Disaster in the Limia Tank

[Hipkangaroo]

The bulb in the tank went out, and a day later, 95% of my Cryptocoryne wendtii is gone. Some of the snails are huge too, so they've been feasting on something. All of the Limia adults have died, all I believe from age-related causes. The worst part of this is that I can only see 1 (maybe 2) fry. So any hope of a surviving generation is pretty much gone. Hopefully I can save and raise the remaining fry.

The only positives I can see to this is that it opens up a tank for Kryptolebias marmoratus, a species I REALLLLY want to get, and that I see at least five very colorful ramshorn snails, which I have never seen before in my aquariums. And there's an albino amongst them. I would much rather have my beloved fry back though.

So, the whole myth thing about the lights out actually has some creedence? Or is this like the whole water change being toxic nonsense? The filter provides pretty decent aeration, so unless decomposing fish/plants was the culprit, is there any possiblilty of CO2 poisoning? I have no idea what to do with the roots of the crypts (which are living, and kind of regrowing), or my Java Ferns, which are riddled with holes. I would very much appreciate some suggestions. There will be a definite water change... but is there anything that I can do?

[C. Andrew Nelson]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

[Diana]

Sad when things like that happen. It does give you a chance to redo things, though, more thoroughly than if there were fish in the tank.

Lights out for a day rarely kills plants, unless there were other issues going on.
Crypts can come back from the roots.

Holes in Java Fern sounds like potassium deficiency.

Most snails are not great at eating sturdy, healthy plants. If there is any weakness, or soft spots the snails can move right in, and, starting at the weak spot, get going into the whole rest of the leaf.

Once the plants lose some leaves, or the snails start eating more (and pooping more) or a fish dies the ammonia can spike up, and this can stress or kill the other fish. Snails seem to survive, though.

I would indeed start with a water change, and clean everything you can. Vacuum the substrate the best you can without disturbing the plants, or accept that you going to replant and go ahead and really disturb stuff. I would definitely lift rocks and wood to vacuum well under them, even if you do not dig up or replant the plants.

Then do the fishless cycle if needed to help the bacteria recover and get ready for the new fish.