Naso tangs keep dying :(

[ozorowsky]

Hi everyone,

Here is my fish list:

1) Blue Hanna Goby
2) Yellow tail Damsel
3) Two Ocellaris Clown Fish
4) Goby
5) Blue Tang
6) Fox face fish
7) Pink Bar Goby
8) Yellow Tang
9) 2 Fire fish
10) 4 Green Chromis
11) 2 Blue and Yellow damsels
12) Green Wrasse
13) Naso Tang
14) Mandarin Goby
15) Night Watch Goby

So 2 adult Naso Tangs and a baby Naso Tang later I'm baffled. All three died. I REALLY like the Naso tang, see NO reason why its dieing.

Woke up this morning saw this baby one chilling under rock; no biggie had a dr appt came back 2 hrs later he's still there
had a bad feeling called my fiance an hour ago; she watched him for a bit
said he suddenly stopped moving. Said he's turning white appears dead.

SAME thing happened to the other two. My ammonia/nitrite/nitrate are 0; I do weekly water changes; tanks been established about 2 months now; I have a sump with Chaeto, Protein skimmer, bio balls and live rock.

All corals and fish are healthy, something about the naso tang in particular I can't keep them alive.

What am I missing? They get a nice assortment of flakes, cubed frozen fish food mixes, live brine shrimp to eat.

 

[David S]

tank is way too new for that amount of fish,

 

[carey]

This also is a 125g tank correct?

 

[ozorowsky]

This also is a 125g tank correct?

That is correct

 

[ozorowsky]

tank is way too new for that amount of fish,

Could you elaborate please? Too new how? Is there a parameter I should be checking that I'm not? I thought so long as the tank can support the bio load its fine?

When my first naso died I monitored params every day then every 2 then back to once a week and there were no spikes in ammonia or nitrites or even nitrates. Everything stayed pretty level.

 

[ilostnemo]

you already have one naso in there? your trying to add another?

 

[David S]

when you over load your tank with fish the beneficial bacteria cant keep up with the bio load,what test kits are you using?

 

[ozorowsky]

when you over load your tank with fish the beneficial bacteria cant keep up with the bio load,what test kits are you using?

I'm using API test kits

 

[David S]

also check your alk level,naso tangs dont like high alk I've heard.

 

[ozorowsky]

you already have one naso in there? your trying to add another?

No, I had one, it died, bought another it died, tested like crazy watched my tank for hours, seemed fine, woke up was dead.

Bought a baby thinking maybe ones not acclimating well fiance watched him (from a distance so as to not give it a heart attack) and he was hiding then just stopped breathing.

 

[ozorowsky]

also check your alk level,naso tangs dont like high alk I've heard.

That could be IT!!!!

My alkalinity is around 13-14dkh per api test kit; How can I lower that?

 

[Unicorn]

for me this is just WAY to overloaded, sorry
I have a 120g tank and only plan on 12 fish and I still feel thats pushing it
you have like 21 fish in there
I read that an adult needs AT LEAST a 120g - 135g tank. Thats MINIMUM requirement. Add that plus overstocking and you have a stressed out fish

I would either reduce your stocking list by half, or get a WAY larger tank

 

[David S]

That could be IT!!!!

My alkalinity is around 13-14dkh per api test kit; How can I lower that?

too high,plus naso tangs can reach 36" in length.Also how are you acclimating them?

 

[ozorowsky]

too high,plus naso tangs can reach 36" in length.Also how are you acclimating them?

Drip acclimation. This last one was only 3" wide and was in there for 3 days.

How do I bring my alkalinity down? My Calcium is also a little high. I use reef crystals salt mix. Both have always been a little high and never seem to go down.

Any thoughts?

 

[carey]

How are you acclimating them? And for how long?

 

[David S]

are you using ro/di water or treated tap water?

 

[ozorowsky]

are you using ro/di water or treated tap water?

Ro/DI water, and acclimating the fish for 30 minutes drip; about 5 seconds in between drips.

I take the bag, put it in the sump clip the bag to side of sump so it doesn't spill over and drip a line down into it for 30 mins then move the fish to a net, and put the fish in the water.

All other fish have been fine but the naso tang in particular will NOT stay alive. I'm betting its something with the DKH/Calcium being a little high.

Please keep the questions coming; I'd love to fix any errors in my tank before more die.

 

[ozorowsky]

I'm also running a phosphate removing bag and carbon bag in my sump with my chaeto for what thats worth

 

[carey]

Me personally, I acclimate for over an hour. Especially tangs. They are so darn prone to stress and then I turn off the lights.

 

[scottayy]

How's your pH? With that amount of fish the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water may be way low.