tank has a Fluval 50w that heats very gently and slowly. I wonder if they make a mini heater.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

justemoi said:


> I did this as well. I heated the tanks for about 12 hours with no fish in them and then monitored them the entire day after I put the fish back in... I thought I had it just right as they never fluctuated from 79 degrees  I guess the 1 heater was just no good or had a short or something... still took the rest out just in case. My larger plant tank has a Fluval 50w that heats very gently and slowly. I wonder if they make a mini heater.


I'm using a 50w heater in my tanks, the same ones as yours. I have the Tetra Whisper 2-15. It keeps my 1.5 at a nice 79F. But Fluval makes great products! I just used mine because it's a Tetra tank, so Tetra heaters! Plus, any other heater here is $30+.


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## justemoi (Jul 20, 2011)

Pitluvs;752369I have the [url=http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tetra-Heater-1-ct/10291808 said:


> Tetra Whisper 2-15[/url]. It keeps my 1.5 at a nice 79F. But Fluval makes great products! I just used mine because it's a Tetra tank, so Tetra heaters! Plus, any other heater here is $30+.


Pitluvs, thank you so much for the recommendation! I am obviously pretty gun-shy about a new heater at the moment  I think one of the little pre-set guys will be the way to go.. thank you again.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

What type of heater did you buy the first time?


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## PhilipPhish (Mar 6, 2011)

I'm so sorry...He was a pretty fish.

It was a mistake, don't feel so hard on yourself.

If it helps, maybe have an extra tank on-hand and when you buy a new heater, put it in the extra tank with water and make sure it works.

Its just an idea, but maybe it will help. That way you can make sure that it won't happen again!

I bid you good luck and I hope that you will continue with Betta fish and learn from experience.

: )


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## Orsini (Jul 24, 2011)

Your kindness should be admired. You went above and beyond to make their conditions as great as they could be and happened to get struck by a faulty piece of equipment. Absolutely not your fault, and the others are very lucky to have an owner who goes above and beyond like you. So many fish are not as fortunate.


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## NCBetta (Jul 21, 2011)

Just a freak accident caused by mechanical issues. You can't blame yourself though, I'm sorry for your loss  it's good that you took the other three heaters out though


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