Why do I keep losing fish? :(

[aaronalam]

So far I've lost 2 Clownfish (although I do think my Clown was fighting with them) and 2 Chromis.

The last few days my first and only Clownfish has been acting odd, last night he started lying on the sand and looking weak.

I hoped this morning when I checked on them that he would be OK but he died

My Chromis and Lemon Damsel are doing fine.

My water is fine too:
Ammonia: 0ppm
NitrIte: 0ppm
NitrAte: 15ppm (before water change)

What to do now? I plan on doing nothing for a while until this gets figured out at least.

 

[Gti_Leo]

they were fightign to decide who was the male and who was the female in the mated pair. as for why they died its unclown without more info was it eating, did it start acting odd after the other one died? did it have any marks on it

 

[aaronalam]

I initially had one Clown, within a week I bought another, it died a matter of hours later, I believe just due to stress and such.

The LFS replaced that clown with another, it died by the morning but it looked damaged so I assumed it was attacked because I saw them at it before.

It's been about a week or two since then, my clown just started acting funny for the last few days, being withdrawn, breathing oddly etc..

Last night it just started settling onto the sand, looking weak.

It never had been a social fish, it's only ever really stayed in the corner rarely swimming out.

 

[carey]

Is this a regular oscellaris? or is it a more dominant clown fish type?

 

[aaronalam]

On purchase it should have been a oscellaris but on further research it turned out to be more like a true percula.

 

[carey]

Hmm. Just thought maybe if it were a odd one like a gold banded it would explain some of the aggression.

How is the fish doing this morning? Do you have a small tank to put him in maybe? Just to keep an eye on him?

 

[aaronalam]

In the first post I detail how he was rough last night and he was dead by the time I checked on him this morning

I just don't get it.

2 Chromis and 3 Clowns in total (regardless of reason for death, they died)

 

[carey]

Oh I'm sorry I just thought he wasnt right. :-(

My bad.

and your water is good right? You use ro/di water. Do you have any bad evil hitchikers that could have caught a ride in on some live rock? Maybe some bristleworms...

I just had 2 fish die unexpectantly and I'm still searching for the reason so I know what youre going through. I dont' even wanna put anymore fish in til I figure it out.

 

[aaronalam]

My water params are fine, they are in the first post.

No I use treated tap, I plan on getting a RO/DI unit, just not be able to yet.

 

[yetee]

what size tank do you have? what is your SG? Also, what is your pH and temp at? To me it almost sounds like suffocation. Is your tank covered? and do you have good surface agitation. A low pH and high temp means that there is not very much dissolved oxygen in the water.

 

[Fozzy225]

This is weird I have the same problem.water looks great everything is on the mark.please explain more about the water agitation.

 

[aaronalam]

It's a 20 gallon tank, my SG is 1.024, my PH is 8.2 and my temp is at 25c (77f)

My tank has a hood, so yeah, the top is covered. I have good surface agitation to the point where the water trickles.

 

[Ricksreef]

It's a 20 gallon tank, my SG is 1.024, my PH is 8.2 and my temp is at 25c (77f)

My tank has a hood, so yeah, the top is covered. I have good surface agitation to the point where the water trickles.

I would remove the hood unless it is the mesh type.Glass or plastic hoods on Saltwater tanks don't allow the air flow from the water surface.

 

[aaronalam]

Thanks for the reply, although I do have a hole cut into the hood, I'll take your advice and remove it when I can.