Devestated

[larouche10]

I have been losing fish like I have a plague in my tank. In the last five days I lost a clown, unicorn tang, blennie and a kole tang. It started when a mushroom coral died. I left it in too long I think, I thought it was still alive and was just waiting to see if it would perk up. This tank has been so good with minimal death over the year and a half I have had it. The coral is the only thing I can attribute it to because all levels are good. I did a major water change with new carbon but they are still dying....I can't add any copper based meds because I have inverts and an anenome. Is there anything else I can add? I'm just beside myself....I was really starting to feel I was a good saltwater keeper but this is too humbling. It kills me inside and I feel powerless...any help would be more than appreciated....

 

[jond]

I feel your pain. Our tank is only five months old, but we had been going through a period where we just couldn't keep fish alive. All the iverts have always been fine, and the fish would look good and be eating and then they would just die. We never did figure it out. All the water parameters were perfect, I even started checking the DO with a meter. There were never any visible signs of parasites. We just changed some of our equipment last week, and have a new clown and lawnmower blennie. So far so good. I know that this doesn't help you, but sometimes you just can't find the cause.
Good luck.

 

[jimi]

I have had mushrooms die before with no ill affects. They usually seem to shrink until they disappear. Im not saying that is not what caused your problems, Did or do your fish have any other signs of illness? Discoloration, bloating, spots, patchy coloration?

 

[larouche10]

The fish seem to have varying symptoms, one had popeye and some of the others get this milky substance all over them and some get spots. I just lost another two today and another two are dying. I'm a 31 yr old man and I feel like sobbing. I love this tank so much and was so proud of it. The snowflake eel I have and all inverts seem ok. Still asking for any suggestions....

 

[mr . salty]

How about some tank info?? How big,how much rock,how many fish(and what kind), live sand,filter,and skimmer.You say "all the levels are good",what are the numbers???

 

[bobber]

What about lack of oxygen? How many powerheads do you have running? My thoughts are that when the lights go off, oxygen is being depleted, therefore starving the fish of their oxygen to breathe. Still thinking of other possiblities though. But this was my first thought. --Bob

 

[jacrmill]

i dont think it would be lack of oxygen if he hasnt had a problem, then just got one. especially with a milky substance on the fish and then there is popeye too. sounds like you have some sort of bacterial infection going on in your tank to me. but i sure dont know what it is. what is chilonodella? and by poisoning do you mean from the mushroom?

 

[larouche10]

Ok, Here is the tank info:
75 gal. with 70 lbs. of live rock
Running protein skimmer and fluval 304 W/ two powerheads
Fish to die so far are unicorn tang, Blennie, Cardinal, two perc. clowns, kole tang
Readings are:
ph 8.4
Temp 80
Salinity 1.023
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
Amm. 0ppm
Alk 5.5
Calcium 456
Phosphate .02
Copper .05
Now Mr. Salty will you give some advice!!!
Thank you to all who responded despite not have all of that info.