Why do I have trouble keeping fish alive?

[Genral72]

It seems no matter the source I get fish from they always die. I have gotten them from the LFS, liveaquaria, local hobbyist yet it seems they always die almost immediately. I drip acclimate them I do everything according to plan yet they always die. My parameters are nearly perfect.
pH 8.2
Ammonia undectable
Nitrite undetectable
Nitrate undetectable
Alkalinity 3.5

I have had these double checked these at the LFS and they confirmed. The only other fish in this tank are two clownfish(the only fish I can keep alive.)I can keep both soft and LPS corals and successfuly propagate them yet I can't seem to keep my fish alive. There are never any signs of disease. Can anybody please explain to me why I can get corals to grow exponetially yet can't keep fish alive for a week.

 

[bsagecko]

have you checked your cal mag levels?
Also have you checked you Oxygen levels?
also do you use ro/di water?
Your alk is low
How long do you drip acclimate?
Salinty?

 

[demonsp]

Do you have any powerheads or wahts used for water flow?

 

[Genral72]

Not sure about magnesium but calcium is 350 ppm. I don't know how you measure oxygen but I have almost 1500 gallons worth of flow throughout the tank. I do use ro/di. I drip acclimated for 45 minutes. Salinity is 1.024. I have two power heads as well as the flow through my sump.

 

[Tang Salad]

Temperature fluctuations?

 

[new_world_disor]

Ammonia undectable
Nitrite undetectable
Nitrate undetectable

why dont u test for these 3 ? imho those are very very important with fish.

 

[demonsp]

Any powerheads in the main tank. You need good water movement for your tanks health and better O2 exchange.And lower flow in the fuge so your macro and other equipment work better. Sounds like you have low flow in the main tank and the fish are dieing from lack of air.Coral can last alot longer on low flow but in time will also be effected.

 

[Genral72]

no temperature fluctuations.

As far as ammonia nitrite nitrate I did test them and they were all below my minimum detectable levels.

 

[xenon]

Do you test the salinity of your LFS before you acclimate them to your display tank?

Sometimes the difference is too big for fish to adapt over a short period of time. This is why I always QT my new fish. I match the salinity, temp, ph of the lfs water before i place them in QT.

Then I can increase the salinity .001-.002 per day.

 

[Arati]

I can think of 2


1. most fish places keep fish at .018-.019 more delicate fish will take much longer the 45m to drip. I dripped my Yellow wrasse for about 4hours. but fish like gobys need drip for as much as 8hrs. no basis for this my my rule if .001 per hour.

2. Clown fish , what type? some clowns are mean mean mean. they will stress new fish badly.

Combine these two and u get a dead fish in the morning. If they are living for 4-5 days I dunno. if its 24hrs -2days , its most likely stress and/or shock.

Turn off the lights turn down the flow and take your time, is my best advise.

OR , my fav choice find a lfs and tell em you want fish X but you will only buy it out of thier "reef/coral" system, most places keepem seperate. but the reef/coral tank will be much closer to your reef tank.

Make them do the work. once they keep it on thier coral tank for a week you come pick it up, and acclimation will be much smoother.

 

[demonsp]

Whats used for flow in the main display tank?

 

[Genral72]

Most are dieing after 4-7 days. So I think my fish would have adjusted to the salinity by then. The clownfish are occelaris(spelling).