brittle star

[rimrider19k]

I was just recently given some fish from an established tank. I have a 40 gallon and i was given a flame angel and 3 damsels along with a brittle star and a horseshoe crab. Well the fish looked and acted good for the first day and then I wake up this morning to find the flame and one damsel dead. Now the brittle star looks like the top is splitting and the brittle spins are coming off, is it dead or what is going on. I had the water tested by a local shop and was perfect. I did notice that the temp was too hot for them. so i turned the tank down. I have had my tank running for 3 years and i have had a clown for those 3 years. please help me. I have a bigger tank on the way.

[fsn77]

Even though your 40g is established and has run for 3 years, adding that much livestock all at once may have been too much for it to handle.

How were all the new additions acclimated to your tank?

What size tank did all of those critters come out of?
The change in tanks could have caused a dispute for territory, especially if the tank the fish came from was larger than your 40g, resulting in the flame angel and one damsel being killed.

What was the temp in your tank when it was "too hot?"

Can you provide actual numbers from the water tests?
I've known local shops to say a little bit of ammonia or nitrite is still "perfect," and nitrate levels of 20 ppm being "perfect" as well.
When was the water tested -- before the new additions or after the new additions?
Since you say the deaths were this morning, I'm not going to assume that the water was tested after the deaths.

[rimrider19k]

The fish came out os a 75 gallon. I do not have the exact numbers but i do plan on taking the water back in and having it tested again today. I will get the exact numbers then. The water temp was around 89. I used the drip method of acclimating the fish and did this for 30 minutes.