Hippo Tang death

[HappyHooligan]

I find my H. Tang laying on his side dead
Everyone else in the tank is business as usual. ( 90g, 1 clown, crab, shrimp. thats all)
He was fine yesterday, been in the tank 2 weeks, QT'd for 3 weeks prior to that. I wasn't real impressed with his eating though.

Water Para. all good except PH which read 8.8, up from 8.4. Not sure when or how suddenly that happened.
Added a new skimmer a week or so ago, sifted some sand a couple days ago, I took my lids off 4 days ago.
I know Hippos are rather delicate to sudden changes, I'm assuming it was the increase in Ph.
Any ideas?

The tank has only been up and running a few months, is it possible to still get some fluctuations in water parameters?

 

[melosu58]

The tank has only been up and running a few months, is it possible to still get some fluctuations in water parameters?

Very much so. It`s hard to say what was the culprit. Did you see any white spots on him or see him flashing on any of the LR.

 

[thincat]

How much sand did you clean/sift?

 

[HappyHooligan]

Did you see any white spots on him or see him flashing on any of the LR.

No, not at all. Being a Hippo Tang I watched his skin obsessively since moving him to the DT. His swimming appeared normal. It was a total surprise finding him in trouble like that.

How much sand did you clean/sift?

maybe 15% of the total bottom surface. I just straightened a coat hanger and kind of perforated the sand.

I can't help but think the tank is still, I don't want to say cycling, but "settling" or "stabilizing"?
I removed all the lids which caused alot of evaporation. Maybe just a lot of changes coming together at one time to stress him.