Chromis Chaos

[artsketcher123]

My 250 Gal has been cycling for over a month now, and polyps and other plants are growing happily. I added 2 chromis, a purple lobster, horseshoe crab, lawn mower blenny, conch, snails, peppermint shrimp, halloween crabs. The
chromis were doing well, then one of them just would not eat. ever. The other happily ate all the food. A week went by, and the one that would not eat
died. Now the other is depressed since it is lonely, and has been hiding.
Just since that, it has collected white dust on it. At first I thought it was ich,
but I think it is just sand stuck to him from being stressed about being lonely. Any other ideas? I am pretty sure he is going to die from stress. Before I had noticed he was sick, I had went shopping for more fish. I bought a Tomini tang and a bubble tip anemone. I was reluctant to put the fish in since the other
was sick, but the tang had been in the bag too long. Plus the blenny looks healthy and has no white dust looking ich. Also, I found the remains of my
purple lobster today, :,( which was very upsetting. Something, I am guessing the horseshoe crab, had ate it. He was split open and sucked dry. Nothing else in there is capable of that. Ideas? Much appreciated. Water quality is good, I check every morning on everything since the tank is new. I have a sump, skimmer, great lighting, digital themometer, RODI filter for all water, live sand and rock.

 

[nlgill13]

The lobster might have molted its shell. Sounds like the chromis has ich (sand like dust stuck to is usually the first visual sign). You will need to quarintine the chromis and all other fish (and treat them)...Leave your DT clear of fish for 6-8 weeks.

 

[sfmacguy]

nlgill13 has it right, definitely sounds like ich But on a happier note, it does sound like the lobster may have molted. Do you happen to have a picture? Maybe able to tell you for sure

 

[Michael]

You have made a major mistake which most rookies make by overloading the tank with livestock before you have established ammonia poisoning has been illiminated by beneficial biological filtration matured on your live rock pores. your choice of stock after just one month of cycling is the reason they are dying or not fairing well, even a large tank volume of 250 gallons won't protect any stock due to ammonia poisoning, you need to test regulary and ensure the water is of quality before adding stock.

 

[artsketcher123]

no. ammonia is not the issue. I check all the time. My tank has been cycling since June.

 

[Michael]

ammonia is the issue IME and IMO, you added stock too quickly and are suffering for it, I bet you have tested ammonia with a salifert kit and it is cloudy? no, well if not then how are you testing for it?