Help!!

[User0410]

This is my first saltwater aquarium. I have a 10 gallon tank with a large fiji live rock that was previously in my friends tank (he gave me it for free). I had two damselfish in the tank to help it cycle and everything was fine. The fish seemed to get along fine but yesterday i came home and one was dead! He didnt look like hed been attacked by the other one and upon close inspection of my rock i found small brown anenomes about a mm in diameter and little bugs that look like rollie pollies. Are these what killed my fish? And if so how do i get rid of them!

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

i found small brown anenomes about a mm in diameter

what do you mean by that? ... if they look anything like this

then remove them fast!! these are apitasia's, not anenomes, which spred quickly and harm other corals...however they will not kill a fish. I doubt the brown things are apitasia's since they tend to be larger than 1 mm and start off clear when small. I do not think the bugs killed a fish either, they are probably just copepods look them up on google and see if they look similar.

and i hope that image worked (first time trying to insert an image)on your computer..its just showing up as an x on mine so if it doesnt work just look them up on google images as well

 

[User0410]

If it's not apitasia then i have no clue what it is. They are small round disks with stems and tentacles that retract when bothered (anenome?). And if neither of those killed my damsel then what did? I've become rather attached to my other one and would hate to have to clean him off my filter like i did the other

 

[CaptainAhab]

I assume you've checked your water parameters (amm, nitrite) correct?

Aiptasia are anemones, here is some background : Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Aiptasia FAQ's

FWIW: cycling with fish often ends up with the fish being dead. Don't be suprised if the other one bites the dust either.

 

[User0410]

I check the water parameters regularly and they were fine. Everything was at a safe level, there was no reason i can see for that fish to just randomly die, now the other one is acting funny. Where he usually lives in the rock he's been backed up into a corner. Is he just spooked?

 

[User0410]

Thanks for the link by the way and it's not aiptasia i guess.

 

[CaptainAhab]

what is a safe level for ammonia and nitrite in your aquarium? what type of test kit are u using?

 

[thincat]

I agree with the Capt. We need numbers. your fish are dying from "new tank syndrome", Ammonia shock more then likely. That's why cycling with fish is so "Old School"..

 

[melosu58]

Any amount of ammonia is lethal. Read this article to see what you are subjecting the fish to.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/3/1/Cycle-your-salt-tank/Page1.html

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I check the water parameters regularly and they were fine. Everything was at a safe level, there was no reason i can see for that fish to just randomly die, now the other one is acting funny. Where he usually lives in the rock he's been backed up into a corner. Is he just spooked?

As others have said, "safe levels" are not really safe - unless you're talking 0.0. Can fish survive non-zero levels of ammonia? Sometimes, yes. Sometime, no. It's a crap shoot...

 

[User0410]

Here are my levels. Hopefully it will help you help me. Ammonia 0.01 ppm ph 7.8 alkalinity 300 nitrite 0 ppm and nitrate 20 ppm

 

[thincat]

You still have some ammonia. the rest is not bad for a new tank. I think what happen is there was a large spike in your ammonia level when your fish started eating and pooping. The fish died and the bacteria increase, bringing your reads down toward 0... Thats the cycle and your fish paid the ultimate price for it........

 

[CaptainAhab]

What test do you use? Mine don't even go down to that accuracy.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I was wondering the same...