Help!! All My Fish Keep Dying

[disdominican]

I had my 55 gal set-up for about 4 years and never had any serious problems. Well I recently moved and after the move my mated pair of percs, Coral beauty, 4 green chromis, all died the folowing day. Tested the water afterwards at the LFS and was told that my PH was a little low so I bought some buffer.
I used all new water after emptying my tank for the move (Saltwater from the LFS). I did notice some die off from the rocks. The LFS told me that the fish were probably stressed out from the move. I waited about 3 weeks after the fish died and began stocking the tank again.
I bought a small mimic tang. 3 days later I bought a small sailfin. 5 days after I bought a sixline wrasse and moved the maroone clown from my 10 gal I set up for my daughter. The day after I bought the sixline I noticed the mimic tang had a thin white film over his face and noticed the rest acting funny. I ran to the LFS and they gave me some garlic medication (a few drops) and was instructed to cut out the lights and mix with water from the tank then pour inside the tank. I did as instructed but they warned me it might be too late. They had suggested to treat the tank with some medication (orange liquid, not sure of the name), but they said since they were already acting funny to ride it out with the garlic.
The next day ALL the fish were DEAD. I went to the LFSand told them what happened and they suggested leaving the tank fish less for two weeks. they said that if there was a parasite it would die off in two weeks. So I waited 4 weeks just to be safe. I then bought 2 green chromis to make sure nothing would happen (this was on Monday of this week). Wednesay they had disappeared completely. Cannot find them in the tank dead or alive!!!!!
What should I do? I have never had problems with the tank from before the move. Anyone have any suggestions as to what is going on and what I should do? By the way my corals are fine.

 

[redman1221]

Originally Posted by disdominican
http:///forum/post/2726648
I had my 55 gal set-up for about 4 years and never had any serious problems. Well I recently moved and after the move my mated pair of percs, Coral beauty, 4 green chromis, all died the folowing day. Tested the water afterwards at the LFS and was told that my PH was a little low so I bought some buffer.
I used all new water after emptying my tank for the move (Saltwater from the LFS). I did notice some die off from the rocks. The LFS told me that the fish were probably stressed out from the move. I waited about 3 weeks after the fish died and began stocking the tank again.
I bought a small mimic tang. 3 days later I bought a small sailfin. 5 days after I bought a sixline wrasse and moved the maroone clown from my 10 gal I set up for my daughter. The day after I bought the sixline I noticed the mimic tang had a thin white film over his face and noticed the rest acting funny. I ran to the LFS and they gave me some garlic medication (a few drops) and was instructed to cut out the lights and mix with water from the tank then pour inside the tank. I did as instructed but they warned me it might be too late. They had suggested to treat the tank with some medication (orange liquid, not sure of the name), but they said since they were already acting funny to ride it out with the garlic.
The next day ALL the fish were DEAD. I went to the LFSand told them what happened and they suggested leaving the tank fish less for two weeks. they said that if there was a parasite it would die off in two weeks. So I waited 4 weeks just to be safe. I then bought 2 green chromis to make sure nothing would happen (this was on Monday of this week). Wednesday they had disappeared completely. Cannot find them in the tank dead or alive!!!!!
What should I do? I have never had problems with the tank from before the move. Anyone have any suggestions as to what is going on and what I should do? By the way my corals are fine.
It looks to me that you started to add fish too fast, but what are your perimeter so that everyone can help you better. You should have waited at least a month after you added the first fish, before you add another fish.

 

[ibew41]

you used all new water when you reset up your tank?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah, I agree... I think you added fish too quickly. Did you get your water tested after the fish died? It could be signs of ammonia or nitrite... What's the source of your top off water?
Run your tank fishless and only add one fish that you like.

 

[ibew41]

water test results would also help

 

[tvwong]

something is awry in your water chemistry.>> waterchanges. eventhough you used new water on the thank once you moved .. the shifting sand will release many many nitrates/phosphates/sulfides.... of which can harm fish at very high levels. How are you mixing your water?

 

[nordy]

Sorry to hear about your loss! I know that it hurts to have that type of deaths in your tank.
Originally Posted by IBEW41
http:///forum/post/2726690
you used all new water when you reset up your tank?
This sounds like the basic cause-that would be a really huge stressor to your fish, no matter how "good" the water from your LFS was. Things like PH, temp, salinity, need to be perfectly matched when doing a total water change as it appears you did, and even if it was "perfectly matched", a 100% water change is something to be avoided. I have had issues with water quality and have done 100% water changes but over the course of a week-10 gallons a day for 5 days.
Plus, it sounds like you may have had some major die off of your LR which means you essentially need to cure it all over again to establish your cycle.
The key to re-establishing a healthy tank is to find out what your tank parameters are, then take corrective action as indicated by test results. Once you have gotten your water quality issues taken care of, then slowly re-stock, depending on what type of biological filtration that you have. Adding fish/livestock slowly allows the bacteria culture to increase as you add fish (whose poop feeds that bacteria) and become stabilized to that new level of bioload. Then, you add more fish which moves the bacteria population up another notch to accomodate the new fish, of course not exceeding a reasonable limit for your tank.
Do you have a good test kit? If not, that's an essential item before you start to re-establish your tank.
Let us know what your water parameters are, and any help offered can be better directed to help your tank get back on track.
Good Luck!

 

[candycane]

Where did you move from and to (cities and states)? Is either area heavily covered in grass, trees, etc?
Most of those fish I would probably stick in a brand new tank without even being worried that they might die if I was using already cycled sand or LR. The sixline, clown and chromis usually aren't going to just up and die because of stress from a move. Fish get shipped all the time. With the peeling on the tangs face, I would say that something got into the tank. Did the water ever become cloudy?
The several dozen times that I have seen an issue like the above it was a cause of water toxicity due to something getting into the tank that shouldn't. Like driving around with a 125 gallon tank in the back of a truck. At a stoplight, the fumes from the exhaust can very easily go up and into the tank and pollute all of the biological filtration. Not saying that's what happened, just an example. Could have been someone cutting their grass around the area that uses fertilizers, who knows. But it does sound like an outside toxin.

 

[disdominican]

I have been almost daily at the LFS, no ammonia/nitrate spike. I used all new water except for what was in the wet/dry. I am going to buy a test kit tonight whe I get home from work (If the LFS is open since Tropical Strom Fay is over us now.)
Also, I did a 20% water change after the 1st fish died, once I did the change I immediately put in the garlic medication given to me by the LFS.
I know that when the LFS told me I needed to raise my PH I put in PH Up. After I put it in I noticed all my fresh water stuff was mixed with all my saltwater things. i hadnt had a freshwater tank in over 5 years. And the PH up I put it was for Fresh water only. Do you thin thismight have done it?
I agree I should've waited longer before I put in the new fish the first time. I will wait about two weeks before I add anything. I will also buy some egg crate and glue it inside the built in overflow to prevent fish from going in there. The last two chromis completely disappeared and I believe they might have been sucked into the overflow. I cannot find them anywhere dead or alive.
I moved only 20 minutes away from where I previously lived.

 

[disdominican]

sorry it took so long to me getting back. I was preparing the house for the possible Hurricane Fay which is now staying a Tropical Storm.

 

[bgrae001]

Though everyone is correct in their suggestions, I don't think that it makes sense that all of them keep dying off. I've moved a tank and had to replace all the water in my tank when my 2yo son pored in an entire bottle of fish food without a single loss. If you don't mess with the sand bed during the move you should be okay, you might have a minor spike but nothing to cause mass death.
Have you checked for stray voltage??? You might be nuking your fish. If you got water in one of your power strips or a timer during the move you might have a minor short that is causing a minor amount of voltage into the tank.
You might try a titanium grounding rod in your sump?
let me know what happens!

 

[candycane]

Originally Posted by disdominican
http:///forum/post/2727215
I know that when the LFS told me I needed to raise my PH I put in PH Up. After I put it in I noticed all my fresh water stuff was mixed with all my saltwater things. i hadnt had a freshwater tank in over 5 years. And the PH up I put it was for Fresh water only. Do you thin thismight have done it?
In not so many words, most likely yes.
You are probably going to have to change your entire substrate out and wash the tank out really good. Any sort of foreign chemical that gets in there that's not supposed to be, will cause issues similar to the ones that you had. It just sounded like it was some sort of toxin that is in there that shouldn't be.

 

[draconis321]

If u use brand new water and got ridd of all your cycled water that would have bin queit a shock for the fish

 

[disdominican]

Originally Posted by bgrae001
http:///forum/post/2727222
Though everyone is correct in their suggestions, I don't think that it makes sense that all of them keep dying off. I've moved a tank and had to replace all the water in my tank when my 2yo son pored in an entire bottle of fish food without a single loss. If you don't mess with the sand bed during the move you should be okay, you might have a minor spike but nothing to cause mass death.
Have you checked for stray voltage??? You might be nuking your fish. If you got water in one of your power strips or a timer during the move you might have a minor short that is causing a minor amount of voltage into the tank.
You might try a titanium grounding rod in your sump?
let me know what happens!
This might have been the issue. Last night I checked one of the powerheads and it was not working. It has been plugged in, but not working. Could this send stray voltage into the tank. I am thinking about getting a titanium grounding rod. BTW all my snails and hermit crabs are all alive and doing well!!
Still have not tested the water. Hoping to get it tomorrow after work.

 

[bgrae001]

Originally Posted by disdominican
http:///forum/post/2729130
This might have been the issue. Last night I checked one of the powerheads and it was not working. It has been plugged in, but not working. Could this send stray voltage into the tank. I am thinking about getting a titanium grounding rod. BTW all my snails and hermit crabs are all alive and doing well!!
Still have not tested the water. Hoping to get it tomorrow after work.
sorry about the loss. I would get the grounding rod just in case it wasn't that pump, but I feel better knowing that you found a piece of faulty equipment.
My suggestion is to wait at least 2 more weeks before you introduce any new fish, and I would do a few water changes too. Don't add any supplements to the water that you don't have a test kit for.
Keep us informed to what is going on and post your next water test results.
Brian

 

[b_clark711]

Originally Posted by disdominican
http:///forum/post/2727215
I have been almost daily at the LFS, no ammonia/nitrate spike. I used all new water except for what was in the wet/dry. I am going to buy a test kit tonight whe I get home from work (If the LFS is open since Tropical Strom Fay is over us now.)
Also, I did a 20% water change after the 1st fish died, once I did the change I immediately put in the garlic medication given to me by the LFS.
I know that when the LFS told me I needed to raise my PH I put in PH Up. After I put it in I noticed all my fresh water stuff was mixed with all my saltwater things. i hadnt had a freshwater tank in over 5 years. And the PH up I put it was for Fresh water only. Do you thin thismight have done it?
I agree I should've waited longer before I put in the new fish the first time. I will wait about two weeks before I add anything. I will also buy some egg crate and glue it inside the built in overflow to prevent fish from going in there. The last two chromis completely disappeared and I believe they might have been sucked into the overflow. I cannot find them anywhere dead or alive.
I moved only 20 minutes away from where I previously lived.
A good friend of mine has a 40 gallon bowfront and he purchased a large bicolor angel (which as beautiful) from our LFS. A few days later he called me to come over because he had an emergency. Not knowing what the problem was, I hoped in the ride and headed over to their house and realized that the problem was, he couldn't find his bicolor angel. There is a tight fitting lid & he is running the HOB filter (Emperor 400). We took EVERY SINGLE PIECE of LR out of that tank, making sure to check every crevice as he also owns a dragonet and this Angel was nowhere to be found! There is also a black & white percula in there and all of the other fish are fine. We literally took every piece of rock out, searched it, placed it on a rubber mat until we had all of the rock out, then placed it back in the tank, searching it again. We did this 2 times that night, along with looking EVERYWHERE on the floor around the tank in the case that he jumped out & was flopping around. We still haven't seen this guy and it's been about 2 months! They don't have any household pets so the possibility of the angel being eaten by a cat for example is non existent! It's wild how stuff like this transpires and had I not gone over & helped him, I would be telling him that he HAD to have overlooked his fish, but when I tell you this fish was nowhere to be found, he was literally nowhere to be found! It's crazy!

 

[bgrae001]

Originally Posted by B_Clark711
http:///forum/post/2730949
A good friend of mine has a 40 gallon bowfront and he purchased a large bicolor angel (which as beautiful) from our LFS. A few days later he called me to come over because he had an emergency. Not knowing what the problem was, I hoped in the ride and headed over to their house and realized that the problem was, he couldn't find his bicolor angel. There is a tight fitting lid & he is running the HOB filter (Emperor 400). We took EVERY SINGLE PIECE of LR out of that tank, making sure to check every crevice as he also owns a dragonet and this Angel was nowhere to be found! There is also a black & white percula in there and all of the other fish are fine. We literally took every piece of rock out, searched it, placed it on a rubber mat until we had all of the rock out, then placed it back in the tank, searching it again. We did this 2 times that night, along with looking EVERYWHERE on the floor around the tank in the case that he jumped out & was flopping around. We still haven't seen this guy and it's been about 2 months! They don't have any household pets so the possibility of the angel being eaten by a cat for example is non existent! It's wild how stuff like this transpires and had I not gone over & helped him, I would be telling him that he HAD to have overlooked his fish, but when I tell you this fish was nowhere to be found, he was literally nowhere to be found! It's crazy!
So, Did you ever find it? I had a similar situation with a wrasse, it appeared 2 weeks later out of the blue, just fine. It buried its self in the sand.

 

[b_clark711]

Originally Posted by bgrae001
http:///forum/post/2731119
So, Did you ever find it? I had a similar situation with a wrasse, it appeared 2 weeks later out of the blue, just fine. It buried its self in the sand.
Nope, it's been over 2 months now, I can't quite remember, but at least 1 1/2 months! He's GONE!

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by draconis321
http:///forum/post/2727754
If u use brand new water and got ridd of all your cycled water that would have bin queit a shock for the fish
I just had to clear up this bit of misinformation quick. Bacteria does not reside in the water column, it builds up on solid surfaces only (ie: glass, LR, LS). You can change 100% of your water without having any impact on the bacteria levels... granted the water is acceptable replacement salt water. The only shock would have been if the salinity or temp were way off. Water changes do have a greater impact on coral than fish because the possibility of different levels of trace elements.
That is all....