confused - fish deaths

[Jbaygurl78745]

Ok so we have 28 nano cube we had 2 clowns that passed away. Don't know why. They where fine that night than turned lights out next morning dead, so after triple make sure our water was ok we got two green n blue cromis and my hubby brought home a black n white striped demsel, in the tank we also have a harlequin shrimp and a cleaner shrimp ( had them with the clowns) all weekend we left the monlights on at night, well last night my son was running a fever and the light was bothering him, so we shut them off. We woke up to a dead cromis and a mia demsel. The shrimp are fine acting normal the torch coral is fine and open. I test the water 3 times a day everything is where it should be. Do we have some kinda murderous hitch hiker that onle comes out in complete dark. Every body eats fine. The shrimp act as tho there nothing goin so I really have faith its not some thing we are doing or not doing. We do between 6-10g water change a week.

 

[woody390]

if it was a murderous hitch hiker i would imagine they would be eating the fish not just killing for the sake of killing as not many creatures do that. how long did the clowns last in the tank were they about 3 days too or longer? how long have you had the tanks et up for?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What are your parameters testing at, how long has the tank been running for, and when did it complete it's cycle?

 

[mr_X]

Definitely not a hitch hiker, or the shrimp would be dead as well, and the fish would be chewed on.

 

[Godfrey]

Maybe a prob with acclimating??how long did you have the clowns?

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

We had the clowns from the 26th of dec - roughly the 12th jan. When I accumalated the clowns I put them in tank to float for about 45 mins to get temp match than emptied the bag into a 5g bucket and every half he added a half cup of my water till water had tripled than got them out using a cup (told this was better than a net) this is how I was told to do. Than with the cromis and demsel did the same only used a air line for a drip. (Did same thing with my shrimp n they are ok. The cleaner shrimp just molted for the second time. But our harlequin hasn't molted yet do they molt? )

I set up the tank in Dec for my son who has brain cancer. I used filter media (2 sponges) from a Welly established tank. Used live reef sand ( was also pose help with the cycle) tested tested everything was fine when my son got released on the 26 we let him pick two clowns on our way home. Knowing it might mini cycle I tested daily and did water changes. Never had a spike or any thing. And with the cromise n demsel I tested 3 times daily. We still have one cromis and he seems to be fine.(but than again so were the others) the shrimp are good and eating. Every body is fine. Although I did wake up to a hermits legs all over (hermit fight maybe idk) I got all scarlet reef hermits and red legged hermits' one of the ones I got tho are a darker color and kinda a lil bigger (he robbed a snail of his shell and I caught him chipping at the purple caroline just now I think I'm going to pull him)

My readings as of 6 this morning where
Ammo-0
Trites-0
Trates -10-20 (I think its a little off BC I have a red sea test that reads between 0-10)
Phospate -0
All where don't API salt water master kit and API reef master kit, with the exception of also red sea trates.

Edit the vivid reds were in from the 26th of Dec till Jan 19-20

 

[mr_X]

I'd rather have the live crab than some coralline algae. Crabs kill snails. It's what they do.

How much rock is in the tank? Was that uncured rock from a LFS?

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

I'd rather have the live crab than some coralline algae. Crabs kill snails. It's what they do.

How much rock is in the tank? Was that uncured rock from a LFS?

It was cured its been in the shop a while, and there's about 22lbs of live rock. And 30lbs live sand.

I didnt think hermit crabs ate snails. Everyone recomened getting snails and hermit for cuc.

 

[woody390]

Not a certainty but happens a lot!

 

[Godfrey]

The crab and snail thing is usually a case of crab needing a new home so it kills for it. At least that's my opinion. As for the main problem of having fish die I'm at a loss theirs so many different reasons, some nobody even knows about, and it sounds like your doing everything properly. Sorry for not being able to help

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

The crab and snail thing is usually a case of crab needing a new home so it kills for it. At least that's my opinion. As for the main problem of having fish die I'm at a loss theirs so many different reasons, some nobody even knows about, and it sounds like your doing everything properly. Sorry for not being able to help

I just came across this about the hermits so I ordered some empty shells.

 

[mr_X]

Crabs kill snails out of sheer instinct. I've seen hermits kill 3 or 4 snails a day and change shells that many times. It's not just because they are outgrowing shells.

What shop was the rock in? If you are referring to your LFS, I would not count on that being cured. Stores get in new rock and place it in the same holding tanks as the old rock that's been there a while. This raises the ammonia level in the holding tank, which now needs to be cycled once again.

 

[Trueerfan]

Since you have no ammonia with your test and you have had the tank since December, did you cycle the tank? What is your PH levels? I think I killed my two clowns when I started by chasing the PH and trying to buffer it. Like someone else said if you have a killer in there you would have some damage to the dead livestock. Good luck

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

The rock was cured. I got it from one of the only good lfs around they stopped selling sw 2 Mons ago so the rock has been curring for some time before that. We got a discount and had baby jacks we got credit for so we got a good deal on rock. We want to get a couple more pounds should we? We decided we like the hermits better than the snails so no more snails :-( we have 3 huge ones I think they will be ok.

Nope no ammonia. I am now currently testing twice daily at lights on lights off. And if everything looks good we are going to get a clown that's been at the store for a little bit. Maybe like 2 weeks or so I plan on waiting is that a good time to try again? I don't chase the ph. It stays pretty steady I use sea water from PETCO.I'll get exact number when I get home. Also my tank temp is 78-79 is that to hot?

We are also trying to keep notes on everything water levels details on tank, live stock, wc, and such find this helpful. We are also goin to start writing which stores we get what from trying make this an organized project.

 

[mr_X]

No, 78-79 is perfect.
If you are absolutely sure the rock is cured you can add it to the tank. I would bring a bucket and transport it from the store to your house fully submerged in salt water to limit die-off.
Do yourself a favor and test the water in the rock tank at the lfs for ammonia.

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

No, 78-79 is perfect.
If you are absolutely sure the rock is cured you can add it to the tank. I would bring a bucket and transport it from the store to your house fully submerged in salt water to limit die-off.
Do yourself a favor and test the water in the rock tank at the lfs for ammonia.

This might sound weird but when we do eventually get another clown I think I'm also going to be testing the water they are coming from. (As my son says just because I feel better don't mean I'm better just BC their tanks are clean don't mean there's no danger. He's a nut that has taken over my hobby lol he hears us talk and take bits of wat we say to make his own.

Oh and Mr x a nurse from chip sent this to my son as a feel better gift.(she also sent 2 white tip hermits glad we choose hermits sorry for the glass my son won't let me do it n he's been in bed a couple days. (Thank god the water is to heavy for him or he wouldn't let me do wc lol)

 

[mr_X]

Cool. Saw them on your ID thread. Nice blastos.

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

Thank you. We don't seem to have a problem with corals and inverts. (My son talks to this nurse on my fb and told her about our fish passing so in her note with the package said got you guys a coral frag was going to get a fire fish like lil man wanted but wanted hold that off till you figured everything out but I still wanna get him the fire fish)

 

[mr_X]

I never have much luck with those fire fish. They always die on me.

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

What kind/brand is best food for salt water fish?