Someone’s dumped half a tub of pellets in my tank

[laezur]

My tank is located in my office, I left for literally maybe 30 minutes and my nephew is visiting. He’s 10 years old, generally knowledgeable about this stuff. He’s found the food on one of my cabinets and dumped almost half a tub or pellets in there…..


I’m desperately trying to vacuum them out now, what else should I do and what should I expect?

 

[ying yang]

First thing I would be doing is vacuum pellets out you can see/ find .
A water change .
And test daily each day for at least a few days,if not a week.
If parameters start rising then water change .


Aw also sit nephew down and find out if was him and if so explain how to act around tank,and the need to tell someone if do something and made a mistake / accident .
Goodluck.

Edit: maybe good idea when you think you got them all,get your powerhead and aim towards the rock to try dislodge some if they got caught in the rocks.

If any sponges/ filter socks in your sump,keep checking here incase get there and just decomposing.

 

[Nanojoe]

Keep an eye on ammonia too. Just clean it out the best you can and the water change like said above.

 

[laezur]

First thing I would be doing is vacuum pellets out you can see/ find .
A water change .
And test daily each day for at least a few days,if not a week.
If parameters start rising then water change .


Aw also sit nephew down and find out if was him and if so explain how to act around tank,and the need to tell someone if do something and made a mistake / accident .
Goodluck.

Edit: maybe good idea when you think you got them all,get your powerhead and aim towards the rock to try dislodge some if they got caught in the rocks.

If any sponges/ filter socks in your sump,keep checking here incase get there and just decomposing.

Cheers I’ve got most of what is visible with a combination of the vacuum and turkey baster to try suck up individuals. I can only see what I would call an acceptable amount of pellets on the sand for my cleanup crew to gather over the next few hours.

It was him, I sat him down and asked if he made a mistake and explained why he can’t do that and should ask me if he wants to feed the fish.

He’s autistic, so I can’t be too mad. It’s not the end of the world, there’s just a lot of money in that tank lol.

He’s always shown interest in the tank and everytime he’s visited I’ve let him feed them supervised so clearly a mistake.

 

[ying yang]

Cheers I’ve got most of what is visible with a combination of the vacuum and turkey baster to try suck up individuals. I can only see what I would call an acceptable amount of pellets on the sand for my cleanup crew to gather over the next few hours.

It was him, I sat him down and asked if he made a mistake and explained why he can’t do that and should ask me if he wants to feed the fish.

He’s autistic, so I can’t be too mad. It’s not the end of the world, there’s just a lot of money in that tank lol.

He’s always shown interest in the tank and everytime he’s visited I’ve let him feed them supervised so clearly a mistake.

Yeah things happen in life, just got to do best to limit them hey.
Hopefully all is well.
All you can do now is monitor your parameters and hopefully if is some pellets left in there,your biological filter and cuc get them,maybe even your fish if they eat off the sandbed

 

[laezur]

Yeah things happen in life, just got to do best to limit them hey.
Hopefully all is well.
All you can do now is monitor your parameters and hopefully if is some pellets left in there,your biological filter and cuc get them,maybe even your fish if they eat off the sandbed

One thing I did learn from this experience is seemingly overnight my clownfish female has decided she’s very brave and wants to start biting me hahahah

 

[ying yang]

One thing I did learn from this experience is seemingly overnight my clownfish female has decided she’s very brave and wants to start biting me hahahah

Only had mine 14 month and 2 inch or so now and got as tiny juveniles and last 6 month or so if try grab empty shells out tank ( feed clams/ oysters/scallops/ ) then that's the clownfishes queue to try bite me,so there I am 6 foot 2 macho man pulling my hands away from a 2 Inch clown incase bites me ha ha

So I chase them away with the tweezers and grab an empty shell quick lol

 

[laezur]

Only had mine 14 month and 2 inch or so now and got as tiny juveniles and last 6 month or so if try grab empty shells out tank ( feed clams/ oysters/scallops/ ) then that's the clownfishes queue to try bite me,so there I am 6 foot 2 macho man pulling my hands away from a 2 Inch clown incase bites me ha ha

So I chase them away with the tweezers and grab an empty shell quick lol

I started swooshing back at them eventually show them who’s boss lol. It was like a Mexican standoff with my clown.

Anyway, my water is STINKING of fish food right now, really strong fishy smell that’s filled the room. Is this something I should be worried about? When I cleaned out the food I could find I also did a 40-50% wager change just trying to get them out

 

[Sharkbait19]

Monitor params and keep up on the water changes. You’ll probably get an algae bloom in a few days…
Most important I’d say is to keep the food out of reach so it doesn’t happen again.

 

[laezur]

Monitor params and keep up on the water changes. You’ll probably get an algae bloom in a few days…
Most important I’d say is to keep the food out of reach so it doesn’t happen again.

He’s 10 years old, and a smart 10 year old at that, unless I keep it in the literal food cupboard he’d be able to find it if he went looking lol. My housemate probably wouldn’t appreciate fish food in the food cupboard.

With that said, it is a lesson learned. I keep all of my equipment and food in a drawer, I’ll be moving some of that stuff to a more private area.

Now I just need to get rid of this awful fishy smell my water has

 

[laezur]

I’m now seeing a bloom of algae, and possibly diatoms? In the sand??? Weird.

 

[ying yang]

If having an algae bloom /or is it bacterial bloom ? and water possibly cloudy,make sure lots of surface agitation or even add an airstone to dt or sump if it is,maybe even open a window ( incase your house well Insulated and lots of people/and or dogs in your house driving up the co2) and let some fresh air in so when that surface agitation and gas exchange happens its helping oxygenate your water as the algae bloom can deplete oxygen in the tank as they use it up etc.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’m now seeing a bloom of algae, and possibly diatoms? In the sand??? Weird.

Doesn’t surprise me. Lots of nutrients just went in for the algae to feed off of.

 

[SmCaudata]

He’s 10 years old, and a smart 10 year old at that, unless I keep it in the literal food cupboard he’d be able to find it if he went looking lol. My housemate probably wouldn’t appreciate fish food in the food cupboard.

With that said, it is a lesson learned. I keep all of my equipment and food in a drawer, I’ll be moving some of that stuff to a more private area.

Now I just need to get rid of this awful fishy smell my water has

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