Fish being killed or disappear

[jomechal]

I haven't been successful on adding new specimens to my FOWLR tank. Last month I added two Firefishes, one disappeared two days after and the other was found floating about five days after introduction. This Saturday I added a Sixline Wrasse and a Diamond Goby. The Wrasse was found dead at the bottom of the tank the same night (this one could have not survived due to stress) but I was able to observe the Goby sifting hte sand and hiding during night time for two days now disappearing. Other tankmates are: two Ocellaris Clownfish (1 year old each), one Red banded Coral Shrimp, ( 1 year old, about 2.5 inches long) and one long purple tip anemonae.

Could it be the Red Banded Coral Shrimp? A Mantis shrimp hidden in the LR perhaps? ( I haven' heard any clicking sounds)

Please advise.

 

[pat8you]

Well the first suspect is usually water conditions but if you have an anemone in there it would show signs of stress and die due to poor water quality long before your fish would. It may be some kind of desiese or infection that is only killing the new fish because they are already stressed from the move. Couldn't be anything eating them like a mantis shrimp because then you wouldn't find them floating. they would be eaten. I've heard those shrimp can be aggressive at times. Do the fish have marks on them or anything that would suggest they were attacked? I would test you water just in case to be safe. How are you Acclimating them?

 

[jomechal]

Water quality is good. I've made PH, Alkalinity, Nitrate tests before adding new specimens. And yes the anemone is thriving. About marks on the dead fish, I haven't noticed any. Also before adding fish to the tank I acclimate them by gradually adding water from my tank to the bag over one hour period. I'm going to move the Red Banded Coral Shrimp to another tank before adding any new inmates to see what happens.

Saludos

 

[roka64]

Welcome to the site!
Can you post your water parameters (the actual numbers)?
PH, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp and salinity...
Are you buying all these fish from the same store?
I like to do a drip acclimation for an hour or so, this gives me time to fiddle with the tank and get it ready for my new critters.
How much LR do you have and what is the size of your tank?
That purple tip likes fish and shrimp.

 

[usmcmarc]

Hmmmmm. "Thriving" anemone and "Missing" Fish...

As for the dead fish...Water params would help.

 

[melosu58]

I agree what are the hard numbers and what type water are you using. Tap or RO or RO/DI??? You havent had any jump out the tank have you? How are you acclimating them?

 

[mandown123]

My friend had a firefish he put in dive into the rocks and not come out for a week, he thought he was dead. LFS could also be the culprit.. how long have the fish been in the store before you bought them and brought home.. major stress could be it, i had a goby sit under a rock in my tank for 5 days and then croaked. he looked like he saw a ghost the whole time, poor little guy was bugged out.


good luck

 

[jomechal]

Well, I hope my goby comes out too. I don't think it jumped out because the tank has a glass cover. Maybe it was harrased by my shrimp during the night and got trapped inside a hole on LR.

As for water parameters on saturday they were:

PH - 8.4
Alkalinity - 3.00
Calcium - 300
Nitrate - less than 10 mg/l
Specific gravity - 1.024
Temperature was 80

I didn't made ammonia and nitrite tests last weekend since the tank was re-set for three months now and previous tests showed no readings. Fresh water has been RO filtered for the initial water and for the partial water changes. The fish that died or dissapeared a month ago are from a different LFS the the ones I purchased last weekend.

I have posted pictures on my album for you to see.

Saludos

 

[ccCapt]

Do you quarantine any fish before putting them in your display tank? Did you see them eat before you bought them, especially the goby? Sand sifters very often starve if they don't take the food you feed the tank.

 

[jomechal]

You got me there. You know how it is, I got a carried away and didn't quarantine them. Also I thougt that since my quarantine thank doesn't have sand the goby wouldn't do well. I'll be patient next time.