fish dropping like flies, and I cant tell why (may have ich)

[neon_hybrid]

Ok, I have a 55 gal fowlr, and inverts. The tank has been established for over a year, and has had most of the fish for quite a long time. About a month ago, I added a few fish, and inverts. Over the coarse of the last month and a half, I have added 1 sand sifting star (which is alive to the best of my knowledge i saw him thrusday night) 1 mandarin goby (still alive) 1 sand sifting goby, 1 yellow clown goby, 2 emerald crabs, and 1 sally light foot crab (still alive). Over the last week, the clown goby died(i never saw him eat) my sand sifting goby died (always saw him eating) and 1 emerald crab died. All of my levels are good Amonia=0 nitrite=0, and nitrate=20. I have noticed that my yellow tang seems to be loosing his color, and is a very pale almost white color. I can not see any spots on any of my fish, or anything out of the ordinary. My tang seems to be just chilling in the rocks most of the time, and I almost never see him now. Before he was very active, and used to race my angel fish from one end of the tank to another. I am not sure if I am not feeding the fish enough, or what. I give them 1 cube of frozen food daily, and switch those up between brine shrimp, and another differnt type, I also have pellets which I throw into the mix every couple days as well. I did notice that my sand sifting goby was looking very skinny, and I wonder if the fact that I changed my substrate about a month ago has to do with him not finding enough food. I asked my LFS, and they said that was fine. . Am i not feeding enough, or should I look for something specific?

 

[Hara]

what are your other water readings? PH, Salinity, temp?

 

[electrikat]

Yellow tangs turn whiter at night after lights. They usually regain the color after the lights come back on though.

 

[neon_hybrid]

ph is 8.2, salinity is 1.022/1.023, and temp is between 77 and 79 degrees.

 

[stusclan]

Don't know about the other fish, but the tang needs some form of algae - I feed mine a seaweed sheet every other day. She stays happy and active as long as she has some green stuff to eat. Try that.
Sorry about the loss of the other fish. You might want to have your qt set up in case you see anything odd develop on the other fish.
Also, I had a mini cycle happen when I changed my substrate a few months ago, I sure hope that didn't happen to you. Make sure you are getting proper readings from your test kits.
Sorry that's not a lot of help.

 

[neon_hybrid]

After careful inspection of my fish, I think i may have ich in my tank. My tank has a bunch of tiny(as in small like the tip of a pin)white spots on my tang, and my angel fish. I dont see anything on either of my damsels. I know i can put them into a hospital tank, but i have been reading that if you have ich in your tank, it will always be present because it keeps reproducing . I dont have a hospital tank, and figure i am going to loose my fish before I can get one setup and running. I have noticed that my fish seem to be visiting the cleaner shrimp a whole lot more than normal. What should I do?

 

[demodiki]

Just about the only way to get rid of ich is to QT all of your fish and leave your Main empty for at least 6 weeks.

 

[neon_hybrid]

I am going to walmart tonight to pick up a 10 gal tank, but by the time I get the QT running, im worried it will be too late... I am going to look for a larger tank (like 20 gal) Problem is that because my tank has ich I cant use the water from that tank to set up a QT because I will be infecting the QT tank....

 

[jmmiller]

Im pretty sure that you can use your main tank water to setup the qt because you are going to be treating it with copper and that will kill any parasite in the water. I did that with mine and my fish were ick free in 2 days. You are going to want to use a sponge or something from your main in the qt for the bacteria needed in the qt so you dont have to go through a cycle. Good luck.

 

[Ximat]

From all that you listed, you have a fair ammount of fish. When you QT, you are going to want to QT and treat ALL of your fish. Leaving yoru 55 fishless for 6 weeks. a 10g will be too small for the fish that you listed.

HTH

 

[neon_hybrid]

I think I am going to do a 20 gal.... That is going to have to do. I am going to add an air stone to help with air transfer... I am worried that the fish will be having an issue in a tank that small... Also should I move live rock from my other thank to help? Also I have a mandarin goby, and he only eats pods. How do I feed him, or should I just assume he will die? 6 weeks in a QT is not going to work because he isnt going to have food....

 

[Ximat]

Don't move the live rock, just get a couple PVC elbows for them to hide in. As for your your water peramiters, use water from your display to setup the tank, make sure you have pleanty of salt water mixed/mixing in 5 gal buckets for water changes. If your peramiters start to go up, do frequent water changes. As for the Mandarin Goby, i have been informed - correct me if im wrong - if you feed Zooplankton it has pods in it. But im not sure about that one.

 

[neon_hybrid]

I do have a bottle of zooplankton substitute. I guess I will try to put that in the tank on a daily basis. I really dont want to loose that fish as it is my favorite fish.... I have had him for 2 weeks, and he has been doing great, his size is staying the same, so I am hoping that there is enough food in the tank for him....

Where should I look for real zooplankton

 

[Ximat]

My LFS sells it in small Jar's. I also feed with ZooPlex (Kent) which is said to contain the same.

Zooplankont: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/Zooplankton/Class//T1/F41+0178+0002/EDP/665/Itemdy00.aspx

ZooPlex: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/Zooplankton/Class//T1/F41+0064+0411/EDP/35120/Itemdy00.aspx