This is a first for me since i have only 2 fish in my reef tank. One died today and i am upset. He was my favorite fish. A flame hawk. I have no idea what killed him but he was not eating before he died and was breathing rapidly and was kind of lethargic. No visible signs on body and no cuts or anything on body. No mucus film, nothing. My question is, i have a six line wrasse left. He didn't eat today and i am worried that he might have something. if he passes, how long do you have to wait to put NEW fish in the tank and do you have to do a major water change or does whatever killed them have to host something to live. Any answers would help. Thanks :sad2:
question- how soon
- Thread starter lgull1
- Start date
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Are you using a QT? Current ammonia reading? Was the sixline harassing the hawk? They're nasty little fish. I don't think anyone can even make a guess without more info.
Thanks for responding MrTuskfish, I know i don't have much info but i have had him for years. I didn't put my parameters on here because i have another fish in the tank and found out today he is eating good. Him and the Hawkfish never fought. They are nasty fish for their size but they got alone great. I just noticed him going downhill last week when i found it odd that i cupped him in my hand and he didn't move at all. He swam away but i thought that be odd but also they are friendly and i have had him for a few years. He could of just got used to me in the tank. I am kinda stumped myself. I can't think of anything but one thing maybe. I used to buy silver-sides and both fish liked to eat bits of them when i used to feed my corals. I switched to smelt because i was only 7.00 a bag verses my 20.00 a package for the silver-sides. I never thought of anything else but maybe one fish had something in them to cause this? I would think that any bacteria or virus that would be present in frozen fish would die from the cold, yes? I don't know really. Other than that, i have not had any major problems in the tank. I did put a new chemical in but i hope that isn't it. I took it out yesterday. Clear FX pro. Just hit the market. I was trying to take my phosphates down and see what it did. Ending up the corals didn't like it and bleached one of my LPS. I would hope that wouldn't be it. Never had a problem with other GFO or carbon additives. I have had some negative effect on my corals in the past but never on my fish. Other than that he was just breathing really fast for quite a long time now that i think about it. No visible signs of anything on him. Nothing. He did seem to fade also. Maybe a parasite? I don't know. I really would like to send him off to a lab to find out. This is why i don't keep fish for this reason. Thanks for any help. Just trying to find something to think about as to why he died.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
You had him for years and that's longer than he probably would have lasted on the reef. Why would this stop you from keeping fish; you feed fish to your corals? BTW; I don't think this had anything to do with your fish, but smelt are FW fish and quite fatty compared to silversides and long-term use of fatty FW fish can be ruin the liver of SW fish . there are lots of good and inexpensive SW fish fillets that can be fed; cod, haddock, etc. I would guess that smelt is not the best stuff for corals either; but my daughter is the coral-keeper and I let her handle it.
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That is what worried me. I read something somewhere that you have to be careful feeding high fatty foods because they are just like any other animal. They don't get the exercise that most fish would get on the reef. I was wondering if he died of a fatty liver disease.Thanks for the tip. I don't if that killed him but i wish i could think like you. I know they don't live as long in the wild but it still sad when you get attached to them. They do have personalities. I am going to stop feeding the smelt. Thanks. Yeah, i do feed fish to my corals. I have a bubble coral that is over 10 years old. he loves pieces of fish. I have lots of LPS that love them. 2 meat corals and a plate. They take them right in. I just used to break off pieces to him and they would get some small pieces. Not all the time but you never know thinking back now. Thanks MrTuskFish
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