In dire need of help

[Scarlett300]

Yeah I know phosphates don't effect the fish. I used to have cyano but I got it under control now. I could have an octopus I honestly have no idea. But I don't know where else I could get live rock from they only have one sort here pretty much, taken from the ocean in a live rock farm of some sort

 

[Code4]

Just a thought, but have you tested your copper level? Copper could account for corals dying. Fish also if the level is high enough. Photos?

Shelley

 

[Scarlett300]

I can test copper when I get home from school
http://i.imgur.com/mZsET5Ll.jpg Here's my tank took that photo a few days ago

 

[Buzz1329]

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.

Hey,

The one thing in my post that you didn't respond to is whether the current fish population are recent additions or were there while other fish disappeared.

Probably nothing either way, but might be good to know.

Hang in there,

Mike

P.S. You do realize that whatever is happening is not your fault? Every single person on this forum has had inexplicable problems with their tanks. Some of us (which is to say me) have done outrageously negligent stuff (umm, let's see, dropping iron hammer in kalkwasser ATO and not finding it for months, dumping 1/2 gallon of vinegar in tank sump thinking it was RO/DI water . . . I could go on but you get the idea). Wait until you do something as stupid as that before you start blaming yourself. OTOH, if you added a mantis shrimp or gorilla crab on a whim thinking it would make a nice addition to the tank, then, yes, please feel free to blame yourself.

 

[Code4]

Tank looks really nice. And yes, we all have a learning curve. I mentioned copper since my hubby used a brass connector in the plumbing. I am guilty also, I watched him do it! There are alot of experienced folks here to help you.

Shelley

 

[Scarlett300]

Yeah, some of the fish are old additions, some are new. My cardinals are like 2 years old now. I don't know, my parents are blaming it all on me and when I've gone to other forums in the past I've had it blamed on me but I try to follow all the advice I can. And no I didn't add an octopus or mantis

 

[Buzz1329]

Yeah, some of the fish are old additions, some are new. My cardinals are like 2 years old now. I don't know, my parents are blaming it all on me and when I've gone to other forums in the past I've had it blamed on me but I try to follow all the advice I can. And no I didn't add an octopus or mantis

OK, now that we've unequivocally established that whatever is going on with this tank, regardless of what morons on other forums have said, is not your fault, we continue. (And BTW, based on your mom's reaction -- adding wrasse to tank in mid-blight -- I respectfully suggest that she does not and cannot blame you for what is happening. I also suspect that, while your dad may be as upset as you are about what is happening in the tank, his ire may be directed at inexplicable problems with tank, and not you. But I'm not you (or your dad), so what the hell do I know? But even assuming your family blames you for tank problems, have we not already established that the problems are not your fault? And has not every jack dog of us been unjustifiably blamed by family for this, that, or the other thing? And have we not inevitably shrugged and concluded: well who gives a flying f because I know the assignment of blame is illogical? The answer, I suggest, is yes.

Anyways, if you have fish that have survived while others succumbed to the blight, then I am less inclined to think that there is something chemical in the tank that is poisoning the fish. Otherwise, the cardinals should have disappeared as well.

Perhaps you do have a very well hidden predator, although I have no explanation for why some fish escaped its clutches while others have not.

So, here's my suggested action plan.

Stay the course. Do not add anything else to the tank and carefully observe tank and surviving fish. Use red cellophane covered flash light to observe tank at night to look for predator(s). Test all tank parameters, especially ammonia, nitrite, and salinity. Use GAC in your reactor (and change it frequently) to remove potential pollutants. Plan on keeping fish (and coral) population to minimum for next few months until you see how this works out.

Good luck,

Mike

 

[Scarlett300]

Yeah, I don't want to add anything else. I've filmed the tank at night with a tiny light on and found nothing, I'll try the cellophane on a torch too. What's GAC?

 

[reefbroao]

my bet is that maybe you have dropped something in the tank? Could be a foreign object in there leeching off chemicals that aren't gonna show up on our normal test kits. Possibly a short?

but that wouldn't explain the cardinals.

it is possibly that given the clean up crew that the fish are being consumed before finding their remnants

+1 TO BUZZ that or you have some cardinals who have somehow acquired the taste for flesh and become monsters.

 

[Hitch08]

GAC = Granular Activated Carbon

I really hope that you get everything figured out quickly. This is a great forum with tons of knowledgeable people. Keep responding to questions and they'll get you on track.

 

[Scarlett300]

Also I don't have a clean up crew. Inverts cost too much here for it to be viable. I feed only what my fish eat and scoop out dead bodies as soon as they're dead. I don't know about the cardinals eating the fish... They're so placid. Also my yellow tang just died no signs of disease, just the bruise to its head

 

[dowjones1221]

Where are you getting the fish from? LFS, Online Retailer, Catching them yourself? How do you acclimate and have you recently changed your acclimation practices? Have you noticed any negative effects on the corals or "life" on the live rock? Is it only the fish that are dying?

 

[iluvmyfishes]

You said you do not quarantine, maybe you have velvet? Or a bacterial disease? You can try mixing their food with focus and medicines to see if that helps.

 

[adambom]

Can you describe (or possibly photograph) these bruises in more detail. In the absence of anything else obvious, it seems like a potentially very relevant symptom. Bruises on fish are not normal. I suspect whatever is causing these bruises may have something to do with it.

 

[Scarlett300]

I don't have any photographs I buried the fish. It looked a bit browish-grey on the tang and went over its eye too. None of the other fish showed bruises. Most of my fish just completely vanish, only the big ones leave bodies. All my fish come from the lfs that comes from cairns marine suppliers. I don't quarantine and always acclimate my fish the same way. I supplement my fish food with garlic. They don't have velvet or a bacterial disease. They're perfectly fine one day and dead the next no symptoms.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I still think you need to search your tank with a red lens torch at night and find out what your predator is. I'm still going to guess you've got an octopus in there. They can get into the smallest of holes in LR and hide like this when the water goes out with low tide and stay in the rocks until the tide comes back in. Most of the time the rocks are collected during low tide I'm guessing it's this way where yours were collected or they have divers that go down to collect them. Either way octopus can hide in the holes of the LR. So can mantis shrimp but with them you would hear a clicking noise at night. If you had a CUC you would probably be losing them as well. Small crabs make the best bait in a bottle trap for an octopus.

Something is causing that bruise and if your small fish just disappear the octopus theory might explain it.

 

[tripdad]

Just a thought for you, I would set up a temp holding tank and move fish there to see if deaths stop. This can be a simple container, food safe type, does not need to be a fish tank. Use a simple filter, power head aimed at surface to agitate the water and aerate it, and a heater. If the deaths stop then at least you know it is not the animals or an illness. Then you have to figure out if it is a predator, a chemical, or something else. By the way have you checked for stray voltage? do you get shocked or a tingle if you put your hands in tank? Please, as others have said, stay calm and positive. We have all had troubles, some of our own making and some not. Do not beat yourself up over it. If we were supposed to get it right all the time we would be born with all the knowledge in the world. Well we aren't born that way so we are not supposed to be perfect. Good luck and tell your parents "Great Job" for supporting you thru these tough times, it takes a lot of patience and trust on they're part so well done Mom and Dad.

 

[Grassroots]

Check your salinity with a refractometer

 

[AcroNewbie]

When you dipped the rock did you also poke around the sand bed? A lot of things can hide in the sandbed, Mantis Shrimps often burrow into sandbeds instead of hiding in rocks if it is deep enough.

What are the remaining fish in the tank and how are they doing.

 

[Scarlett300]

I've checked for stray voltage and salinity is normal. I still haven't been able to get an ammonia test... :/ all the lfs' don't stock the brand I like. I might seperate the fish I'm not sure. I'm leaving them in for now. If there is an octopus or a mantis, how do I get rid of it? Most traps I've heard of are very ineffective and octopi are very smart...