whats happening?

[drago]

we've had these in ths 125 for 6 months: clown tang, sailfin tang, coral beauty, clarkii clownfish, maroon clownfish, and 3 chroims, then 2 condis, 2 cleaner shrimp, and a clean up crew. everything is fine with these fish but every time we add a new fish it dies within days after looking sick. we just got a juvi emperor last week but now it looks blotchy noone picks on him. the water is fine ph 8.4 nitrites 0 ammonia 0.25 nitrates 20 salt 1.026. what do you think is happening?

 

[ledzep fan]

I would try to bring down the ammonia to 0 by doing some water changes. Just my 2 cents.
The Zep

 

[drago]

thanx

 

[drago]

anyone else ??? why are the new fish dying???

 

[tang lover]

Do you acclimate your fish? I would have my pH at 8.2.

 

[drago]

yea i acclimate them

 

[alyssia]

Why do you have ammonia? If your tank is cycled you shouldn't have ANY ammonia.

 

[drago]

its been running 7months and i just did a water change

 

[alyssia]

Did something just die recently in the tank? If so, how long was the body in there?

 

[drago]

no

 

[anthropo]

the reasons why emperors and the fish that look like them at the juvy stage get blotchy like that is water quality. everything has to be zero with the exception of ph.

 

[drago]

ok but other new fish ive gotten died from something but the old ones are ok

 

[anthropo]

it's a possibility that the fish you've had for a while are use to this, not to mention that everything you have with the exception of the clown tang are a lot more resistant to sickness than an emperor.

 

[peter1215]

if you got an amonia reading wouldnt you eventually also get a nitrite reading. there's no reason a 7 month old tank should have an NH3 reading unless youre maxed out on the bioload or something recently died in the tank.

 

[lion_crazz]

How long do you acclimate for? How do you acclimate?

 

[sinner's girl]

nitrites 0 ammonia 0.25 nitrates 20
don't add anything till ammonia is zero.
also, try getting fish from another store...but ammonia is bad....and you shouldn't have it...which makes me think your test kit is off (some give false reading of .25 so have lfs test your water with a different brand) OR you have too many fish, too fast and your tank can't handle the bio-load OR something died and didn't get cleaned up.

 

[drago]

part of my question though is why are the new fish dying?