Crash! 100% Fish Death

[Fishfest]

Hi just thought mebe someone on here could answer my questions to why all my fish suddenly died. My tank is a 55gallon with a wet/dry filter. The tank is fully cycled and is about 3 months old. MYY levels were all at zero exept ph 8.2. temp 78 degrees. The fis were as follows: 1 yellow tang. 1 powder brown tang 2 clakie clowns and a cleaner wrasse. Also 15 hermit crabs and one queen conch. The crabs a and conch are fine.

The yellow tang was first to go. Then the Powder brown, next was the wrasse followed by one clarkie and then the other. The powder brown was in the tank 4 one month and got ick shortly after I got him. Nothing else got ick and seemed to be doing fine.

As soon as the fish started dieing I checked my levels. My ammonia had jumped to 0.15 . I than did a 25% water change to drop the ammonia. the ammonia levels dropped but 4 days came back up to 0.15 so I did another 25% water change. The ammonia levels came back up again.

Before I found out about the ammonia I added one neon damsel who appears to be doing just fine.

1. Was it the ammonia that killed my fish?

2. How do I get this ammonia under controll?

 

[buldog]

Ammonia kills

Ammonia kills

Ammonia means your tank did not completely cycle or for some reason had to recycle again. Ammonia is the most deadly of the nitrogen cycle. You cannot have any ammonia and very little or no nitrite for the fish to live. Don't add any more fish so your tank can completely cycle.

 

[leebca]

One concern would be that in general, your tank was too young for the fish you added. The Powder Brown Tang is a challenging fish to maintain since it requires good water quality. I'd say you rushed things too quickly and you didn't cure your fishes of the disease.

Proceed slowly. Use a quarantine system for the future:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.htm

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

And your tank is way to small for these fish. The Powder Brown especially. And I can tell you from experience with this fish...they bring in all sorts of parasites. I have battled ich with this guy and am now battling some other kind of parasite. Always quarantine your new fish . Research before you buy, make sure the fish you place in your tank will live there comfortably. Placing an active fish that will grow quite large in a small tank causes much stress to the fish. They're growth will be stunted and they will die prematurely


Oh and












[welcome]

 

[Fishfest]

Thanks for all the info. I wonder how long it will take my tank to finish the cycle this time. The owner of the store that sold me the powder brown should have mentioned these issues when I bought the fish, he knows i only have young 55 gallon. Well I think I still have lots of reading to do and i hope the tank will finish cycling soon so I can get some new fish.

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

Did you add all the fish at the same time or within a month of each other? That's a lot of fish to add all at once to that size tank. That is where your ammonia reading is coming from. One [or more]of the fish obviously had a parasite and/or other disease [my bets are on the Powder Brown] You stated the PB had ich shortly after introduction to your tank, was he in the tank first? Are you sure it was ich? As far as the Cleaner Wrasse, these fish should be left in the ocean. Most don't live in captivity so it probably would have died no matter what.
Everyone makes mistakes when they first start up, your not the first to have fish die on the first try and you won't be the last. Your here, so you want to learn and that is the is the first step to being successful.
I suggest you buy a 20 or 30 gallon quarentine tank. Walmart has kits that are pretty reasonable. Get it set up and get it cycled . Research all potential fish BEFORE you buy and when you do buy them quarantine them for 1 month before placing them in your main. If they have any kind of problems, you can deal with one fish.

If I may suggest a few nice fish for a 55 gallon since I am a member of the RC 'Tang Police'
A Dwarf Angel is a good fish for this size tank. Great personalities! Coral Beauties or Argi''s are good choices for beginners.
Ocellaris Clowns, a pair! Love them [avoid Wild caught Clowns]
Sixline Wrasse, very active fish
Dottybacks [but not with a Sixline!!!]
Really, I could go on and on. Just take your time..read and learn!

Good luck!

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

PS...I trust very few lfs . They want to sell you a fish and most don't care what size tank it ends up in.

 

[Fishfest]

I added the yellow and one clown first, Followed by the second clown about 3 weeks later. About a month later I added the powder brown as well as the wrasse. You are right I better get a QT tank asap. Are Yellow Tangs realy too big for my 55gal? How big should their tank be? (one yellow only). As for other tangs I think I better stay away from them for a while. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[reverendmaynard]

Never rely on a LFS to tell you not to buy something. Some will try to do right, but most just want to sell you whatever your asking about. If it dies, that's more business for them when you buy a replacement.