fish died, why????

fishola

New member
Hi Everyone,

This is a 3 part posting since I am currently experiencing 3 problems. To begin, I have a 34 gallon red sea max with about 60 pounds of live rock. The tanks about 2 months old. From the beginning I've had a fire goby, coral beauty, mandarin fish, and cleaner shrimp. I tested my water 3 days ago and the water was great. So here's the issues:

1) For about a week I have noticed a redish brown film that has been on the surface of the water. I pointed my pumps toward the water surface to agitate the water but this did not help much. I also confirmed that the protein skimmers was still working. What is this film? How do I remove it? Water tested fine even though the film was there.

2) I added two clownfish (wild) to the tank on Sunday (3 days ago). (1) 2 inch large clownfish with vibrant colors (he looked nice and hardy and strong too) and (1) 1 inch clown fish who happens to be the real Nemo since he only has 1 fin. I fed them last night and the large clown fish ate well and swam around the tank as usual. He didn't display any signs of sickness. However, when I got home from work today he was dead and laying on the floor being eaten by my hermitt crabs. What do you think caused this? Could it have something to do with the red film?

3) The last problem is that the small 1 fin Clown fish does not seem to be eating. I am feeding all my fish (since they are all on the small side) frozen brine shrip with spirulina. He seems to be a little excited when the food hits the water but then just seems to not see the food or something. None of the fish are stealing the food in front of him. Ocassionally he'll eat a small piece of brine and then just spit it out. Am I feeding him the right food? Why isn't he eating? What can I do to get him to eat?

Sorry to make this post so long. Thanks for your help!
 
Without knowing more details of your livestock, parameters and husbandry of your tank it would be hard to give you any accurate information.
 
we checked the ammonia was 0, nitrate was 0 and the ph normal, nitrite was 0. we have a thick brown film constantly on the top. our skimmer is working. now, we have 60 lbs of live rock in a 34 gl tank. any other info needed let me know. thanks you for the quick respons
 
Call me a minimalist, but it seems you're now at your stocking point.

Also, I hate to be a detractor, but your tank is also way too new for a mandarin, unless he eats the frozen or pellet that you're feeding (they usually don't, usually only graze, which for a grazer, that tank is too small).

How often are you doing water changes? In my experience, water changes are the single most important thing to ever do, pay attention to, or be consistent with in a nano tank. I didn't do water changes, and now I'm paying the price (overgrown algae, even with phosban, skimmer, etc).

Cool Nemo though. If he continues to not eat, maybe add some Selcon to the food, try live food, or try frozen cyclopeeze (I believe clownfish are planktivores, in which case they'd go insane for cyclopeeze).
 
paul post more specific questions.

reefwreak- the red sea max has lots of organisms for the mandarine to eat. also, thanks for responding so quick
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11626739#post11626739 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jewfish
paul post more specific questions.

reefwreak- the red sea max has lots of organisms for the mandarine to eat. also, thanks for responding so quick

Mandarins will easily eat all the pod population in a 75g tank with over two hundred pounds of live rock so I would keep an eye on its stomach to make sure it's not starving.

About the brown film ontop of the water, I would up the flow so nothing will settle.

When was the last time you did a water change? How did you acclimate the fish? Are you having spikes in temperature? Did you buy the clownfish as a pair?

-Matthew
 
I think I know where he bought the fish and they had been there for 2 weeks. the nemo was cute and the other very nice. I didn't really pay attention to how they were eating, but definitely looked healthy when I saw them last on Saturday....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=#post target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltwaterfishlover
I think I know where he bought the fish and they had been there for 2 weeks. the nemo was cute and the other very nice. I didn't really pay attention to how they were eating, but definitely looked healthy when I saw them last on Saturday....
lol is gotta be that frikin store's fault *&^*()&%(&%)(*&%)&%)&*%)*&%)&%)*&^%&^$#$&#EWU%^$*&^$*%#&*%#*$*%^


J/K:D :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11628425#post11628425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gasman059
lol is gotta be that frikin store's fault *&^*()&%(&%)(*&%)&%)&*%)*&%)&%)*&^%&^$#$&#EWU%^$*&^$*%#&*%#*$*%^


J/K:D :D

It may have been withdrawl I think they put valium and X in the tanks to keep fish active but mellow

is the prescription ready to be picked up manny?
 
what are you feeding the fish? was being feed pe mysys with garlic here and there.... um
the scum on top of water maybe the water level in the tank is to high so not getting good enough surface skim from filter box...
 
My question is what's the temp of the tank? Red Sea Max's are WELL KNOWN for holding heat and causing the temp to rise during the day when the lights are on. The change in temp could very earily stress out a new fish too much and cause it to die.

If the Red Slime was covering the whole top of the tank, it may have caused the PH to drop too low for all the fish to live and usually the largest fish go first(I found out the hard way the other day when I came home to no power and my Watanabe dead). There is a great little Thermometer by TOM that records the temp of 24 hours so you can see how much your tank is fluctuating...you may want to invest in something like that, especially with the red sea max!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11634586#post11634586 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jewfish
how can you tell if the mandarines stomach is no good
They should appear full,like any other fish.The best way to tell with a Mandarin,is when they swim up against the glass.If the abdomen appears sunken or concave,then the fish is not obtaining enough food.HTH
 
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