All my new fish keep dieing please help

[akotler]

I currently have a 90gal saltwater tank with a brown powder tang, nasu tang, sail fin and an almost full grown snow flake eel. I have like a small tank that i put in a new fish in that stays inside the main tank and i dont release until it starts eating for a few day. For some reason once i release the new fish in the tank it appears to be doing fine (eating and swimming actively)then 3-4 day later after the release it just dies. This has been happening with the last 4 fish that i put in. Any ideas???? the water is 8.4PH ammonia is at 0

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by akotler http:///t/392992/all-my-new-fish-keep-dieing-please-help#post_3493225
I currently have a 90gal saltwater tank with a brown powder tang, nasu tang, sail fin and an almost full grown snow flake eel. I have like a small tank that i put in a new fish in that stays inside the main tank and i dont release until it starts eating for a few day. For some reason once i release the new fish in the tank it appears to be doing fine (eating and swimming actively)then 3-4 day later after the release it just dies. This has been happening with the last 4 fish that i put in. Any ideas???? the water is 8.4PH ammonia is at 0
Hi,
Wecome to the site! We more info to help us help you to figure out what is going on....
What are the other test readings?
Nitrites?
Phosphates?
Alkalinity?
Nitrates?
Are you using strips or lab type test kits?
List your equipment.
How long have you had the tank up and going?
Do you use tap water or RO?

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/392992/all-my-new-fish-keep-dieing-please-help#post_3493227
Hi,
Wecome to the site! We more info to help us help you to figure out what is going on....
What are the other test readings?
Nitrites?
Phosphates?
Alkalinity?
Nitrates?
Are you using strips or lab type test kits?
List your equipment.
How long have you had the tank up and going?
Do you use tap water or RO?
+1 on getting all that info.
And
How big are the current fish?
Any signs of aggression between the current stock?
Any signs of aggression to new comers?

 

[achilles tang]

I think another good question would be what kinda fish are you trying to put in? that could have a big play for a 90 gallon tank..

 

[akotler]

Nitrites? 0
Phosphates?i dont have a test for that
Alkalinity?i dont have a test for that
Nitrates? 160 (i know that it is a bit high now i am due for a water change but i had this issue when this was at 40)
Are you using strips or lab type test kits? i use lab type for amo and PH and strips for everything else
List your equipment.
1 Ehime 2217
1 Ehime e3 pro (the largest one)
How long have you had the tank up and going? over a year and never had a problem
Do you use tap water or RO? tap
+1 on getting all that info.
And
How big are the current fish? Nasu tang about 4'' sail fin about 5'' brown powder about 4'' eel about 18''
Any signs of aggression between the current stock?no
Any signs of aggression to new comers?no
Deaths:
Emperor angel 2.5''
Singapore angel 2.5"
Butterfly fish 3"
Blue Powder tang 3.5"

 

[flower]

Hi,
Ammonia is okay for test strips... and if you see a spike, take the lab test to see just how much of a spike. You need lab type tests for all the others mentioned. The nitrates are way out of hand and is already over the top for healthy inverts at 40.
Tap water is poison for your tank. The water treatment people put all kinds of chemicals in the water to combat the very bacteria we need in our tanks. Then they add stuff like fluoride for your teeth, which fish have no need at all for. Swap to RO water... you can get it at any grocery store. The Walmart by me sells RO water for 37 cents a gallon. Just change to RO water during water changes and top offs, eventually you will get rid of the tap water.
What is the SG, and how are you testing that?
You don't have a skimmer? A skimmer will pull out the extra organics out of the water, stuff you can't even test for. It will pull out sludge that smells like sewage...and your fish are living/dying in that.
What kind of CUC do you have in there? CUC= Clean Up Crew...of snails, crabs, shrimp and bristle worms.
How much live rock, and what kind of substrate?
What temp do you keep the tank at?
The sailfin tang needs a 180g tank, they reach about 15 inches when they are an adult.
I think you are already at your limit on fish for a 90g....what you have needs room to grow.

 

[akotler]

What is the SG, and how are you testing that? i dont know what this is
You don't have a skimmer? i have a skimmer im not sure what kind all i know is that it is rated for 100gal
What kind of CUC do you have in there? all my snails always died after a week since i converted my tank to saltwater. I have a star fish
How much live rock, and what kind of substrate? about 80-100lb with crushed coral
What temp do you keep the tank at? 78-80
The sailfin tang needs a 180g tank, they reach about 15 inches when they are an adult.
I think you are already at your limit on fish for a 90g....what you have needs room to grow. (i plan on moving him out in a few months)

 

[akotler]

as for the water i RO water is a bit hard to find in my area. Prior to my saltwater conversion i had freshwater for about 10yr with no issues.

 

[asp762]

Nitrates are 160. No skimmer. No clean up crew. I wonder why things are dieing.
SG is specific gravity. You use a refractometer.

 

[akotler]

SG 1.020 I have a skimmer

 

[akotler]

Update:
the Nitrates are now 80 and falling. Does anyone have any idea why my new fish are dieing once they leave qurentine?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by akotler http:///t/392992/all-my-new-fish-keep-dieing-please-help#post_3493863
Update:
the Nitrates are now 80 and falling. Does anyone have any idea why my new fish are dieing once they leave qurentine?
Simple...the new tank has something in it that kills the fish. The right question is.... What is wrong with the DT that the fish once acclimated, die.
You have to trouble shoot...ask some questions and check out each possibility, and by process of elimination find the problem. Don't just say...."No it can't be that", check each thing on the list to be sure, and if you can think of anything else to check..... do.

• 
  Is there an aggressive fish that is killing them?
• 
  Did you acclimate them properly?
• 
  Can the water be contaminated with something?
• 
  Is it possible some piece of equipment is leaking stray voltage?
• 
  Are the water parameters off...how old or reliable are the test kits?
  Is there a rock or decor that could be poisoning the tank?
  Did you dose the DT with something?
  How does the water smell?
  Could the container used for top offs or water changes be leaking something?

I know it's frustrating...but there has to be a reason if the fish live fine in the quarantine, and then die in the DT.

 

[swfishguy]

Did you cycle the aquarium out fully before adding livestock?

 

[btldreef]

It sounds like you packed this tank quickly. You also are already overstocked and have the wrong fish for this tank. Tangs, especially as many as you have and the ones you have, have no place in a 90G. It's probably an aggression issue. Tangs are usually suggested to be the last fish added to keep down on aggression. Plus you have an eel. If the eel can fit the new fish in his mouth, he very well could try.
Quarantine should not be done in the same tank. They should be kept in a separate tank, OUTSIDE of the main tank, with no connection at all. If you introduce a new fish that has a parasite, you're going to infect your entire tank. This is another possibility of what's going on. Your older fish could have the parasite as well but aren't showing signs of it, but throw a new fish in, and it could die from it.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/392992/all-my-new-fish-keep-dieing-please-help#post_3494334
It sounds like you packed this tank quickly. You also are already overstocked and have the wrong fish for this tank. Tangs, especially as many as you have and the ones you have, have no place in a 90G. It's probably an aggression issue. Tangs are usually suggested to be the last fish added to keep down on aggression. Plus you have an eel. If the eel can fit the new fish in his mouth, he very well could try.
Quarantine should not be done in the same tank. They should be kept in a separate tank, OUTSIDE of the main tank, with no connection at all. If you introduce a new fish that has a parasite, you're going to infect your entire tank. This is another possibility of what's going on. Your older fish could have the parasite as well but aren't showing signs of it, but throw a new fish in, and it could die from it.
I didn't even realize the QT was not proprly set up, I totally missed the INSIDE the main tank comment...Also I want to add...a few days is not long enough...a new fish should be in quarantine for at least 3 to 4 weeks. I also agree on your assessment of fish stocked in the tank....way too many tangs that are not suited for a 90g.