HELP!!! dying fish

[staci&dan]

Hello!

How sensitive are the fish to stereo equipment? All our new additions are dying within 4 days and there is nothing wrong with any water tests, temp etc, all new fish are eating like pigs, varying diet etc. Can't find anything wrong, first fish is still swimming happily and hasn't done any damage to any new ones. There is lots more I could write but I am trying to keep this short.....
Thanks,
Staci

 

[OrionGirl]

Please, write more! Tank parameters? Setup? What are the other fish? Acclimation?

If you have a booming stereo that causes all the fish to run and hide, it canbe a problem...But one that is systemic, and stress based, not something that will kill quickly.

 

[staci&dan]

parameters

Hello,

I was trying to keep it short and not write this but here goes...

- 55 gallon tank running since beginning of July
- every test , (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, salinity and temp) perfect
- had water tested by aquarium store and echoed the above
- 55 lbs of live rock
- cycled for 5weeks before putting in turbo snails, brittle star and a damsel
- week after put in two more damsels, (demon children since returned to store)
- two weeks later two more damsels, demon children took care of them, hence why the demons are no longer with us, back to first damsel, brittle star and snails
- put in two emerald crabs
- week later put in a french angel that had been in the store for a month, ate tons, damsel never picked on him, swam all around, seemed very friendly and happy, three days later was floating on its side, quite grey blotchy, not white spots, next morning he was dead
- two weeks later tried again with a sebae clown, again ate like a horse, hid for a bit but came out now and then, the damsel never touched him, put in a cleaner shrimp the next day, four days after teh clown when in he is also dead.
- the damsel, star, crabs, and snails are all doing fine and so far teh shrimp but day four is Tuesday
- lots of copopods, (sorry for teh spelling), tons of baby snails, again all tests are perfect

We are getting quite distressed and discouraged. It is really frustrating when you know nothing. Oh, and the fish do NOT scatter when the stereo is playing, dont' seem to really care actually, even the new ones. We dont' want to keep putting more in until we find out what is wrong!!!

Hope that is a start, ANY help would be greatly appreciated...
Staci and Dan

 

[OrionGirl]

Okay, so the behavior of the fish doesn't change with the stereo on, so that's not going to be the problem at all.

Where'd you get the lice rock? Any chance there's a predator, like a mantis, in there? How are you introducing the fish to your aquarium?

What are the readings you get on the test kits? Numbers please--'perfect' doesn't mean much.

 

[staci&dan]

Live rock was purchased for the aquarium store, it was Fiji rock...what is a mantis???
test results are
pH - 8.2
temp - 77degrees
salinity - 1.020 - 1.021
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0

The only time these differed was when we were cycling the tank.

When we introduce the fish we let the bag float on the top for about 20 minutes, then added tank water in little bits, (in a separate pail), then scoop fish out and place in tank. Whole process takes about an hour, the clown took a bit longer.

 

[OrionGirl]

That's really low salinity--you might want to boos that up to about 1.0024 or 1.0025. that's closer to the level in the ocean. However, it's more likely that the low level would cause a problem for the inverts than for fish.

A mantis is a frequent hitch hiker on live rock--a type of shrimp that is well known for attacking and killing fish and other inverts in aquariums. But, they usually leave a mess behind, so that's unlikely.

Hmmm....

 

[staci&dan]

We haven't seen any hitchhikers, how big are they? Noticeably big or the size of teh copopods? But the other inhabitants are still doing fine so unless the mantis is particular in its victims??? I hate feeling stupid....... How many years have you been saltwater??
The guy at the aquarium store recommended we keep our salinity down at that level because it mimics his waters, less stress that way?
Also, is it normal for the shrimp to shed its entire outer shell including antennae in one shot? I didnt' know they did that..... It looks soooo real, almost thought we had two this morning!!
So, do we chalk this up to bad luck and try again or do you think we have a micro issue? How do you check if you have bad micro orgs in your tank?

 

[OrionGirl]

Hitch hikers is the general term for a variety of critters that come in on rock--stars, worms, some crabs and chrimp, pods, etc. Most are harmless, but mantis are killers. But--the fish would not be intact if a mantis was killing them.

I've had SW setups for about 5 years now--nowhere near as long as some others!

A lower salinity can be beneficial in some situations, but in the long run, it's not a good thing. You can acclimate the fish to your conditions, which is much easier in the long run than making the fish get used to unnatural conditions.

It is normal for shrimp and crabs to molt that way--it's actually the only way they can molt. If you leave the shell in the tank, it will be consumed within a few days as other scavenge for the minerals left behind in the shell.

I would try checking the tank at night, and see if there's any unusual activity--some parasitic isopods hide in the rock during the day, and come out at night to feed. They will look like little, flattened rolly-pollies and will attach themselves to the fish.

 

[skippy2]

I agree. Look in your tank after lights have been out for at least an hr. Use a red lens on your flashlight. I bought mine at Walmart in the fishing equipment section for $7.00. Even if you don't have a predator watching the night life in your tank is extremely entertaining. Turn off the stereo while your doing this. lol.

 

[staci&dan]

Thanks guys,

I will give it a try tonight, no stereo lol, and see what I can see. So far, day four for the shrimp, is good, still alive!!! But if there is bad hitchhikers hanging out at night in my tank, how has the damsel avoided them? Will they affect the brittle star, not that we see much of him but it is always an adventure to find him in the morning.
So do you recommend we try another fish? Any ideas on kinds to try? I dont' want anymore damsels was hoping for something different. We are out of suggestions.