Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Do fishtank heaters release chemicals when they blow up? How can I save my fish?

The heater on my saltwater tank blew up. There is a strong electrical burn smell. My only fish is near death. Don't know what it is that is killing him exactly. Chemical in the heater itself, glass shard he ingested, or the shock of when it blew up.



Any ideas to save my fish? Should I change the water, and possibly shock him more?



Will I need to do a complete water change before getting new fish (assuming I lose my current fish)?Do fishtank heaters release chemicals when they blow up? How can I save my fish?
The most likely cause is a small electrical charge electrocuted the fish when the heater blew up. Theres not much you can do with this as the water in the tank would have conduted it, and salt water conducts electricity better than fresh.



The burning smell also suggests electrical charge. Turn off your heater if you have not already done so, and if and when the fish dies, strip down the tank as you need to remove all the shards of glass, possibly even replace the sand or gravel altogether and replace with fresh. If theres only one fish, then starting again from scratch isn't so bed. If you have any inverts, they will die as well as they are more delicate than fish. Even hard corals will be killed though they don't look it.Do fishtank heaters release chemicals when they blow up? How can I save my fish?
DID U TAKE THE HEATER OUT YET???Do fishtank heaters release chemicals when they blow up? How can I save my fish?
i recommend carefully changing your fish form his current bowl to a new clean one. if he ate a piece if glass he is most likely not going to survive. i dont know believe that there is any chemicals in heaters so shock is the most probable cause.Do fishtank heaters release chemicals when they blow up? How can I save my fish?
Remove the heater from the water.



Treat the water with tapsafe or aquasafe which contains chemicals which will destress your fish.



Keep the water at a good temprature. Contact an aquarium shop for new heatr (even when shops are closed they will normally stock a few spares in their vans for such emergemcies - ring the mobile number.