Mass death

[DaughterwantsNemo]

Hello Everyone,

I recently brought home a new fish from the LFS. As you would expect, everything seemed fine.

All fish took to the new comer and no real territorial problems or interaction.

ALL WATER LEVELS perfect.

Within one week I lost 90% of my stock.

No spots on any fish.

I have changed the water in any event 50% and am planning another 30% change in a couple days.

The LFS suggested I use a vitamin drop solution to aid in the health of my tanks fish - VITA CHEM. Blue bottle.

Any advice?

 

[carey]

Sorry to hear about your fish. :-(

How big is your tank, what was the livestock, how long was the tank up for and what are the parameters exactly? Do you test your own water? If so, how? Liquid test kit or strips?

These answers will help people to figure it out.

 

[DaughterwantsNemo]

8 Gallon,
clown, goby, clown,
5 months
test strips

 

[DaughterwantsNemo]

Someone told me that I have to remove the rocks and clean them individually as well.

 

[carey]

If you're serious about keeping sw fish i would strongly advise you to pick up an API liquid test kit, less than $25, or even $20 online. The test strips are notoriously inaccurate.

Which fish was added that caused the deaths? What do you have left?

You may have experienced a slight ammonia spike which could have easily killed the fish.

As far as adding vitamins for the fish, they make real neat stuff that you can put into your food before feeding. Selcon is one brand, theres also some like garlic extreme that helps appetite and boosts their immune system.

I wouldnt think you'd have to remove rocks, especially since they are alive. Unless you inadvertanly put something in the tank that would posion it, ie: windex or other cleaning stuff

 

[DaughterwantsNemo]

nothing like that, windex or other cleaners
I was monitoring ammonia and other toxins specific.
It was the 2nd clown - 4 months after other fish were in the tank
"garlic extreme" - that is the product name?

 

[carey]

Yep, garlic extreme, I think it's by Kent. You can soak your food in that.

if you have no contamination I wouldnt scrub or remove any rock. The difference in ammonia levels with strips and liquid test kits is amazing. The liquid will pick up the tiniest amount usually. You also could have gotten a sick fish, it does happen.

So what do you have left of the 3 fish? The goby? What kind of goby if you don't mind me asking....I have a couple myself, great fish...

 

[iDream]

What happened to the tang and cleaner wrasse?

Can you post specific numeric levels? All water parameters being "PERFECT" doesn't help us help you any

EDIT: Actually, your test results are useless since you're testing with strips

 

[DaughterwantsNemo]

moved the tang and wrasse to an other tank
someone posted that liquid testing is better then strips

 

[DaughterwantsNemo]

all white, goby

 

[carey]

Yep, liquid tests are the way to go. i wouldn't steer ya wrong.

Oh, don't know what kind it is? My pink spotted is pretty long and white too.

I would monitor the parameters and keep an eye on what's left just to be sure before adding another fish. Is it possible for you to take a water sample to an lfs that uses a liquid test? The ammonia strips are soo hard to read in my opinion, I also have strips for everything. I've done both test kits right after each other and have come up with higher readings with the liquid.

Just a thought.
Losing a fish is never easy and it's so much nicer to be able to know what happened. And to be prepared for adding fish afterwards.