In dire need of help

S

Scarlett300

New member
Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but been keeping fish for years, sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully...
I need serious help, I don't know what to do anymore and my dad is threatening to shut down my tank (I'm 17 and live with my parents they have control over a lot of it not much I can do about that)
I have a 6 foot Aqua one with a 3 foot sump, two little fishies phosphate reactor, reef octopus classic skimmer, aqua el uv steriliser, a maxspect gyre and other stuff too. I have about 5 lps corals and about 6 fish. I've had this tank up for over 6 months, cycled it all perfect, do 25% water changes every 2 weeks, test water levels regularly.
Okay so here's the problem. All my fish are dying. It started off with just clowns, fairy wrasses and dart fish. So I dipped all my rocks in fresh water and caught a handful of brittle stars. That was a few weeks back. But I've still had deaths, 2 blue tangs, a goatfish and a yellow tang is on its way out now... My parents keep replacing the fish even though something is clearly very wrong.
I tested the water today and the ammonia test just went clear after multiple tries?? I'm gonna replace my kits with something better quality. I also had my favourite Goni and 2 heads of a hammer die. I have no idea what's going on and I'm scared. My lfs told my mum a 6 line will fix the problem so out she went and bought one, I haven't seen it all day.
I really need help. Please don't just tell me I've screwed up... I know I have. All my other tanks are doing great, even my old 4 foot marine with a canister filter did better. I'm all new to coral keeping and I'm solely responsible with taking care of this 6 foot as well as getting good marks in year 12. But I need help now. I'll do what it takes to fix this, my parents are even willing to replace all the live rock if needs be. I could probably even persuade them to set up a quarantine tank (I don't think the problem is disease though, I know most common fish diseases). They either go missing with no trace or just die no signs leading up to it.

I've lost about 15 fish now... I don't know what to do anymore. Please don't be mad at me, I just want to save my tank.
 
First thing is get some reasonably reliable test kits and get some accurate information on your water quality for the basic elements, NO3, PO4, CAL, ALK and MAG. Post your water quality parameters here. Second thing is to stop adding live stock of any kind until you get a handle on the root water quality issues. Third is to read this forum cause the answers are here, somewhere. Good luck.
 
Yeah, I should be getting new test kits on the weekend, as for the answers well I've never heard of anyone having a situation just like this. I've read about plenty of tanks and have absolutely no idea to solve this, if you have seen any similar threads though can you link them for me? My lfs is always too busy when I go to ask for help and they don't reply to my texts or calls. I don't think there's any problems with the water quality that can be tested, I've tested my water multiple times at the lfs too cause they have better kits and still nothing comes up. I have no idea what to do and my parents are considering tearing the whole tank apart, draining it and restarting... I don't want to but I'm running out of ideas.
Also to clear things up I'm not new to fish keeping either, when I was 14 I bred seahorses for my lfs successfully. I really want to clear this mess up.
 
What other fish do you have in this tank? If you have already had multiple clowns, multiple wrasses, multiple dartfish, multiple blue tangs, multiple stars, and a yellow tang die...and there are more fish that can die in the tank? I know you said the tank was 6 feet but if you didnt mean in every direction I think you may have too many fish. Let me suggest not waiting another WEEK to get a test kit. Go get one after school and post your params. You will find just about everyone on here will give great advice if given the right information. Good Luck.
 
I haven't had all those fish in at once, I've never had more than 10 in the tank. Now I have a yellow tang, 2 clowns,a fairy wrasse, a 6 line wrasse and 2 Pajama cardinals. Never had any stars in the tank though. I'll be going on the weekend to get the tests I can't go before then probably. I might be able to on Friday (also if it makes a difference I'm in Aus, it's 11:40pm on Tuesday so I'm ahead of American time) oh and as for dimensions it's 6x2.5x2.5 I think. About 500 litres.
 
Cool. I have a coworker that lives in Brisbane. I would still run to kmart or Target as soon as possible to get a kit and check your params. Also, when you say 6x2.5x2.5 are you talking feet? I only ask because those dimensions would make a tank of almost 300 gallons and if my math is correct (and it is because I used google and google is always right) 500 litres is only 132 gallons. That makes a really big difference as its more than double the tank size.
 
Alright let's think this through.

There are so many variables here that need answered.

1: we need numbers from reliable test sources. Ca, alk, po4, SG and mag. Post your testing procedure and kits used.
2: what is your water source? RO/DI? What is the TDS of both the RO output and the holding bin?
3: what salt are you using?
4: how often do you test your parameters? What have your trends been?
5: do you QT? If no, what was your last fish purchase before Armageddon started?

This all seems systemic to me, like some kind of parameter is waaaay off.
 
Okay so my water I buy from my lfs, in barrels. I've seen the system they have, they get a big truck that comes in that goes out very far into the ocean. It's how most people get their water here. Salt mixing costs too much compared to buying the water. However my parents may consider it if it would save the fish. I have nothing to measure tds but nothing that I can see with my eyes. No I don't quarantine. I can't recall when all the fish started dying, the first one would have been about 3 months after I got the tank and it's just been getting worse and worse. :( I test the water weekly or bi weekly depending on how busy I am, the water levels have been perfect since I got the tank. My test kits are a bit old hence why I'm getting new ones but I've cross tested with the lfs ones periodically and nothing has showed up there. I don't test for calcium/magnesium/phosphorus/iodine/alkalinity but I can buy those tests if it's required.
I really hope this is an easy fix
Also yeah I'm not too sure on the exact dimensions but it's 500L I know that much.
 
Yes. I add fresh water as it evaporates. I use a refractometer. I don't think the water levels are causing the deaths, I'm not ruling it out but I've had fish disappear not to see any bodies or skeletons, only less than a day after they go missing. I move the rocks to check but they definitely could just go unseen by me.... I'll definitely test the water soon though, my mum is going to buy new test kits as we speak, a good brand. (Our old kits were API)
 
You say that you sometimes find no remains? Some of those fish are pretty big and there should be something left, at least the first day. Have you checked at night for a predator? Where did the live rock come from? The ocean, dry rock, used from another tank? I would look at night with a torch covered in red plastic to see if something emerges, maybe try baiting with a piece of shrimp. As others have said, and you are doing, verify params., ask store where you buy water if anyone else is reporting problems, if no-one then look elsewhere. Good luck.
 
Scarlett300 said:
Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but been keeping fish for years, sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully...
I need serious help, I don't know what to do anymore and my dad is threatening to shut down my tank (I'm 17 and live with my parents they have control over a lot of it not much I can do about that)
I have a 6 foot Aqua one with a 3 foot sump, two little fishies phosphate reactor, reef octopus classic skimmer, aqua el uv steriliser, a maxspect gyre and other stuff too. I have about 5 lps corals and about 6 fish. I've had this tank up for over 6 months, cycled it all perfect, do 25% water changes every 2 weeks, test water levels regularly.
Okay so here's the problem. All my fish are dying. It started off with just clowns, fairy wrasses and dart fish. So I dipped all my rocks in fresh water and caught a handful of brittle stars. That was a few weeks back. But I've still had deaths, 2 blue tangs, a goatfish and a yellow tang is on its way out now... My parents keep replacing the fish even though something is clearly very wrong.
I tested the water today and the ammonia test just went clear after multiple tries?? I'm gonna replace my kits with something better quality. I also had my favourite Goni and 2 heads of a hammer die. I have no idea what's going on and I'm scared. My lfs told my mum a 6 line will fix the problem so out she went and bought one, I haven't seen it all day.
I really need help. Please don't just tell me I've screwed up... I know I have. All my other tanks are doing great, even my old 4 foot marine with a canister filter did better. I'm all new to coral keeping and I'm solely responsible with taking care of this 6 foot as well as getting good marks in year 12. But I need help now. I'll do what it takes to fix this, my parents are even willing to replace all the live rock if needs be. I could probably even persuade them to set up a quarantine tank (I don't think the problem is disease though, I know most common fish diseases). They either go missing with no trace or just die no signs leading up to it.

I've lost about 15 fish now... I don't know what to do anymore. Please don't be mad at me, I just want to save my tank.
Click to expand...

Hi Scarlett300,

First of all why would anyone be mad at you?

My initial advice, I'll have more after I review the other responses, is NOT to add any more fish or coral until we've figured out what the problem is. There is no magic bullet fish that's going to solve this for you.

Good luck,

Mike
 
try to get all your params in check. just leave the tank be for a while, and be calm. this hobby is all about patience. when the tank params are good, start off with some easy fish, like clowns and gobies.
 
The parameters are in order as far as I can tell... My live rock came from my lfs who gets it from the ocean and cures it etc from up north. There was also some rock from my old tank too. I've tried filming and using the torch and found nothing. I dipped all the rocks in fresh water and found brittle stars but nothing else. I find the bodies of big fish but small ones nothing left
 
Have you checked the water temperature? That or salinity being way off. I can't see how your parameters can be off so much that everything is starting to die; especially since you sound very knowledgeable.

Hope you get all this straightened out!
 
Here are some more thoughts about what is happening in your tank:

Have the fish currently in the tank been there from the beginning or are they recent additions? If they are recent additions, keep your eye on them and carefully observe (and report here) any signs of distress. It may be that you have inadvertently introduced something biological (like Mantis Shrimp or Gorilla Crab) or chemical that is killing the fish and coral.

Before the other fish died/disappeared, were they gasping at surface and did they have red gills? If not, then I think ammonia poisoning can be eliminated. (But do get another ammonia test kit (API kit is cheap and reliable) and test again after carefully reading instructions.

Also test for nitrites (again API kit is good), which can be lethal at high enough concentrations.

I can’t imagine that the failure to use RO/DI water could kill that many fish, unless there is something seriously off with your tap water.

Also, I think testing for nitrate, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, or magnesium will not lead to any useful evidence for the demise of the fish, although they are certainly relevant to coral deaths.

Re salinity, are you using a Red Sea refractometer? If so, get another brand as the RS are wildly inconsistent IME. Assuming you are using another type, get some 35 ppt calibration fluid to make sure your readings are accurate. But again, unless refractometer is WAY off, I doubt this is the cause of your problems.

Salt water that LFS is selling could be a problem. I would visit shop and chat up other customers to see what their experience has been with the salt water.

Finally, I know you say that you’re familiar with fish diseases and saw no signs of any of them, but I would carefully examine this article (http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/saltwater-conditions/common-marine-fish-diseases.aspx) to make sure you have not missed any symptoms.

Good luck,

Mike
 
Yeah, I saw no signs of ammonia poisoning, I've seen no signs of any disease at all. Some of my fish have had bruising, I have no idea why, that's all I've seen. Salt is kept about 0.25, I don't know what brand my refractometer is but it's not a cheap knock off or a Red Sea brand. I haven't heard of anyone at my lfs having problems from bought water and most of the people here just buy water as its so much easier. I add it as soon as I buy it so bacteria in the water doesn't die off etc. the temperature is kept at 25.5 all year, haven't seen any fluctuations even when it got to 45 (we put the AC on).
I'm definitely not ruling out a mantis as of yet, but upon dipping the rocks I saw nothing. I dipped every rock then put them all in a container then all back in to ensure nothing travels from old rock to newly dipped rock. However we are considering replacing the rock and sand. It'll cost over $600 to replace it all though... But it'll end up outweighing the cost of all these lost fish. I don't think it's a water quality issue as I change a substantial amount (25%) every week or 2...
I honestly have no idea what to do and I'm getting really worried, my parents are super mad too.
 
is there algae in the tank? I don't test for nitrate or phosphate much. I just observe to see how the tank looks. if u have lots of algea then ur water may b toxic to the fish

also the brusing from the fish could b from the scratching/banging into the rock. or it could be them getting picked on by a predator or a territorial fish.

just incase u didn't know, phosphate will not affect fish but nitrate and nitrite will. also if the organics are high it could b a problem
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Reignfire
Stray current
2
Replies
31
Views
1K
griss
griss
Z
Plumbing to shower head question
Replies
2
Views
145
zeebies
Z
R
some random questions
Replies
1
Views
242
SantaMonica
S
C
Can’t keep overflow box balanced
Replies
2
Views
183
Cruzersmith
C
G
Is my anemone dying?
Replies
6
Views
376
lebowski
lebowski
Back
Top