Clear box of dead fish.

[Mastermind]

Hey guys, back in December, I mysteriously lost a clownfish. No dead fish, just a missing fish. I looked for about a month, then gave up and bought another one to replace it. Well, about 2 weeks ago, the replacement clown went missing. No body, no nothing. Last week, I get a call from my fiance saying that my Green Mandarin is dead on the sandbed. Today I get a call from my fiance saying that my remaining female clown is nose down in the sandbed, dead. I don't think it's a pest killing my fish, since the last two we found the fully in-tact bodies. I was thinking it may have been water parameters, so I just checked everything I have a test kit for.

Salinity 1.026
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphates .5ppm
Calcium - 480
dKH - 179

I lost the card for my pH, in the process of trying to find it. Anything else I should be looking at? My tank now has nothing but hermits living in it. And algae. Lots of algae.

P.S. This tank has been up and running for ~3-4 years in various forms. In case it's important, I ran Phosban for about 3 weeks starting early January. Replaced it with carbon shortly thereafter. Ran carbon until today.

 

[jwm2k3]

I highly doubt your nitrAtes are at zero if you have lots of algae. Get a new test kit and see if the results are different.

 

[Korrine]

My nitrates show 0 and I have algea. Fairly new Salifert test kit too. Used to show some nitrate, but not anymore.

 

[Mastermind]

I highly doubt your nitrAtes are at zero if you have lots of algae. Get a new test kit and see if the results are different.

I literally opened the new test kit, took the tests, and posted the results here. I've always been under the impression that Nitrates and Phosphates can show 0 even with ALOT of algae, because the algae is using everything in the water available to them.

 

[Korrine]

yep

 

[jwm2k3]

Hmmm. my theory is busted then. Best of luck figuring it out. Sorry for the loss.

 

[snorvich]

What all is in the tank with the fish? Temperature? Any contaminants? Size of tank? Feeding?

 

[Mastermind]

What all is in the tank with the fish? Temperature? Any contaminants? Size of tank? Feeding?

~40lbs live rock + ~40lbs live sand. 6 Hermits 2 snails, pistol shrimp. 78.1F No known contaminants. Tank is a few feet from cat litter box. 33g long tank. No particular feeding scedule... Once every day or two.

 

[LukFox]

Is the kitty litter scented or particularly dusty? Has it always been next to the tank? Are you trying out a new kind of litter?

For food, is any of it new? I've heard of bad batches of pellets or flakes killing fish. If you feed frozen, did you have a power outage leading to it thawing out? That could make it bad as well.

 

[Mastermind]

Is the kitty litter scented or particularly dusty? Has it always been next to the tank? Are you trying out a new kind of litter?

For food, is any of it new? I've heard of bad batches of pellets or flakes killing fish. If you feed frozen, did you have a power outage leading to it thawing out? That could make it bad as well.

The litter is scented, and not too terribly dusty. It's been next to the tank for the year that we've been in this apartment. My fiance changed brands last week, but that wouldn't explain the first two missing clowns. I've been using this container of pellet for for quite some time... is it possible for food to go bad from being old? This thing is probably 2 years+ old, but I've obviously never had a problem with it before.

 

[Recty]

Did your fiance maybe think she would be nice and clean the tank with Windex or something and possibly a little overspray got into the tank or sump or something like that?

 

[Mastermind]

Did your fiance maybe think she would be nice and clean the tank with Windex or something and possibly a little overspray got into the tank or sump or something like that?

I wish I could say yes to all of these questions, so that I could figure out some sort of answer. I trained her years ago to spray windex on a paper towel, in the other room, then come back in the room and clean the glass.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

How are you measuring salinity? If it's a refractometer, when is the last time it was calibrated?

When was your last water change and how much did you change?

 

[wooden_reefer]

Hey guys, back in December, I mysteriously lost a clownfish. No dead fish, just a missing fish. I looked for about a month, then gave up and bought another one to replace it. Well, about 2 weeks ago, the replacement clown went missing. No body, no nothing. Last week, I get a call from my fiance saying that my Green Mandarin is dead on the sandbed. Today I get a call from my fiance saying that my remaining female clown is nose down in the sandbed, dead. I don't think it's a pest killing my fish, since the last two we found the fully in-tact bodies. I was thinking it may have been water parameters, so I just checked everything I have a test kit for.

Salinity 1.026
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphates .5ppm
Calcium - 480
dKH - 179

I lost the card for my pH, in the process of trying to find it. Anything else I should be looking at? My tank now has nothing but hermits living in it. And algae. Lots of algae.

P.S. This tank has been up and running for ~3-4 years in various forms. In case it's important, I ran Phosban for about 3 weeks starting early January. Replaced it with carbon shortly thereafter. Ran carbon until today.

Water quality is only a necessary background. Disease control is another imprtant factor. Some bacteria infection can be rapid in progress.

What are you doing to control pathogenic bacteria in a tank? Hint: immunity, water quality, nutrition are not enough.

I am not saying it is bacterial, but fish can die for many reasons and it is best to reduce as many causes as possible,

 

[surfjeepzx]

Besides the fact that algae is a prime indicator of water parameters that are out of balance, algae is also a major consumer of oxygen in the tank. If your water movement doesn't generate sufficient aeration for aquatic life then that is probably the issue. Your fish suffocated.

 

[silverfly]

Sorry man

 

[NarakuAulonocar]

Since you already tested the parameters, I would increase the water circulation.
Check for possible contaminants.


Clowns are either hardy or not good.
It all depends on the source.
Did your clowns have a white milky film on their bodies or fin.
If so, they likely had brookanella (spelling?)
I would try to get clowns from a different source considering that you already purchased from them twice.

The mandarin fish is a delicate fish and usually only feed on live foods.

good luck

 

[Untamed12]

Besides the fact that algae is a prime indicator of water parameters that are out of balance, algae is also a major consumer of oxygen in the tank. If your water movement doesn't generate sufficient aeration for aquatic life then that is probably the issue. Your fish suffocated.

Nitrate and phosphate levels aren't very toxic...especially to fish.

I agree with the above. Oxygen levels aren't something we test for, yet low oxygen can kill fish fast.

The other quick killer is, of course, ammonia. I know your ammonia test read 0...but ammonia test kits are often wrong. Just ensure your ammonia test is fresh.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Actually, algae will utilize carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the water as it undergoes photosynthesis. That's why many folks will light their macroalgae-filled refugium on a schedule opposite their display lighting. It minimizes fluctuations in carbon dioxide, and as a result, fluctuations in pH.

My hunch is still an out of whack refractometer. If he did a water change and increased salinity quickly, it will kill fish, sometimes over the course of a week or two.

I'm also curious if there's any corals in the aquarium and what effects, if any, they're showing.

 

[LisaD]

Actually, algae will utilize carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the water as it undergoes photosynthesis. That's why many folks will light their macroalgae-filled refugium on a schedule opposite their display lighting. It minimizes fluctuations in carbon dioxide, and as a result, fluctuations in pH.

but if you DON'T have a refugium on an opposite schedule, at night, plant metabolism consumes oxygen, doesn't it? and can cause fluctuations in pH? so if the tank isn't lit 24/7 fluctuations in oxygen and pH are possible, no?

see here, for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photorespiration

Even if the O2 emission is a net positive, if O2 is consumed at night and oxygen is not produced, wouldn't you risk depleted oxygen and pH fluctuations?

I should know this, I'm actually a plant scientist, but it's been a long time since I had to study or use this...