Sudden Death Fairy Wrasses

[Swensos]

I got two female fairy wrasses on Saturday (isoceles and possibly a lunates). Both were in quarantine: cycled bare bottom with rocks, carbon bag, and powerhead. At first, I screwed up the salinity, but they bounced back the next day and were active and eating. Tested daily: ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates at zero. Salinity was 1.016. Yesterday, day 3, I put in a brand new thermometer and heater, because the weather was getting a little cooler. Temp never went above 76 F. I Woke up in the morning and they were both dead as a doorknob.

Did I do something wrong with the thermometer and heater? I rinsed them with tap water really quick, but didn't think there would be anything toxic on standard aquarium supplies. Could something have been on my hands? I'm at a loss and don't know whether I should ever buy new fish again until I figure out what went wrong. Also, if the heater electrocuted them, it would stop working, right?

 

[evolved]

Also, if the heater electrocuted them, it would stop working, right?

Not necessarily.

I'm suspect of the heater, unless it was a lack of O2. But you do mention a power head, so...

 

[R1ant04]

What size tank, how long did u cycle? May have not been enough 4 the bioload? Also why so low on the salinity and what did u measure it with?

 

[Half Vaped]

Exactly how did you screw up the salinity at first? The messed up salinity may have put the fish in shock causing them to die days later.

What was the tank temps before you added the heater? A large sudden changes in temp may have harmed them also.

Sorry about your loss. I have both a Pintail IP and Lunatus TP. At least you have good taste in fish. Maybe see if you can keep a cheaper, more common fish in the QT before putting another Fairy Wrasse in there.

 

[Swensos]

Not necessarily.

I'm suspect of the heater, unless it was a lack of O2. But you do mention a power head, so...

Powerhead is pointed at the surface. How can I tell if the heater zapped them?

What size tank, how long did u cycle? May have not been enough 4 the bioload? Also why so low on the salinity and what did u measure it with?

20 long. Cycled for almost two months, ghost feeding, testing, and water changes every week or so. I measured with a refractometer from bulk reef. See below about salinity being low.

Exactly how did you screw up the salinity at first? The messed up salinity may have put the fish in shock causing them to die days later.

What was the tank temps before you added the heater? A large sudden changes in temp may have harmed them also.

I calibrated my refractometer with RODI water, thinking my tank was at 1.019, same as my LFS. After the fish freaked out, I calibrated with calibration fluid, which showed I was at actually at 1.015. I brought it up by adding 1.020 water, but only a little, like 10% water change. I was worried it might slowly kill them, but I didn't mess with the salinity again, because they were breathing and eating normally. Then they died. Maybe I don't know how to read a refractometer... That would suck. I now always calibrate with calibration fluid right before a reading, but I still don't know if its right.

The heater is 50w and seemed to raise it from 73 to 76 over the course of at least three hours.

Thank you everyone for your ideas. I will definitely try a less expensive hardier fish next, but I want to see if I can figure out the issue first.

 

[BigBlueTang]

I disagree. It's pretty unlikely that the shock killed them, but it could always happen.

 

[d-man]

I doubt osmotic shock would have killed them either. That's not a very large difference. I've had fish go through waaaaay larger of a change and rather quickly and have no problems

 

[Deinonych]

I doubt osmotic shock would have killed them either. That's not a very large difference. I've had fish go through waaaaay larger of a change and rather quickly and have no problems

Agreed. Plus, fish can handle large swings downward quite well. It's the large swings upward that can be problematic.

 

[Swensos]

So, most likely some chemical was introduced?

 

[Swensos]

I took everything out of the tank. The rocks are in clean saltwater in a bucket. I rinsed the thermometer, heater, carbon bag, and powerhead for about five minutes in tap water. Emptied the tank. I'm going to let everything dry, except the rocks. Any other suggestions before refilling and trying again?

Also, I have a new policy of never putting bare hands in the tank again.

 

[Marshall O]

Anything else going on in the room the tank is in? Any recent chemicals used in that room?

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

 

[Swensos]

I don't think so. I asked my wife, just in case. She said no. It's possible I had some multisurface cleaner on my hands from earlier in the night. I'm usually very careful, but I suppose it just takes one slip.

 

[Half Vaped]

I think you may be overreacting with your assumption that the fish died from some chemical you may have inadvertently introduced into the tank. It's possible, but I would suspect other causes.

Personally, I wash my hands with Dawn and make sure all the soap is gone before putting my hands in the tank. Dawn rinses clean off with no residue and hasn't given me any issues ever.

We will never know for sure what killed your fish, but I believe they died from the stress of several changes within a short time, in a barely cycled tank. The low salinity and three-degree change in temps that we've discussed would have been no issue for healthy fish, but being that the fish were already stressed from shipping and moving, they might have took it harder than usual.

Another issue is how "cycled" your tank really was. You might have always read "0" ammonia, but how about if you measured it immediately after both fish pooped in the water? A properly cycled tank will process the ammonia almost immediately, but a less-cycled tank may take a few hours before ammonia will be back to "0."

Personally, when I cycle a new tank, I always use some seeded substrate or rocks. Then feed the tank generously and wait for it to turn cloudy, then clear again. And I'm sure the tank is fairly cycled if I measure "0" on ammonia and nitrite, but have at least some nitrate.

I see that you're trying to do the right things, but what you need to remember most is that fish and all our reef creatures value consistency. Any changes in salinity, temperatures, lighting, whatever, stresses them out. And their health is closely tied to their stress level.

When you start the tank back up, I suggest watching ammonia and nitrite both go up to at least 1 ppm (higher if possible), then back to zero, to be certain of the cycle. Make sure temperature and salinity are consistent before adding any fish. Start with hardier species like Clowns, Cardinals or Gobies.

Also note that Fairy and Flasher Wrasse seem to be more likely than other fish to just die for no known reason soon after being introduced to new tanks, which I suspect is related to collection issues. Collection issues may not be the main cause of your fish's demise (since they both died at the same time), but may have aggravated other factors.

 

[BigBlueTang]

I agree that Fairy and Flasher wrasses sometimes have more unexpected death's than others. I know I have.

 

[Swensos]

Thanks for the advice. The tank is clean now. Too clean. I'm ghostfeeding again and getting traces of ammonia, so back to waiting for this tank to cycle.

I'm going to see if I can get a basslet or a peaceful, wrasse-compatible goby.

One LFS told me to start with a tang and I laughed at the worker. Another tried to sell me an orchid dottyback. Thank goodness for reefcentral, so I don't listen to them!