Devastated

[Lawsman]

Wife and I did our weekly WC's last night. Woke up this morning and found several dead Dub's. I was devastated! Had these guys for a long time. Water temp was done many times. But, when inquired about the sponge used to clean the glass, the answer was not what one would expect to hear? We sterilize sponges in dishwasher to kill germs, but still rinse them out for and residual soap,etc. I never did get a straight answer on this when I asked my significant other this question? She knows the necessity to rinse, but.....Imagine the tension at our house this morning? I have always just used my rinsed hand to clean the glass, but Wife won't do that?

So, unfortunately, we are looking for some new White Band Dub's in hopes to re-establish colony.

Please PM me if any one knows of any for sale. The sponge thing will never happen again.

[gotticgs]

Sorry bud but filter floss is the way to go

[Complexity]

She knows the necessity to rinse, but.....Imagine the tension at our house this morning? I have always just used my rinsed hand to clean the glass, but Wife won't do that?

I'm very sorry for your loss, but speaking about one's spouse in this manner is disturbing.

[wesleydnunder]

In the future, wetting the sponge and putting in microwave for 60 sec will sterilize it. I keep a set of cleaning sponges and other aids separate from the household cleaning stuff just so things like that don't happen.

Sorry for your loss.

Mark

[gotticgs]

Did you do a w/c again?

[Lawsman]

Yeah, I think the sponge was sterile from a bacteria, germ point of view. But I don't think the rinse cycle in the "sanitizer" mode in the dishwasher completely rids the sponge of dishwater soap? I do like the floss idea.

Vicki, sorry you find my words "disturbing". We just had "tension" trying to keep remainder of fish alive and trying to make it to work on time? Yes, we did discuss the sponge issue discussion because i need to know what may have happened so I could try to remedy the situation.

[Lawsman]

I added carbon to absorb whatever it was introduced into the tank.

[newb]

if that would have happened at my place...I wouldnt have been "disturbed"...I would have been F***ING PISSED!!! I hold a "dont touch my tank" rule in the apartment and that seems to keep any issues like this to a minimum. Really sorry to hear about your loss. I know I messed up once with my dubs and lost about 6-7 of them during a water change...it hurts I know.

[jeebus]

Hard lesson. Sorry for your loss. We use a magna-float or well rinsed and never used filter-floss (one time then disposed of). As for the spouses, don't let something like this ruin a shared experience. A lot of fish keepers can't even get their spouse to look at their tank, much less feed and clean it.

[Complexity]

Vicki, sorry you find my words "disturbing". We just had "tension" trying to keep remainder of fish alive and trying to make it to work on time? Yes, we did discuss the sponge issue discussion because i need to know what may have happened so I could try to remedy the situation.

I can understand that. I may have read more into your words than what was there. What went through my mind was a parent/child situation in which you told her what to do, she wasn't following your rules, wouldn't give you a straight answer, and was now deserving of public blame and ridicule. I think it reminded me of my first husband who somehow expected me to be "Wife" who did whatever he said (even though he wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch). I apologize for reading this into your words.

As far as the sponge, I agree with what others have said. I strongly recommend against using a sponge. I prefer to use filter floss and then discard it after one use.

[myjohnson]

Always sucks to hear this! :evil:

Mistakes happens to everyone. Just don't repeat it!

Sorry for your lost Dude.

[Lawsman]

Jeebus,

I agree with you completely! I like the time we spend together with our tanks. We have the sequence of wc's down pat. It's was just an unfortunate learning experience for both of us. I like the used used floss idea. That way there can be no confusion of what sponge is what?

[jeebus]

Not sure exactly how often you do wc's or how dirty your glass gets, but ever consider just getting a magna-float?

[FrontosaurusRex]

What went through my mind was a parent/child situation in which you told her what to do, she wasn't following your rules, wouldn't give you a straight answer, and was now deserving of public blame and ridicule. I think it reminded me of my first husband who somehow expected me to be "Wife" who did whatever he said

"This week on The View"...

Man that sucks to hear about your Dubs. I have the same rule as my brother. Dont touch my tank and we wont have any problems. Hope you find the Dubs you need to rebuild your colony.

[cameracorpus]

Sorry about the fish. I've found that sponges absorb so much nasty stuff from here and there that the only thing I still use them for is soldering irons. Kitchen no, too much bacteria. Car wash no, dirt gets in the sponge and scratches the paint. I use a magna-float and a single-edged razor. I take a 1/2 by 1/2 stick about 3' long, cut a 45 degree slot in the end, and imbed the razor. DIY scraper for pennies.

I think the floss is also an excellent idea for very cheap, since you had it anyway!