whats going on!!!!!!!!!!

[tyler0340]

i have bought a blue tang yellow tang clowns they were in my tank 4 2 weeks and then died they were fine in the day then at night they died the clowns swim on there sides at the top at night and when the light is on they stayed at the top and then two weeks later the died my water is fine i do water changes and still happens i dont know what to do anyone know what could be wrong

 

[T Diddy]

you probably already know this, but we need to be more specific with the "fine" water. Post your parameters, age of tank, etc.

 

[mike_cmu04]

Also how big is your tank?

 

[hollister]

Whats used for water flow?
Do u have a lid?

 

[tyler0340]

its a 55 gallon ph8.0 Ammonia 0 Nitrogen .25 Nitrite 0 temp 75

 

[tyler0340]

i dont have a lid and a canester filter

 

[T Diddy]

is this a new set up?

 

[hollister]

If all you have for flow is the canister filter then your oxygen levels are very low. Your salt water get oxygen from a gas exchange at the surface and good water flow helps do this. You need some powerheads to create water flow.

 

[T Diddy]

If all you have for flow is the canister filter then your oxygen levels are very low. Your salt water get oxygen from a gas exchange at the surface and good water flow helps do this. You need some powerheads to create water flow.

+1 fish hang out at the surface when they can't breathe. ^^^ that would also be my guess based on what you've posted so far

 

[tyler0340]

what size powerhead do i need 4 a 55 gallon tank

 

[ludiNano]

How long has tank been running?

Do u have a skimmer?

How long have ur lights been on before u test ph?

How did u aclimate?

Do u use Ro/di?

Ur tank is too small for tangs anyway IMO?

 

[hollister]

You need some water flow in there fast...

 

[T Diddy]

I'd get one of the newer fan type power heads (Koralia perhaps) and place it mid height blowing upwards to create a little agitation at the surface. You can always get an oxygen test kit to be sure that is the issue, but water movement is essential regardless of the overall oxygen levels. You don't want any dead spots in the tank.

 

[tkeracer619]

two maxijet 900's seem to do the trick.

Tangs are not suitable for 55g tanks nor are they a beginner fish. You want to stick with the more hardy species that stay small. A tang when they get bigger will tax your filtration system and it will be next to impossible to keep water quality on par without starving the fish.

How long has the system been set up?

Where did you get the fish and were they eating?

Did they have any signs or look funny/act strange?

How did you acclimate them and what is the SG of your tank?

Can you take in a sample of water to the LFS and have them test it to backup your results?

 

[noahm]

I am not going to get on your case about a bunch of stuff, but just suggest you take this as a learning experience. Take some time to read up and browse the forum for a few weeks. From the description of your setup, it sounds like you have been getting mixed advice. What happened does sound like a low-oxygen event, so circulation is important to fix. A 55 is really too small for tang(s), so probably stick with clowns, gobies, maybe a fairy wrasse or something until you are ready for a tank upgrade.

Are you just doing fish only, or coral as well? If you are doing coral, Nitrates at .25 will be a problem. If not, it still isn't ideal and you should consider steps to keep it lower. A canister filter also is not ideal, but can be worked around. You should consider a skimmer.

Things can get expensive, so I would suggest you take the time to consider what your long term plans are for the tank and spend some time reading up. It can be addicting/time consuming to spend time here or reading, but you will save yourself a bunch of problems, money, and have a happy tank for your efforts. If you have a thought or an idea on your setup, feel free and ask around. You will get a bunch of opinions, but the answer is usually in there somewhere.