Death + Ammonia Levels?

[Kanicky]

Well, our Coral Beauty died today- sometime between this morning and this evening. She's usually shy and will only come out to feed and swim around a few times. When I came home to greet her and my two percs, I checked her cave and couldn't see her "treading water" like she usually does.

I immediately checked the parameters:

pH: 8.0
Ammonia: Looks like it's .025 but not quite, so a little lower
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
Temp: 80.5

Sooo, we shone a bright LED light into her cave and saw our Emerald crab and hermit crabs tearing a chunk into her

Thank GOD the cave she was in is accessible from the back with a simple move of a piece of LR that doesn't have anything resting on it. We got her out of there and reassembled her cave.

The two percs seem great, as usual. They're having fun playing in the currents and swimming alongside each other.

Should we be okay, ammonia-wise, since we caught her death fairly quickly? Anything else we can do?

 

[sir_dudeguy]

first thing, what test kit was it? Was it a reliable one like salifert? If not, retest.

But anyways, it sounds like 1 of 2 things. The amonia, altho pretty low (but it still needs to be 0) may have killed the fish and then the crab was eating it up. Or what could have happened (and what i believe probably happened) was the emerald crab got the fish, and the dead fish began to make amonia. That is if the crab is a good enough size.

But either way, i strongly suggest about a 20% water change to keep that amonia down.

 

[Tiki G.]

Kanicky, on 2/17 you posted in the New to Hobby forum that you just set the tank up with your live rock and everything was looking good according to your test (see below). Personally, I do not think your tank has ever gone through a complete cycle or went through another cycle after you put the rock in there. Usually it takes longer than 6 days for a tank to fully cycle. Looks to me like you might have rushed it a little putting the fish in there possibly. Honestly, I hope the Percs survive (keeps fingers crossed). Not trying to discourage you, but during your cycle you should have seen a high spike in ammonia first, nitrites next, then your nitrates. After all subside to where they need to be then you are ready for your stock over another period of time between each fish. You should have gone through a similar cycle before ever putting anything in there. Maybe you did, but I do not remember reading that your cycle was ever in full effect. I always let my tanks cycle for at least 4-5 weeks before I ever introduce anything to the tank just to be safe. Some people experience a fast cycle. I never have, but it does happen from what I have read. I hope I am wrong that your tank didn't cycle fully. I am just trying to offer a friendly suggestion as to why it happened I hope you are enjoying the tank and the hobby of saltwater. You'll get the hang of it, just do not be in any hurry with it.

Sorry for the loss. We all loose fish in this hobby. Usually in the beginning though when we are learning. It might have been sick when you brought it home. Who knows.


02/17/2007 04:15 PM

Kanicky wrote:

First parameter readings
Hello all! Well, we finally got our live rock last night and were up till 2:00 this morning getting it "just right." It looks gorgeous! Water is crystal clear and the aquascaping is pretty cool. We have 50 lbs of live rock in a 45 gallon tank; 25 lbs of Aragonite sand; and 10 lbs of live sand

We did our first parameter reading this morning...

(Taken from Marine Enterprises' Deluxe Marine Master Saltwater Test Center"

pH: 8.0
Ammonia: .025
Nitrites: .1
Nitrates: 10 p.p.m
Temp: 80

How are the readings? Normal?

 

[Kanicky]

Yes, it went through it's full cycle. The LR was fully cured when we got it (from a friend who is dismantling one of his many aquariums) and we went through a short cycle where everything spiked and dropped when it should have. I've been monitoring the parameters all week and everything has been great.

For example, yesterday, the Nitrates were at 10 p.p.m., Nitrites were 0, Ammonia was 0, and pH was 8.0 .

I'm assuming the fish might have been sick, but I guess I'll never know. I'm going to go home during my lunch hour today and check the parameters.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Tiki G.]

Well it sure sounds like it cycled then, so I guess you can rule that out. Maybe it was just ill when you brought it home. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what's happening in this hobby. Don't let it get you frustrated though. You sound like your learning quickly and are good at investigating things. We are all still learning. It never ends.......