Tomato Clown & My Story ...Long

quickieglenn

New Member
I have a 36 gal tank set up for about 2 yrs
Ehiem Canister filter, Internal Power head,Bleached Coral, Live Sand.
Started with damsels (3)added a Coral Beauty and a Tomato Clown over the next 4 months. Lost 2 damsels, they crept to staying close to the top and then died. Next the coral beauty did the same thing. My theory was a agressive clown and blue damsel. I purchased a emeral crab & a Sally Mae crab which lived until last month. So all I was left with was a 2.5" Tomato Clown and a Blue Damsel with a yellow tail and a blue chromis. In november I heard a whistling coming from the tank and a weird smell in the house, thinking the air pump or filter were making the noise I unplugged them one at a time but to my surprise it was the heater,all of a sudden it belched out a cloud of foul smelling bubbles and my fish proceeded to lay on the sand in distress. The blue chromis died instantly so I changed 15 gal of water and the other 2 survived.After 2 weeks I purchased 2 fancy blue damsels about 1.5"lg (forgot the name) they acclimated well and found homes and were eating. They died 2 days later. Last night I notice the Clown acting weird and he seems to have a white film on his sides and breathing heavy but the damsel is fine and they are both eating ,I changed 10 gals of water. This morning I checked the water and the SG is 1.023, the PH is 8.0, Ammonia is 0.0, Nitrate is below 10, the Nitrite is Below 2. temp 78. I do not have a quarantine tank. HELP
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Any nitrite can be deadly, and if you have had this all along, it could well account for the problems you have had, along with the meltdown of the heater.
Heaters are one of those pieces of equipment that you should not skim on. Buy the best quality. We are talking about electricity and water. Also, be sure that your tank equipment is plugged in to a GFI for safety.
 

quickieglenn

New Member
The heater that went was a stealth that is has a lifetime warranty, my lfs had never seen this happen before and gave a replacement. Also when I said below 2 on the nitrite My seatest did not measure any anth 2 was the lowest scale.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
I am thinking whatever happened with that heater (I have had them go on the fritz before, but never like that) did the majority of damage. Pick up a different test kit for the nitrite. The aquarium pharmapsuticals one tests to 0. There is a huge difference between a reading of 0 and a reading of 2.
 
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