Right now that is going to be the plan.
Still searching for why fish are dying
- Thread starter JDT1234
- Start date
Right now that is going to be the plan.
sde1500
Active member
I'd say your old fish did contract it. Just didn't die and are now living with it. Or immune to it. Any particular signs the new fish are showing after death?
Also dosing seems unnecessary for you tank. I'd suggest getting another test kit to confirm your numbers. And follow the directions.
Also dosing seems unnecessary for you tank. I'd suggest getting another test kit to confirm your numbers. And follow the directions.
anthonys51
New member
Phosphates wouldn't affect fish They could be 2.00 ml and Fish wouldn't care. Gha growing crazy also wouldn't affect fish. What are your Nitrates, too high could affect fish especially new ones since they aren't used to them being so high while your fish might of gotten used to them. Also are you dripping new fish or just adding them into tank. New Fish dying could be disease you can't simple rule it out since old Fish didn't die. New Fish are under a lot more stress then old Fish. Different water parameters( ph, alk, nitrates, salinity). Coupled with stress from netting and then add the fact the new guy wants to kick its but all of this could play a factor in why the new guys die and not the old
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The fish that don't die (the yellow tang, the maroon clown, the damsels) are all quite territorial....is it possible they just don't want anymore tank mates. The maroon can be especially agressive.....when you say die...what does death look like?
Do you see any scrapping, fighting, waggling, head to head mouth biting?
I get the thinking that the issue is not the water at all.....can you tell me the names of all the fish that died...with the exception of the chromis.....six become one in weeks....
Do you see any scrapping, fighting, waggling, head to head mouth biting?
I get the thinking that the issue is not the water at all.....can you tell me the names of all the fish that died...with the exception of the chromis.....six become one in weeks....
anthonys51
New member
Think uncle is on to something
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All the fish that died seemed healthy. Eating, out in the open interacting with tank mates. No signs of out right aggression from older fish in tank.
I've experienced tangs fighting to the death and a couple clowns. I am not including those in this topic because I know what caused those deaths. Just mentioning it because I save seen none of that with the new fish.
The new fish dying show no signs of disease or sickness before death.
I'm done with dosing for now and as pointed out by you and others dosing isn't necessary for my tank at the moment.
My test kits are good. During my water change today I tested the fresh mix and the readings were MG 1380, CA 440 and KH 11.2. Very close to what the container said it should be. Using Red Sea Pro.
The yellow tang and clown don't show out right signs of aggression towards anything right now. They all share nori together and swim with each other. No fish have been cowering or hiding from them. With regards to the new fish that have died I have witnessed none of what you mentioned.
While I have seen the yellow tang attack other yellow tangs that behavior has not shown itself to any other species. The maroon I believe is still a juvenile since it is maybe only 1-1.5" in size.
Nothing unusual about their deaths. Healthy in all appearances then just dead one day.
New fish that have died were sail fins (3), yellow eyed tangs (2), foxface (2).
All were added separately. All lasted 1-4 weeks or so.
slief
RC Sponsor
When you brought your new fish home, did you test the salinity of the water they came in? If you didn't, it's very possible that the water they were in was much lower than what your tank was at and as a result, they could have died from Osmotic shock which can take several days for them to succumb to. You really don't want to increase salinity more than .003 in a 24 hour period if you want to avoid osmotic shock. Many stores keep their salinity and 1.021 or lower. Many mail order fish suppliers and wholesalers keep their salinity at 1.018 or lower. In fact, 1.014 isn't uncommon at local wholesalers out here and you are almost sure to kill your fish if you try to acclimate them to reef salinity levels of 1.025. I always recommend a QT tank that you match the incoming saninity and then raise the salinity to DT levels slowly over the course of several days.
I'm comfortable with the bad water theory. Makes sense. After reading and getting your feedback that I should not be dosing yet I somehow got up to 100ml in CA and KH per day.....and still not achieving satisfactory readings.....while comparable tanks with more corals use a fraction of what I've been putting in.
And I have been dosing that for months. The water must be toxic I would think.
Regardless of where this takes us I need to stop dosing and get my water completely switched over to new and start from there.
The dying fish were the catalyst to me researching and my dosing compared to others is glaring.
Maybe the old fish became tolerant of the over dosing while it just does the new ones in??
And I have been dosing that for months. The water must be toxic I would think.
Regardless of where this takes us I need to stop dosing and get my water completely switched over to new and start from there.
The dying fish were the catalyst to me researching and my dosing compared to others is glaring.
Maybe the old fish became tolerant of the over dosing while it just does the new ones in??
Admittedly I don't acclimate my fish like I probably should. Monkey see monkey do I guess. When the fish stores I go to just float the new inventory for ten minutes and cut the bags open guess I figured it was ok to do it like that.
Thank you for the post. Going forward I will do a better job acclimating. Never heard of osmotic shock.
Question however. Wouldn't I have got lucky with some of them? They all are dying. No exceptions. My salinity is 1.025.
slief
RC Sponsor
Not really. They just die a slow death. It can take a couple days to a couple weeks. I honestly don't think your Ca, Alk or Mg dosing has anything to do with your issue. If you're not testing the incoming water, I'd bet that is part of your issue. I went through this not to long ago with a friend who was seeing a 50% casualty rate with new fish. He was shocked to see the salinity the new fish were coming in and once he started matching the salinity of the bag water in his QT and slowly raising the salinity in his QT, the fish survival rate skyrocked.
Tripod1404
Active member
I dont know why the fish are dying but dosing 100ml a day is an absurd consumption rate. You would need to have many large SPS colonies that grow at monster rates to have that.
I am suspecting there is precipitation. Or your tests have gone bad. Try testing with a kit from a different brand to see if you get the same results.
Also, are you dosing carbon?
I am suspecting there is precipitation. Or your tests have gone bad. Try testing with a kit from a different brand to see if you get the same results.
Also, are you dosing carbon?
slief
RC Sponsor
I’d bet that is your issue regardless of the health of your current fish. The fish go through hell before making it to the store and I don’t know any stores that keep their fish systems at 1.025. Pretty much all stores I know keep their fish systems at 1.021 or less and just floating and dumping the fish will guarantee the fish a lot of additional physical stress and damn near certain death going from 1.021 to 1.025 like that. If the water is lower salinity then you will pretty much have sealed their fate. Fish can handle relatively fast drops in salinity but they cannot handle fast increases. Based on everything I have read, that is the reason your fish are dying and I base this on 30 years of experience in the hobby and over 20 years in the industry dealing with wholesale fish and installations. And for the record, going from 1.021 to 1.025 is not something you should do in a single day period if you want to insure the least amount of stress and the best chances of survival for your fish.
Cancun
Member
Hi....how are you acclimating your new fish? What is the salinity of the fish stores water and what is your tank salinity?
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Cancun
Member
Cancun
Member
Sorry I didn't read all of the posts....my guess is acclimation problems also....alot of LFS keep lower salinity then our tanks. The fish can appear healthy and even eatting then die in a few days to a few weeks.
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Everyone's posts seem to have the same theme.....overdosing, no need to be dosing and acclimation. Some aggression angles but from what I witness don't believe that to be the main concern. The water quality feedback feels right and I am going to start there.
Here is my course of action.
1: Doing 20 gallon water changes until the water in tank meets or is at least stabilizes to match the fresh batch going in.
2: Get s QT tank ready and available for new additions.
3: Stop dosing. Revisit dosing when my weekly changes cannot keep up with the corals needs.
Did I miss anything?
Does the QT tank need to be anything more than a small tank full of water?
Thank you all for your help.
Here is my course of action.
1: Doing 20 gallon water changes until the water in tank meets or is at least stabilizes to match the fresh batch going in.
2: Get s QT tank ready and available for new additions.
3: Stop dosing. Revisit dosing when my weekly changes cannot keep up with the corals needs.
Did I miss anything?
Does the QT tank need to be anything more than a small tank full of water?
Thank you all for your help.
Simple QT is glass water heater and a couple of PVC for hiding, a small filter or air stone.
Keep a check in ammonia, 10% change every couple of days, vacuum out uneaten foods.
A number of people discussed the shock. They are absolutely correct. Make sure you match both temp and salinity..by using a QT.....this should be easy
I don't keep them in QT for very long...for me...10 days provided eating and behavior normal but I am sure others have different times and ways as well..
Looks like you got some great feedback from the group!
Good luck!
Keep a check in ammonia, 10% change every couple of days, vacuum out uneaten foods.
A number of people discussed the shock. They are absolutely correct. Make sure you match both temp and salinity..by using a QT.....this should be easy
I don't keep them in QT for very long...for me...10 days provided eating and behavior normal but I am sure others have different times and ways as well..
Looks like you got some great feedback from the group!
Good luck!
