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It's probably a domino effect. I would wait to hear back from the company about that batch and make an official complaint so that they have it on record incase others run across the same problem with that batch. Seems like an ammonia spike caused a few to die, then the resulting ammonia from those deaths spiked it further causing more deaths and so on and so on. You said your wife didn't remove the dead fish until she got home from work, so it could have been exactly like that. I'm also not sure how the biodigest would have caused that, but it's a story line that makes sense in my head. The lack of O2 makes sense too, in a similar way but the ammonia is still the domino effect that takes the rest out after the first few. Boy, it's a bit of a mystery.
Let us know what they say about that batch number and if they have any ideas on what happened as well.
This +1It's probably a domino effect. I would wait to hear back from the company about that batch and make an official complaint so that they have it on record incase others run across the same problem with that batch.
I will let everyone know when I hear back from Prodibio and if I can get some water tests before I get home.
First, I am very sorry you are going through this. Heartbreaking.
This +1
I have been doing a ton of research on nitrifying bacteria in preparation for an article I am writing. Unfortunately, you are far from the first person to experience something like this. These nitrifying bacteria products that require regular and repeated additions are fantastic when they work. They do have one very significant drawback. If you don't add a new batch on time, or if you get a bad batch, the result is an ammonia spike. These products contain nitrifying bacteria that typically will not populate in an aquarium. This is why they require regular dosing. When they work, they work very well. They will consume ammonia so quickly that it prevents the strains of nitrifying bacteria that can reproduce in an aquarium from reaching an effective population. Basically, they prevent your tank from cycling.
I'm not knocking these products. When they work, they work incredibly well. Just like all things, they have a downside. I'm very curious what you hear back from the manufacturer. Keep in mind that it may not be a bad batch, but it could also be improper storage or delivery. To work this well the bacteria must be shipped "live" so they can be harmed by both high and low temperatures.
Having laid out this information, let me make an argument against it. I'm very good at disagreeing with myself. These products generally have a fairly safe window to be late before ammonia would become an issue. Unless you were very late with the dose, and ammonia had been gradually building before the addition, a lack of active bacteria still shouldn't have caused this. If you were very late with the dose then it was probably a coincidence that it happened shortly after adding this vial.
I may have missed this, but has anyone checked the temperature of the tank? It could be a heater stuck on or off.
Just realized I did miss that and you said there was no spike.