Why do my fish keep dying?!

[lowflyer281]

Okay, firstly my tank had been up and running for about 6 months. It's 150 gallons with more than enough filtration. I have about 120lbs of live rock. I have a Snowflake eel, stars and stripes puffer, yellow tang, 3 clowns (nemo) and 3 blue demsels. Those guys will live through anything. However just this past week I added a cowfish, trigger,sailfin tang, coral beauty, and another puffer. They ALL died within 3 days. This is my second time trying the sailfin and before that I had a foxface thy died. My levels are all normal. I feed flakes, brineshrimp,mysicshrimp, and the Alge that you put on the clips. My questions is whywhen I add new dish why do they die so quickly? I have never had this much of a problem. Do I need to add any cemicals or anything? Please someone help me!

 

[shrimpy brains]

Welcome to the boards!
Sorry for your troubles. That's a lot of fish to add at one time. It would def. cause problems with your bioload. Also, the cowfish dying could likely kill the other fish. Your existing fish are also very aggressive and could cause the problem. What are your parameters?(ammo.,nitrites, nitrates) and what is your filtration?

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer281
http:///forum/post/3229214
. However just this past week I added a cowfish, trigger,sailfin tang, coral beauty, and another puffer. They ALL died within 3 days. .... My levels are all normal.
You should not be adding this many fish at once.
How old are your test kits? What brand are your test kits?
How do you acclimate your fish? Are they shipped? Have they all been purchased from the same place, if so, it may be time to try a new store?
Do you ask to see these fish eat in the store before you purchase them?
Are you quarantining the fish before they enter your DT?
Can you post your most recent water parameters that you've tested?
How large are your fish now, and how large and aggressive are the fish that are already in the tank?

 

[lowflyer281]

My test kit brand is API and its the Saltwater master kit, i have a fluval 405 a marineland emperor 400 and another filter good for 60 gallons. all the fish were eating at the store. When i acclimate the fish i float the bags for 30 minutes then add some of my water float again for 15 add more of my water float for another 15 then net out the fish. the fish i have now dont seem to be to aggressive, once in awhile the snowflake will go after a fish but he never kills them

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site!
You need more rock, it is your best filter and does the most good. The acclimation method you use works good with freshwater fish, but saltwater fish need more time to acclimate.
Float the bags and remove an ounce of old water and add an ounce from your tank over an hour to 2 hour period. The longer it takes the better.
Stress kills fish as well, so be careful to have fish that get along with each other. Being chased is harassment and will kill a fish just as much a being out right attacked.
I am attaching a book and a page from it so you can see the info it has. This book will save you allot of money and grief.

 

[beth]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer281
http:///forum/post/3229214
Okay, firstly my tank had been up and running for about 6 months. It's 150 gallons ..... I have a Snowflake eel, stars and stripes puffer, yellow tang, 3 clowns (nemo) and 3 blue demsels. Those guys will live through anything. However just this past week I added a cowfish, trigger,sailfin tang, coral beauty, and another puffer. They ALL died within 3 days. This is my second time trying the sailfin and before that I had a foxface thy died. My levels are all normal. I feed flakes, brineshrimp,mysicshrimp, and the Alge that you put on the clips. My questions is whywhen I add new dish why do they die so quickly? I have never had this much of a problem. Do I need to add any cemicals or anything? Please someone help me!
You are adding too many fish at once is your biggest problem, as well as overstocking. Also, I'm guessing you don't quarantine. Ideally, you add one fish at a time, not 4 fish at once in what is a small aggressive-ish tank.

 

[rcreations]

Your water parameters look good based on the picture. I think the main problem is you're adding too many fish at once. Try one at a time, with a longer acclimation and see if that works. Give it at least a month in between fish additions.

 

[ryancw01]

I would work on adding some more base rock (so you don't have to wait for it to cycle seperately) and add some sort of solid blue or black background. These will both help reduce stress levels in the tank. You could have a disease like ich or something in the tank, but the fish in there are healthy enough to fight it off, but new fish are not. When you add a new fish, there are just simply not enough hiding spots to go around in there.
Also, you cannot add that many fish all at once especially with your current filtration. Sumps and protein skimmers work way better than those hang-on-back filters. In my opinion, those are freshwater technology and do not have a place in saltwater.