Fish keep dying. Help Please

cav414

cav414

Member
Hello all,

I bought a flame gobey four days ago and he lasted a whole three days before we found him dead. We just lost our valentini saddle puffer about three weeks ago, and we lost our niger trigger about six months ago. the problem is they have all died for apparently no reason. The only fish I can keep alive it seems is my yellow tail damsel who is happy and healthy. All of my cuc is doing good and my maxi mini carpet anemone ( bought the same time as the flame gobey) seems to be doing good. My tank is very clean and my water is always pretty stable. To day is about the worst my water quality has been in awhile, my Nitrates are at 40 ppm, nitrite are 0, ph 0.25, and ph 7.8. Temp is 80*F, salinity is 1.022.

If anyone has any ideas please share them with me, I am about to give up on it and sell my aquarium.

Thanks,
Adam
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
I think your problem might be the yellow tail damsel. They are very aggressive and territorial, and yours probably harassed the other fish until the stress killed them.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
cav414 said:
Hello all,

I bought a flame gobey four days ago and he lasted a whole three days before we found him dead. We just lost our valentini saddle puffer about three weeks ago, and we lost our niger trigger about six months ago. the problem is they have all died for apparently no reason. The only fish I can keep alive it seems is my yellow tail damsel who is happy and healthy. All of my cuc is doing good and my maxi mini carpet anemone ( bought the same time as the flame gobey) seems to be doing good. My tank is very clean and my water is always pretty stable. To day is about the worst my water quality has been in awhile, my Nitrates are at 40 ppm, nitrite are 0, ph 0.25, and ph 7.8. Temp is 80*F, salinity is 1.022.

If anyone has any ideas please share them with me, I am about to give up on it and sell my aquarium.

Thanks,
Adam
Click to expand...
Hi,

The temp and the SG are just fine, and if you tested your PH in the morning, it's normal to be a little low, that being said.... If the tank parameters were off enough to kill the fish, the anemone would be the first to go. So I would rule out a water quality problem.

What size tank? Did the fish have any signs of aggression, ripped fins, hiding unless they are feeding...that kind of thing? To be honest, the yellow tail could be the killer, they are evil very aggressive little fish, and are known for killing everything in the tank less timid then themselves, including each other.... A trigger should be able to handle life with a damsel, but if it was a small one, maybe not. The goby and a young puffer, were on the danger list to be able to survive with it.
 
cav414

cav414

Member
Thanks for the replies, my yellow tail is very dosile. He was a little territorial at first but I rearranged the rock and it stopped. I watch my tank constantly since its in the kitchen ( my favorite room in the house). I feed emerald omnivorous frozen and cut up white (table) shrimp. The puffer is the only one that showed damage but I believe it was from him rubbing up against the rock all day while he slept right before he died. The consensus from the puffer forum was depresion. I do a %10 water change once a week using rodi water. I am due to change the water again tomorrow. The fire goby didn't have any signs of aggression when I left for work that morning but its hard to tell since my wife didn't find him until my Sally light foot was eating him. I considered sally killing him but my wife said that the fish had already lost its color. And I didn't have him when the trigger died. If I didn't answer a question please let me know. I will be getting rid of the yellow tail damsil before buying more fish just to be safe. Should I get rid of the crab also? He is about 3in across.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
cav414 said:
Thanks for the replies, my yellow tail is very dosile. He was a little territorial at first but I rearranged the rock and it stopped. I watch my tank constantly since its in the kitchen ( my favorite room in the house). I feed emerald omnivorous frozen and cut up white (table) shrimp. The puffer is the only one that showed damage but I believe it was from him rubbing up against the rock all day while he slept right before he died. The consensus from the puffer forum was depresion. I do a %10 water change once a week using rodi water. I am due to change the water again tomorrow. The fire goby didn't have any signs of aggression when I left for work that morning but its hard to tell since my wife didn't find him until my Sally light foot was eating him. I considered sally killing him but my wife said that the fish had already lost its color. And I didn't have him when the trigger died. If I didn't answer a question please let me know. I will be getting rid of the yellow tail damsil before buying more fish just to be safe. Should I get rid of the crab also? He is about 3in across.
Click to expand...
Hi,

The larger the crab...the meaner they are. However a sally light foot isn't usually a problem. Yes, I suggest you get rid of the damsel, (LOL...IMO, the words docile and damsel do not belong in the same sentence) they are also noted for biting your hand when you service the tank after they mature. If the puffer showed any signs of aggression, it was the damsel for sure. Do you have moonlights? Sometimes a fish being able to see when an aggressor is coming, will help to prevent fin nipping at night when you can't see what's going on. The fish doesn't have to nipped to be harassed to the point of death...just being chased is enough, and a damsel is way too mean to stay in a tank with the docile firefish...it was doomed from the start.
 
cav414

cav414

Member
Okay thank you I will be getting rid of it for sure. All the research I had done said that the fire gobey could be housed with the yellow tail as long as I changed the rock. But I guess live and learn. Thank y'all I'm going to give it one more try.
 
cav414

cav414

Member
Its a 55gal and my filter is a 5 stage canister filter with UV staralizer and a jp-1000 G pump. The tank has been running for two years and I have had it for a little over a year.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
I have a yellow tail w a maroon clown, sunrise dotty back, 2 scooter blennys, and a spotted mandarin. He doesnt bother a thing. Try a maroon if aggression is your issue. Also how r u acclimating your fish?
 
kopczynski

kopczynski

Member
Is your tank covered there could be low oxygen exchange levels, id remove the top if there is one and invest in some egg crate or some other screen.
 
cav414

cav414

Member
The LFS told me to just temp acclimate for an hour but, I did it for two. Should I have done a drip acclimation? Would acclimation shock take that long to affect the fish? my tank is covered thats about the only way to keep a fire fish from what my research has shown. I keep the water agitated vary well though so that it keeps oxygenated and there is about a 1.5 in space in the back of the tank for gases to escape.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Ah, yes that could be your issue. Alot of lfs keep salinity low. Ive seen it as low as 1.017. Now hypo is 1.009 so fish can handle it. However if your only temp acclimating and your tank is 1.022 thats a hell of a jump. Its easier for them to handle going high to low than low to high.
My tanks are all covered too. If you have good flow you should be fine
 
cav414

cav414

Member
Okay well that really makes me feel like an ass. Thank you though next time I'll drip no matter what.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
U dont have to drip, but u do want to add your water to bag water until it mstches your water. Its not for sure its your issue but it would be my guess
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top