frustrating (many unexplained deaths)

drkegel

drkegel

Member
OK, I have now been set up for over a month, and my levels have all been good for two weeks. I can't keep fish alive in my tank other than damsels, and I don't know why!?!?!
I've lost 3 clownfish so far, and it's driving me batty! In the tank, its 55gal, I have CC, 15 lbs LR, and other rock for decoration. I have an Eheim three stage filter/pump, a Prizm protein skimmer, 1 yellow tailed damsel, one sebae clown (who looks like he's about to die, I can see his spine and been in tank for 3 days, hasn't eaten since I got him, tried EVERYTHING) one false perc, who eats fine and swims vigorously, and one coral banded shrimp who is very active. Lost two false percs previously, because they suddenly quit eating. I watch the fish as much as I can, and they all seem to get along fine. No one chases anyone around much, although the clowns seem to "dance" every now and then.
AMmonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are all 0, Ph is 8.1, temp is 80! I feed once or twice daily, and the damselfishy eats like mad, and only one of the four clowns I've had eats at all! My coral banded shrimp is loving life in the tank too! This is just weird. I think I might be getting poor fish from my LFS, but they all look fine and healthy and eat at the store! They come to my tank and die! It's sad and horrible and frustrating!
Unless anyone can point me in the direction of a culprit, I would like to know if anyone has any info about a good LFS in the Twin Cities area, or if they can recommend good experience with any web-based fish dealer! Good grief. I don't know if I can post my email or not, but I will now. If I can't, please let me know!
kege0002@tc.umn.edu Thank you!
 
mr . salty

mr . salty

Active Member
Sounds too me like the store is the problem...Have you ever tested the stores water when you get a fish??? You would probably be shocked...
 
nanook

nanook

New Member
Hi Doc,
I think Mr. Salty gives good advice.
Also, check the lfs S.G. as compared to your tank. Is there a large difference? How do you acclimatize your fish when first introduced? I intro my tank water 1 drop at a time over a couple of hours.
I also think it wouldn't hurt if you were to add a few more pounds of live rock which would help build up your bio-filter to handle changes in bio load. Though your tank has been up for about a month, you're likely to get the odd NH3 spike as you add fish.
Good luck and regards...
 
fiestyfish

fiestyfish

New Member
I am not a fish expert, but have been a hobbyist with fresh and salt for the past 3 plus years. In reading your post, my opinion is that your tank has not "cycled" sufficiently yet. I wouldn't add anything else to your tank for sure, and make sure you quickly take out anything that dies. When you add fish, your ph, ni and na will spike, which can kill the fish. Your levels are probably low because you haven't sufficiently cycled, so you have problably never had any levels to report.
You will know you are cycling when your levels spike high, and then slowly go back down. When they level out, you can safely add new fish. However, make sure you don't add more than one or two at once, and acclimatize them well before putting them in.
In my experience, the above is what is going on. Fish, especially salt water, takes a great deal of patience when they are new!
One more note, don't run any skimmers if you have them, until after you cycle. This will speed the process a little, running a skimmer will slow it down...
 
drkegel

drkegel

Member
I know I've already cycled, monitored readings daily, and saw ammonia spike, followed by nitrite. Those levels have come back down and have stayed fine. I add one fish at a time, except the day I added the shrimp with a fish. I always do this after the lights have gone out in the evening and leave the lights off for at least 12 hours before turning them on again. I am familiar with the effects of adding different creatures to a small environment (chemical spikes.) Trust me, I monitor everything DAILY, and the tank has cycled.
I would also appreciate an answer to my other questions, via email regarding experience in dealing with various internet sites for livestock/supplies. Email posted above! Thanks!
 
jacrmill

jacrmill

Member
i would be kinda sceptical about the problem being with YOUR water. since you have a CBS in there and doing fine i would think your water would be good considering inverts are more sensitive to poor water quality than fish. if i were you id either do as MR salty said or just try a new LFS all together.
 
npaladen

npaladen

New Member
I also agree with Mr. Salty, I had a very similar problem about three years ago when I got into the hobby (obsession). There were four lfs stores in the town where I lived and it ended up that only two of them were any good. Well, I bought many fish from the two bad ones and lost almost every fish because of it, once I wised up and started going to the other two I have hardly ever lost a fish since. Also the fish from the other two were much nicer specimens in every situation.
So I say try a new store, and PS, every thing I have ever gotten from this site has been of the highest quality.
 
salt55

salt55

Member
As soon as i saw this post i thought you might have one and sure enough you said you have a yellow tailed blue damsel. I know you say they all seem to get along fine but night time is a whole different story. i had the exact same problem and had no idea why until i bought three blue damsels and the next day they were all three dead. Turned out the yellow tailed blue damsel was the culprit. I got rid of him and now the tank is perfect. These fish are terrible fish for a community tank. They hate newcomeres and will terrorize them to the point of death. Good luck wit your problem. My vote says its the damsel.
 
drkegel

drkegel

Member
I have considered the possiblity of disease. There is however, NO SIGN that any of the fish had disease.
I am going to remove the damsel before adding any more fish to the tank, and I am not going to get any more fish from the LFS I had been going to. Going to try a different one here in the Cities.
Thanks for your help.
 
mr.marine

mr.marine

Member
the "other rock" you talk about, has it been cured. adding uncured rock to your tank can cause major problems that may be un detectable. some fish may be living because they are more hardy (such as damsels) or do not go near the rock as much. check ur rock. if it has not been cured id remove it right away! keep us updated. good luck!
 
drkegel

drkegel

Member
BY other rock, I mean decorative rock. Never was live, just rock to add structure and a place for the fish to swim through.
I removed the damsel, and got another clown. The two of them seem happier than ever that the damsel is gone. The LFS gave me credit for the damsel and the dead fish, so I got my new clown and more cured live rock with the credit. I think the damsel was the trouble, thanks to everyone for their help! I'll keep you posted!
 
flydan

flydan

Active Member
Hey,
Are you also sure that your decorator rock was reef safe? Some rock can have heavy metals in them and they leach into the water and are toxic. Just another idea to kick around.
Dan'l
 
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