Please help!! i dont know what just happened!!

[jeanclaude]

I just want to start off saying hello to everybody I am new to this forum and very excited to hear everybodys input on this fantastic hobby.. I have a problem and can really use your help.. okay so heres my story ill keep it short, i started my 20 gallon back in Jan. i haven't had a single death since i started to add fish to my tank. I decided to try a new angel formula for my lemon peel this past week so i fed them one cube, i woke up next morning and 2 of my 5 fish were dead.. then 2 days later 2 more died. i tested my water levels and everything was perfect so i went to my local fish store and picked up another lemon peel and damsel.. got home let them float for about 30mins. everything seemed fine, woke up next morning they were both dead and my only fish that survived from the first episode died as well and thats the least of my problems.. i had about 50 bristol worms dead in the corner of my tank as well.. i have no idea what happen this all happen out of nowhere.. can anyone help me out on what happened and what i should do from here, im so sad i lost all my fish, my clown fish let me hand feed him and everything.. im so sad
Thanks
Jean Claude

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3270069
I just want to start off saying hello to everybody I am new to this forum and very excited to hear everybodys input on this fantastic hobby.. I have a problem and can really use your help.. okay so heres my story ill keep it short, i started my 20 gallon back in Jan. i haven't had a single death since i started to add fish to my tank. I decided to try a new angel formula for my lemon peel this past week so i fed them one cube, i woke up next morning and 2 of my 5 fish were dead.. then 2 days later 2 more died. i tested my water levels and everything was perfect so i went to my local fish store and picked up another lemon peel and damsel.. got home let them float for about 30mins. everything seemed fine, woke up next morning they were both dead and my only fish that survived from the first episode died as well and thats the least of my problems.. i had about 50 bristol worms dead in the corner of my tank as well.. i have no idea what happen this all happen out of nowhere.. can anyone help me out on what happened and what i should do from here, im so sad i lost all my fish, my clown fish let me hand feed him and everything.. im so sad
Thanks
Jean Claude

Welcome to the site, sorry it’s on such sad terms.
First, what are your test readings? Also list all your livestock. Some critters give off toxic poisons and I don’t want to waste time bouncing questions.
Second did you rinse your hands real good before putting them in the tank? I lost almost everything once because I had a cold, and had used a puff tissue with lotion, the lotion on my hands poisoned my tank.
30 minutes is not a proper amount of acclimation time. It may be fine for a freshwater fish but not a saltwater one, you should acclimate no less than one hour and preferably two for very sensitive critters like sea stars.
How much live rock, and how many power heads? What kind of filtration?
Answering these questions should get things rolling so we can figure out how to help..

 

[jeanclaude]

fish i have in the tank were blue devil damsel, 3 stripe damsel, purple pseduochromis, lemon peel angel, clown fish, 18 nitrite snails, 3 nasarius snails.. corals, candy cane, green favites.. i have a 20 gallon tank with a penguin 280 hang on filter, and about 21 lbs of live rock.. i dont know the exact numbers of my readings but i brought a water sample to my local fish store after the first 2 fish died and my friend that works there said this doesnt make sense because my test were pretty much perfect.. also back in january when i orinigally added the fish i floated my fish for 30 mins and they lived for 4 + months, i know its not the right way i should float them for 1 hour but i was in a rush back when i did it.. when i fed them there food this past week i know i didnt put my hands into the tank.. the new food i tried was sally's san francisco bay brand angel and butterfly diet and i always feed piscinc pemysis shrimp..i dont know what went wrong..

 

[socalnano24]

Well first off its not enough to just "float fish" all this does is acclimate them to the water temperature. In addition you need to add water from your tank into the bag water. this can be done in a bucket via drip acclimation (a small diameter air hose line acting as a siphon with a knot at the exit end.) This acclimates fish to the pH and salinity of your tank; in addition to the temperature.
I can't tell if you had 5 or 8 fish in your tank, either way 3 or 4 is about the max you'd probably want in a 20 gallon.
When I feed my 24 nano frozen cubes I typically give them about 1/8th of the cube max. So adding an entire cube at once could have definitley spiked your ammonia and phosphates super high; and most fish stores won't check for phostphates unless you ask.
In addition I would recomend putting any frozen cube food in a cup of aquarium water and letting it disolve then using a turkey baster to add it to the tank, this will dilute the high concentrations of phosphates from the original frozen water used with the cube; and once you've used most of the food via turkey bastering throw the remaining water away instead of adding it to the tank.

 

[jeanclaude]

thanks for your advice, however for months now ive been feeding a cube and it hasnt been a problem, ive managed a saltwater fish store in the past and have never seen something like this before.. personally i think their was something bad packaged in the food that took about 2-3 days to destory everything in my tank.. now i have to start all over.. i basically took about 17 gallons of water out of my tank, washed my rocks and filled the tank back up.. i just put in my penguin 250 chemipure and purigen to help my water filtration.. my question is do you think bristol worms will come back into my tank after a ton of them died already? and how long you think i should cycle this tank for? and i just bought some cycle to put in my tank but im holding off until i actually add my first fish

 

[socalnano24]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3270209
thanks for your advice, however for months now ive been feeding a cube and it hasnt been a problem, ive managed a saltwater fish store in the past and have never seen something like this before..
So basically thanks for the advice but it wasn't what you were looking for, haha well then; good luck!

 

[meowzer]

I'm not sure if you are looking for advice, or for someone to tell you it was the food...

.....IMO you had too many fish in that size tank, and you fed them improperly....you had to have had a large spike of something for the bristle worms to die like that too....
You say you use to manage a sw store before this....then you should know you need to own your own tests, and you need to give detailed test results....also
I also do not see an answer on do you have a protein skimmer or power heads?????
as an answer to your latest question....I would add nothing until I had my own test kits, and the water etsted perfect for at least 2 weeks

 

[jeanclaude]

i have no protein skimmer or power head, didnt think i need it in a 20 gallon.. my good friend has a test kit at the store and i test my water their frequently.. i should have been more clear on the advice, basically i need to know what should i do now?

 

[speg]

Like others said, you certainly did have way too many fish. 3 very small fish in a 20 gallon is going to be pushing the line but the tank should handle them.
Feeding a whole cube is also a problem like others have said. The advice socalnano gave about having a special cup (not something you wash in the dish washer, it's only for aquarium use) for disolving a small amount of the cube in and feeding a small amount with a turkey baster is a much better feeding method.
The way your acclimate is very poor. I think that swf.com actually offers a how-to video on proper acclimation of saltwater fish-I know you've worked at a fish store, but I suggest you take a look. You'll have more success keeping fish long-term with a better acclimation approach.
I'm shocked that the bristleworms died and it's what would make me think that ammonia was not the problem.. but it could kill them with all the fish plus all the uneaten food cube...It also sounds like it could have been something toxic that entered the tank. Really you want to put your hands in the tank as little as possible because of all the stuff that sticks around with us on our skin. I personally hate when I have to put my hands in the tank to adjust a coral because I know that I'm risking my lil guys' health.
Working a fish store you probably should have known better than to put that much in a small tank; on the flip side, working at a fish store you probably wouldn't be aware that you shouldn't put that many fish in one tank... (that's a personal joke for me... I don't trust fish stores).

 

[jeanclaude]

socalnano24 i apreciate your advice i really do im looking for all possible answers here, i didnt mean to come off as a d**k, im jsut confused and fustrated everything was going great and now im like damn i gotta start all over and basically im asking how should i so this doesnt happen again, should i throw out the fodo i just bought? should i add something new, yes i managed a fish store back in college which was like 4 years ago, and i dont have all the answers thats why i am asking you guys, im sure you know much more then i do..

 

[speg]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3270228
i have no protein skimmer or power head, didnt think i need it in a 20 gallon.. my good friend has a test kit at the store and i test my water their frequently.. i should have been more clear on the advice, basically i need to know what should i do now?
I'd personally be really afraid of the rock/sand you have in the tank. Running carbon is a good start and I think you mentioned that you've already done that.. basically you need to let it chill and see what life still remains in there after this problem has cooled down.
Speaking of cool down... do you know the temperature of the tank? That couldn't have been an issue could it? It's getting hot out....

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by Speg
http:///forum/post/3270232
I'd personally be really afraid of the rock/sand you have in the tank. Running carbon is a good start and I think you mentioned that you've already done that.. basically you need to let it chill and see what life still remains in there after this problem has cooled down.
Speaking of cool down... do you know the temperature of the tank? That couldn't have been an issue could it? It's getting hot out....
temp is set at 81 because at night time there is an a/c in the room... during the days i notice the heater is off an at night it goes on becasue of the a/c i put in the hang on chemipure and purigen to help get things going... do you think i should add my cycle now or wait?

 

[meowzer]

Some people do not use skimmers in small tanks.....I DO...I have a skimmer on ALL my tanks....the smallest is a 29G (I also have a 54G and a 225G) YOU MUST MUST MUST have FLOW in your tank......For example I have 3 powerheads in my 29G.....That could be another issue too...

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3270235
Some people do not use skimmers in small tanks.....I DO...I have a skimmer on ALL my tanks....the smallest is a 29G (I also have a 54G and a 225G) YOU MUST MUST MUST have FLOW in your tank......For example I have 3 powerheads in my 29G.....That could be another issue too...
if my hang on is on the back rightside of my tank, where would you suggest i put the powerhead? and dont you think it will be too much flow in a 20g especially when i start to add corals? it may annoy them

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3270238
if my hang on is on the back rightside of my tank, where would you suggest i put the powerhead? and dont you think it will be too much flow in a 20g especially when i start to add corals? it may annoy them
NO.....I don't think it would be too much....you can get a Koralia nano...or a Koralia 1......I have A K1, K2, and some other type in my 29G

 

[speg]

Originally Posted by Jeanclaude
http:///forum/post/3270238
if my hang on is on the back rightside of my tank, where would you suggest i put the powerhead? and dont you think it will be too much flow in a 20g especially when i start to add corals? it may annoy them
I have a 12 gallon tank (reef with coral) and I have two powerheads and a protein skimmer (I believe in them too). I've actually been thinking of adding yet another powerhead for more flow... many coral need flow and the water doesn't get that correct oxygen exchange if there isn't good flow... may even mess with the PH.
Look right here at the supplies list on this site. You'll find a 'Koralia Nano' those are perfect for the 20 gallon you have and they're pretty cheap as far as koralia/powerheads go.

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by Speg
http:///forum/post/3270246
I have a 12 gallon tank (reef with coral) and I have two powerheads and a protein skimmer (I believe in them too). I've actually been thinking of adding yet another powerhead for more flow... many coral need flow and the water doesn't get that correct oxygen exchange if there isn't good flow... may even mess with the PH.
Look right here at the supplies list on this site. You'll find a 'Koralia Nano' those are perfect for the 20 gallon you have and they're pretty cheap as far as koralia/powerheads go.
where would you put it in the tank, top leftside opposite of the filter? middle leftside? bottom?

 

[speg]

It depends on what you want. I've seen some people put theirs in the back of the tank pointing towards the front, on the sides, top pointing down... lots of different options.
Check out people's tanks on here to get an idea.

 

[speg]

You want the water to move. You'll soon see if an area isn't getting the flow you want... but keep in mind that different areas of the tank should be different with flow. It's nice to have some spots with really high flow for corals that demand it and really low flow for coral that doesn't demand it.

 

[jeanclaude]

Originally Posted by Speg
http:///forum/post/3270256
You want the water to move. You'll soon see if an area isn't getting the flow you want... but keep in mind that different areas of the tank should be different with flow. It's nice to have some spots with really high flow for corals that demand it and really low flow for coral that doesn't demand it.
how do i check out peoples pictures on the site? sorry im new to the site havent browsed around it much