Help... I cant keep fish!!!

[TheTodd]

You have parasites on your tank. You have to wait for 6 weeks before adding a new fish in your tank.

What makes you come to that conclusion?

I agree that something odd is going on, but if water parameters were off, I would think that all those corals would be in bad shape. It sounds like surface agitation is ok, so that's off the list.

How are you acclimating your fish when you get them? Maybe its something like that, but I would think they would die sooner.

Are there any visible signs of anything going on before they die? Are they eating? Swimming around normally? Scraping against rocks? Heavy breathing? Visible spots?

Do you have any fish in there now? If not, I do agree with leaving the tank fallow. If it is Ich or some other parasite, 6 weeks is good. Marine Velvet is 8 weeks. I'm not thinking MV just because that generally hits hard and very fast. It is tough to see sometimes.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The angel being restless and scrapping at the bottom indicates parasites. The last fish was the clown and perished also.

 

[Bectan01]

With surface agitation, you say it's medium flow when they come on? Does that mean you turn off your powerheads?

 

[TheTodd]

The angel being restless and scrapping at the bottom indicates parasites. The last fish was the clown and perished also.

I just read again and did not see the OP mention anything about the fish scraping against the bottom. Also, they said the fish was "moping"...define that please. My kids mope when they are unhappy, but I'm not sure what that equates to in fish behavior.

Just saw the "when they turn on" thing too. Are they on a wave maker? Are you turning them off? If so, that's no good.

 

[jeffaquarius]

I just read again and did not see the OP mention anything about the fish scraping against the bottom. Also, they said the fish was "moping"...define that please. My kids mope when they are unhappy, but I'm not sure what that equates to in fish behavior.

Just saw the "when they turn on" thing too. Are they on a wave maker? Are you turning them off? If so, that's no good.

What do you think that is killing the fish when the corals are healthy?

 

[Rutrag]

I think we need to hear about the acclimation method. Also, have you ever tested the specific gravity of the water in the bags from the LFS? It's not unheard of for some LFS to keep their SG low in the belief that it is prophylactic for the fish or helps them to fend off ich. (I'm not saying hyposalinity doesn't work, because I know it does, but some of these places are keeping the SG at 1.018 which is not low enough for hyposalinity treatment.) I have read that fish can take a rapid declne in specific gravity much better than a rapid increase.

How are you testing your SG (hydrometer or refractometer)? Hydrometers can range greatly in their accuracy, and refractometers have to be calibrated.

You say your parameters are all OK, but you don't have an ammonia kit. I'm not sure how you can make the assertion without having something to test it with. (I will say I doubt this is the problem since the corals look to be doing okay.)

 

[mr_X]

I'd like to add the question of the water changes. How exactly are you doing your changes, and does the timing have anything to do with the fish dying? Any temperature swings throughout the day?

 

[Garrett706]

I just got off work I will update everyone as soon as I get home

 

[Garrett706]

I'd like to add the question of the water changes. How exactly are you doing your changes, and does the timing have anything to do with the fish dying? Any temperature swings throughout the day?

The way I do my water changes is by first checking the salinity and water temp, then I mix my new water and get the salinity and temp the same as what my tank is,last I double check my tank again to make sure there weren't any changes in temp or salinity and then I pull out however many gallons I might be changing and add my new water

There aren't any temp swings in my tank , it stays at 76-79 degrees and the temp changes whether it be rising or lowering are in a 12-24 hour period

 

[Garrett706]

The parameters in my tank are

Nitrates-0
Phosphates-0
Ammonia-0.25
Sg-1.023
Temp-78

I went to my LFS to talk to him and get a test kit and talk to him about what's going on he told me go home test your water and then come back because my ammonia level is going to be just fine that the the problem is that I have parasites in my tank and I need a uv sterilizer ( to sum up our conversation ), he also added that I will need to wait about 6 weeks before I think about adding any fish so I'm on my way back to get one and wait it out.

 

[jeffaquarius]

There you go. Just like what I said but your ammonia is abnormal. You do not have enough filtration. When was the last time you change canister filters and do you have carbon media?

 

[Garrett706]

I think we need to hear about the acclimation method. Also, have you ever tested the specific gravity of the water in the bags from the LFS? It's not unheard of for some LFS to keep their SG low in the belief that it is prophylactic for the fish or helps them to fend off ich. (I'm not saying hyposalinity doesn't work, because I know it does, but some of these places are keeping the SG at 1.018 which is not low enough for hyposalinity treatment.) I have read that fish can take a rapid declne in specific gravity much better than a rapid increase.

How are you testing your SG (hydrometer or refractometer)? Hydrometers can range greatly in their accuracy, and refractometers have to be calibrated.

You say your parameters are all OK, but you don't have an ammonia kit. I'm not sure how you can make the assertion without having something to test it with. (I will say I doubt this is the problem since the corals look to be doing okay.)

The way I acclimate my new fish is by first setting the bag in my tank for about 30 mins, then slowly start adding small amounts of my tank water to the bags in 15 mins intervals and do that for about 45 mins to an hour then add my fish to my tank.

I use a hydrometer to check my sg, my LFS keeps their sg at 1.021 and will check their tanks right in front of you if you ask them to

As far as the parameters go I do test regularly I just never tested for ammonia, but now I will be testing for that as well

 

[Garrett706]

There you go. Just like what I said but your ammonia is abnormal. You do not have enough filtration. When was the last time you change canister filters and do you have carbon media?

I have a aquatop cf300, with a carbon media bag , a bag of purigen and I'm not sure what they're called but the little carbon star looking cubes

 

[jeffaquarius]

Anyway, since you won't have any more fish for about 6 weeks your bio load is not that much. Just keep up your regular maintenance. You might have to change your carbon. If Purigen has turned into deep brown replace it.

 

[Bectan01]

Sounds like you have a plan! May I still ask if you turn off your powerheads? You mentioned about the flow 'when it comes on' Was just curious about that...

 

[Garrett706]

Sounds like you have a plan! May I still ask if you turn off your powerheads? You mentioned about the flow 'when it comes on' Was just curious about that...

They're on a wave maker timer so they turn off and on

 

[mr_X]

I'm not convinced that you have parasites, and unless your LFS has a crystal ball, he isn't sure about that either. What parasites did he say?
Detectable ammonia is toxic to fish though....I would want to sort that out and go from there.

 

[Garrett706]

I'm not convinced that you have parasites, and unless your LFS has a crystal ball, he isn't sure about that either. What parasites did he say?
Detectable ammonia is toxic to fish though....I would want to sort that out and go from there.

Alright I see what you mean, but then my question is if you think it might be the ammonia how come my corals are not affected

 

[jeffaquarius]

Ammonia can spike just briefly if filtration is just in the threshold or barely enough. Corals excrete some waste also and adding fish would increase ammonia and can slowly kill them. Clown is hardy and the last one to survive. Ammonia goes down as number of fish goes down. In either case parasite or toxin being the culprit you need to stabilize tank with patience and make sure filtration is enough to support tank inhabitants.

 

[z_dano]

The way I do my water changes is by first checking the salinity and water temp, then I mix my new water and get the salinity and temp the same as what my tank is,last I double check my tank again to make sure there weren't any changes in temp or salinity and then I pull out however many gallons I might be changing and add my new water

There aren't any temp swings in my tank , it stays at 76-79 degrees and the temp changes whether it be rising or lowering are in a 12-24 hour period

Do you let the salt mix for at least 12 hours? Freshly mixed salt can burn a fish's gills.