damsels

[batfire]

I recently set up a 20 gal. species tank to house a mantis shrimp, still waiting for the shrimp. Tank has been running for three weeks, DSB seeded from my 55 setup. I put some cured base rock in also. ammonia 0,
Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5, salinity 1.023. One week ago I added two damsels, they were doing great, eating well. One died yesterday and the second today ???? Temp stays at 78, if it gets real cold at night maybe a max drop to 76. Clueless, TIA

 

[tecwzrd]

Sorry for your loss It’s hard to say why they died when your parameters are good. Has the tank ever been treated? Did you notice any sickness? Do you use tap water? Were they “tank raised”?

I’d run chemi-pure for a couple of weeks and use a shrimp to cycle the tank again before adding the mantis shrimp.

 

[AquaReefer]

Also did you notice any marks on the damsels they could have been fighting. When I used to have a 20g I had 2 damsels. They one killed the other and then it took me 2 weeks to get the last one out. I would stay away from damsels.

 

[batfire]

I have had that tank for so long. Are you maybe thinking of copper ? I honestly dont know. No sighns of sickness, RO no tap, I believe they were collected. The first one that died was being consumed by some hermit crabs, but it's tail looked like the other one may have chased it. But the second one ????

 

[Hara]

You put the sand and the rock in and that is when all the parameters were at zero?

Did you ever test for ammonia and nitrite after the fish were added? IF you did not, I would suspect a lack of proper cycling as the culprit. You do not mention how much rock was added..

 

[batfire]

The water test was before the fish, and then today after the second death still 0's.

 

[Hara]

very strange....if there is nothing in the tank, no predation, no visible signs of disease, no mean activity previously noted, I would have to suspect a bad batch of damsels at the store or improper acclimation as a last cause.