Eric A Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Hi all. Not a great start to the day. Last night I decided I would add some blanched pumpkin to the tank to feed my bristlenose catfish. I usually stick with Zucchini but wanted to change it up a bit. Anyway I blanched it in a small bowl of just boiled water and then microwaved it in the water for 20 seconds (didn't really do much I know). I put it in the tank and when I woke this morning and checked on them all the rainbows were nose down tail up. They all had deep colours and what not and no damage to their bodies, no ripped fins, no redness or inflammation that I could see from looking over them once they were out. The only thing that's changed was the pumpkin. Their tankmates are 4 albino bristlenose and a big SAE. They were Coen River Trifas. Now I know nothing I can do will bring them back but I just wanted to know why it happened. Does anybody have any insight so I can learn and help others in the future? I know I wont be trying pumpkin again that's for sure. Thanks for your help in advance, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pony-tail Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I feed BOILED pumpkin in my rainbow tanks . I have yet to have an issue . It may have been a contaminant on the skin of the pumpkin . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric A Posted August 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I wouldn't think there would be much difference in the boiled vs blanced, unless theres some sort of toxin or something that is deactivated when it's boiled the whole way through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pony-tail Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I would not either unless the pumpkin had pesticide on it . The bristlenose did not show any signs of stress ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubby Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Sorry to hear that what kind of Rainbows did you lose ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric A Posted August 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Bristlenose and SAE are fine, the SAE is skittish this morning but I think thats because he used to cruise about with the rainbows and now he's on his own. Grubby, they were Coen River Trifas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pony-tail Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Bristlenose and SAE are fine, the SAE is skittish this morning but I think thats because he used to cruise about with the rainbows and now he's on his own.Grubby, they were Coen River Trifas. Surprising - rainbows are way tuffer than SAE . Was thinking copper but the Bristle is ok , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pony-tail Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I would do a 1/3 waterchange to dilute the contaminant - then run some activated carbon to pull out any remaining nasties that may have caused the problem . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric A Posted August 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Yeah did water change right away and the tank always runs carbon. Im stumped and it annoys me that it happened for no obvious reason. At least if I knew I could avoid it and help others avoid it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedecider Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Dissolved oxygen ? pumpkin fouls water alot more than zuchini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
none Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Dissolved oxygen ? pumpkin fouls water alot more than zuchini Very likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pony-tail Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I have pumpkin in quite a few of my tanks a lot of the time without issue - The sae are usually one of the first to go - if o2 is low they sit at the top 1 mm of water gasping . It would take a lot of pumpkin to drop o2 levels low enough to be fatal Although that depends on load and tank size . I do not usually stock my tanks heavily . I do not know how many rainbows in what size tank - but the OP did not give any indication of the tank being heavily stocked . I think it was too after the feeding for an ammonia spike unless the tank was not properly cycled . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
none Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 What type of filtration? It could be that the pumpkin clogged up the filter and reduced the rate of flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny@ageofaquariums Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 (edited) Its very oxygen intensive for microbes to break down pumpkin. The fact it liquifies when rotting or cooked means water column microbes multiply very rapidly in respose. What is called a dead zone event. The rainbows may have been first.... but likely sae and bn would have followed if it got worse. Not a fan of cooking pumpkin or leaving it in longer than 24h. What type of pumpkin? They vary so very much. I caused an epic peppermint bn wipe out with one of those grey skinned jap (also called kent) pumpkins. Edited August 22, 2015 by Donny@ageofaquariums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven3838 Posted November 4, 2015 Report Share Posted November 4, 2015 I was given advice from a long time breeder not to use pumpkin because it fowles the tank and stick to zucinni/lettuce(remove within 24hrs).if you do use pumpkin,or even cucumber,remove it within a few hours to prevent these problems.Some fish are an exception because some fish wait for the veg's to break down before consuming them..experience comes at a cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
