Massive Casualties (2 Questions)

[Stykman]

Saturday Night, I went upstairs to get my son into bed, and when we walked in, we went right to feed the his fish. One Problem...3 Cories, and 3 Neons were Dead on the gravel. Then I noticed the tank was HOT to the touch. I looked at the thermometer, and it was close to 100 degrees.

I sent my son downstairs to get as much Ice as he could, and I went for the tank heater. I pulled it out and unplugged it. It's a submearsible, and the temp was set for 80. I did notice a small bit of Condensation on the Inside of the tube.

We dumped in all the ice we had in the freezer, did a 50% water change, putting in cold tap water...which in the Summertime, isn't Super Cold, maybe 70. We got the temp down to about 88. We removed the 6 dead fish, and hoped the rest would be ok.

Yesterday we found the remaining Cory dead, and 1 of the Swordtails.

I have no idea how long the fish were exposed to the extream temps. All seems to be back under control now. I'm assuming the heater just "went". It is about 10 years old.

I have 2 questions:

1 - Is there a general concensus with all of the hobbists on a "lifetime" for a heater, when you should just get rid of them and replace?

2 - There are still 5 guppies, 4 Swordtails, 2 Plecos, and a Chineese Algea Eater left. Do you think they are in the clear? Or has the exposure to the high heat taken it's toll, and it's just a matter of time, before they die?

[epond83]

I would think at this point they will be ok, although stressed so keep an eye on everything. Some one might correct me but droping the temp that fast might have also stressed the fish, i know high temp is deadly (but you know that) also fast temp swing can over stress, i think taking the heater out, adding ice, taking the top off and blowing a fan over it would have been good. The water change might have been too much too fast.
Once the heater dries out it might be fine, the water in there can cross the connection and keep the heater on, the onlt problem is if water got in it can get in again so i would use it as a non submearsible if you want to use it again.

But hey I'm glad to hear some surived.

[Stykman]

I did consider the quick change back down, but in my own mind I out weighed that against bringing it down slow.

It did take a good 24 hours to get all the way back to normal.

[roark fishies]

The only thing I would thing to watch out for is other diseases that the stress of everything might have caused. Of course, those high temps probably wiped out any potential ich or such!
That sucks. I would be scared to use that heater again.

[brian1973]

I wish I could help with the lifetime of a heater question but I have no idea, but I would not use that heater again, I have to agree that if anymore where going to die they probably already would have. Goodluck and hopefully you dont lose anymore.

[VicVegas84]

I would say that it would differ upon manufacturer and the conditions in which its used. Its ultimately the failure of a gasket that likely dried out over time and thus let in the water. There must be a heater out there that fails intentionally by design when it has taken on water.

[Lotus]

Sorry for your fish loss I think those that have survived to this point are likely to make it through.

Definitely toss the old heater. Unfortunately, heaters sometimes stick "on" or stop working. Like much electrical equipment these days, they're usually poorly made and only meant to last a few years. The favorites for reliability seem to be Jager heaters and Stealth heaters, although I've heard cases of both failing.

[iapetus]

Originally Posted by Lotus

The favorites for reliability seem to be Jager heaters and Stealth heaters, although I've heard cases of both failing.

Lotus, which do you use?

[Lotus]

I use Jager heaters.

[AlyKat]

I've got 2 Aquaclear submersibles that have been very reliable for a few years now. My water is always a constant 78*. The 20G I've got an older filter in it and it's not nearly as reliable. It doesn't maintain a temp without LOTS of messing around with the thermostat. Gonna get a new one this winter...as I don't need 1 in the summer.

Watch those fish for signs of disease...the first (and only) time I ever had Ich, my LFS guy asked me if I had recently done a water change. I had, in fact, done one a few days before...he told me that the water temp I added wasn't the same temp as the tank water, and that's why I had the outbreak of ich. I don't know if that's actually true, but since I bought a small thermometer for water change day to make sure the temp going in is the same as what came out I've never had another ich outbreak...