Fish dying off daily HELP!!! PLEASE!!!!!!

[90g-reefer]

I have a 90 gallon FOWLER and I am having massive die off. Here is the situation. The AC is out in my house my tank is running anywhere from 83-85 degrees. I have turned off all lights for the last two weeks. Which is how long it has been. My parameters seem ok for a fowler I think

ph 7.9-8.01
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

Is it the temp that is killing them or the Nitrate??? I thought fish were pretty tuff to nitrate. Its my temp huh? I just cant cool the tank!

 

[jbowen]

Try installing a fan to blow across the top of the tank, that should help cool things down a few degrees.

 

[90g-reefer]

Do you think it is the temp that is doing it?

 

[jbowen]

It could be. When did you last do a water change? Was your ammonia 0 before the die off?

 

[90g-reefer]

tested ammonia tonight it is always a little up being it is a fowler I struggle to keep it at zero, but its never really high. this is about normal for my tank. WC about a few weeks ago.

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

I dont think it is the temp depending on livestock. My tank runs steady at 81-82*. When my marineland stealth heater f'd up the temp wouldnt even register on my thermometer and none of my fish died. My frogspawn and hammer kicked the bucket but I think that may have been from stray voltage from the bad heater, not the heat itself entirely. I would prefer to run my tank a little cooler but it stays steady at 81-82 so I leave it. I would search for other culprits, disease's, perhaps stray voltage like I had, and definitely check your SG if youre having a lot of evap you could be running very high.

 

[90g-reefer]

SG = 1.023 checked just now

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

hmmm do the fish have any extraordinary marks or patches on their scales? Any heavy breathing? Do they look like they want out? What about water turn around rate? Is there enough O2 replenishment for the amount of water you have?

 

[90g-reefer]

nothing odd looking at all. I only have 2 fish left a dog puffer and a blue faced angel and they look great normal swimming nothing odd at all. Well I have a few power heads in the tank for circulation and my PH stays around normal so I assume i am not retaining any CO2. water changes are about once a month as the most depending on my test results.

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Well do you have another tank or anything to just mix up some fresh SW and acclimate them slowly? I mean if they are stressed and dont look stressed it may be a risky idea but if it is something in the tank at least you will be able to tell. Sorry about the situation man that sucks bad

 

[D5HP]

tested ammonia tonight it is always a little up being it is a fowler I struggle to keep it at zero, but its never really high. this is about normal for my tank. WC about a few weeks ago.

This is the issue IMO.

It sounds like your tank never cycled, or you're way overstocked.

You should never "fight" to keep ammonia zero. Ammonia is extremely toxic to fish and although it's just 0.25ppm that is just at the point where you measured. As fish are dying off and you are feeding that number can be much higher.

I bet that the increased temperature along with the ammonia is just too much for the fish. I'd get that temp down and do lots of big water changes for a few days until your ammonia and nitrite are dead zero.

Pick up a bottle of Prime in the mean time and dose according to the label on the bottle. It's cheap and should help save what's left.

HTH

 

[mfish1]

Agreed
Ammonia is not ok ever

 

[small alien]

Maybe add an airstone or two as well. Higher temp means less oxygen. Good luck.

 

[bradjc]

You should never have any reading on Ammonia. This is the issue! You have to reduce feedings and figure out if your tank is overstocked.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Gotta agree on the ammonia. My nitrates are often >50ppm and my tank is very healthy. How long did you cycle the tank before adding fish?

 

[90g-reefer]

The tank has been up for years, last year I recently switched over from reef to fowler. My stock load was puffer, yellow tang, 2 angles and a tusk. So maybe over stocking was my issue. Expensive lesson!