Help Fish Dying

[old salt]

My fish are dying. I buy one and it lives about 5 days and dies. My goal is a FOWLR. I have been planning this for a year. I cycled my tank in February. I had my LFS to check my water in order to verify that my tank was ready for fish. Everything (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate) checked okay. I bought 2 green chromis and 5 days later they were dead! I have bought other "hardy" fish none have lived longer than ten days. I have bought only a couple fish at a time in order not to overload the system. I presently only have a neon velvet damsel alive that is going on 10 days. Every time my water has been checked by me and my LFS and everything is okay. I have done water changes(25%) every two weeks. My tank is 140g and I am protein skimming and getting skimmate. I have 100lbs of dry rock. Anybody with suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[Nurse Payne]

I'm sorry. I know that can be frustrating. Are you getting all of your fish from the same place? Perhaps your LFS has ich or something similar and this is why your fish are dying? Also, it could be your acclimation process. How are you acclimating your fish? What is the temp of your tank?

Try setting up a QT tank using nothing from the original tank, let it cycle, and then add your fish, which I would purchase from a different vendor (have you tried ordering online from liveaquaria.com?). See if you have better luck. Either way, I would let my DT run fallow for 4-6 weeks just in case there is some sickness that's been introduced into it. (This means removing the damsel you currently have)

Before your fish die, have they had a white sheen? Are their eyes clouded? Tiny white spots? How did they act prior to dying?

 

[old salt]

Thanks for responding. I use the drip method for acclimating the new fish. Tank temp 78. We only have one fish store in our town. Have looked the LFS stock over before being bought. No sign of disease or stress. After I buy the fish they give no sign of impending death. I bought two clowns one time and they were swimming around and eating normally. Woke up the next morning and both were dead! They lasted four days! The QT tank and liveaquaria are good suggestions. I have thought about letting the tank fallow too.

 

[Barky]

This is tough, sorry to hear of the fish loss. Some thoughts is where did you get your dry rock from A good source? possible something leeching from it, test multiple times a day morning afternoon evening night, what type of filtration you using with flow, salt product how you testing salinity? refractometer is the best when calibrated, get calibration liquid to test do not use ro water. Just some thoughts and keep us informed. and good luck

 

[old salt]

Thanks Barky for responding! I got my dry rock from Bulk Reef Supply. I have a wet/dry sump. using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for salt,using a refractometer for salinity test. The LFS and me are getting the same readings for salinity and I use a calibration liquid. I have been thinking about removing the dry rock and doing a 100% water change. I have ran so many test that I have even had to buy new test solutions! I am going to call BRS tomorrow and them ask some questions about the dry rock.

 

[Kworker]

A similar thread popped up not long ago. I think everyone determined the main issue may be your LFS may be keeping the salinity very low than when you begin the acclimation to your tank it is still way too much of a salinity hike for the fish to handle. This is when the use of a quarantine comes in. You match the salinity to LFS and slowly raise the salinity to match your tank, and catch and illnesses in the meantime that may come about. Hope this helps, my LFS's keep their salinity around 1.010 to 1.020. Usually they are on the lower part of that scale.

 

[Barky]

you use an ro unit for filling your tank or for water changes? Have to wonder if its something in the water.

 

[old salt]

yes, I use RO/DI water when I filled the tank and for water changes.

 

[Mike in CT]

Wow, this is tough... Sounds like you are doing everything right! Maybe check your LFS specific gravity just to make sure it's not to far off? Maybe take a drive to another store and try that??

 

[piscator]

I am experiencing similar things. Fish last anywhere from 3-10 days. Salinity tests fine, temp and drip acclimated. Fish looked great for first few days then dead overnight with no stress symptoms what so ever. I have been told to check the pH of both my tank and that place the fish are coming from because pH shock could cause fish to die in this manner? I'm not sure. I'm fairly new to this just letting you know what I have been told.

 

[dadof4]

Yeah. this sounds like something on the end of the LFS. Check the water parameters from the LFS, you have a sample in the bag you bring the fish home in. There may be a huge difference in salinity or pH. Both can cause organ dysfunction.

 

[piscator]

What i don't understand us Wouldn't we see stress before death?

 

[qterry22]

It does sound like your doing everything right. How long do you acclimate and float your bag? I would agree that the change in salinity could be the issue. Also whats your PH compared to the stores? I am almost certain that its something going wrong during acclimation.

 

[Nurse Payne]

Or perhaps a large ph swing overnight? You say all the fish die during the night, right? Do you lower your water movement once lights are out? Maybe it's a temp swing or ph swing?

 

[Barky]

Im thinking ph as well, another thought is how long are the fish at your local store before you purchase? If they are not at the store long it could be shipping shock. Are they eating well at the store or even when you get them home?.

 

[Mjpisanti]

I actually posted a couple of weeks ago with a similar issue as yours but my fish were lasting between 10 to 20 days before dying. A got a ton of answers and kind of decided it may have been a combination of not using an RO/Di because i was using a pharmasutical unit which i switched now to the RO but you have that already. My LFS also kept the specific gravity between 14 and 15 which was part of the problem because i would have to drip for so long that the temp in the bucket would drop a lot. so I had to go and heat some water gradually to keep everything in the bucket perfect conditions. Finally the last thing mentioned was that to make sure my test kits were accurate and perfect, which they all checked out. It is probably a problem with your lfs, especially if it is the only one in your town it is difficult to know if they have a good supply. Maybe try liveaquaria online. They have a 14 day guarantee if your parameters check out which clearly they do because you have been on top of checking them so even if it is a little expensive for shipping i'd try them because at least if you get fish you know are healthy even if you pay a little more at least they'll live and you wont just buy fish to die again. If your fish died within 14 days from them they will give you a credit towards your next purchase if you follow their procedures listed on their website. Check it out sometime.

 

[old salt]

LFS parameters: pH 8.0 SG 1.028 Temp 80 My parameters: ph 8.2 SG 1.026 Temp 80. According to the LFS they are not experiencing this problem with any of their other customers or fish dying. I don't see any problems with their stock, none dead in tank, ich , etc. I will check my pH tonight and in the morning to see if it is swinging. I float my bag for 15 minutes and usually drip for an hour when doing acclimation. This has been going on for two months. Surely, if something was wrong at the LFS, it would be straighten out by now. They are at a lost to this problem as I am. I reckon when the damsel dies, I will do a complete break down of the tank and start all over. Thanks everyone for help and suggestions it was greatly appreciated.

 

[gpdno]

I would look for a different source of livestock. There are a number of very good suppliers that are online.

 

[3dees]

I buy all my fish from my lfs. I have never drip acclimated them. don't see the need. I float them for temp and put them In the qt. never had a problem. your drip container water may be colder then the tank, unless you have a heater in it. just a thought.

 

[piscator]

I have gotten mine from multiple LFS and the same problems occur. I will be comparing params when I get the chance.

Oldsalt just curious, are you planning on doing a 100% water change? If so do you then have to let everything cycle again or does the established sand and rock make that a non issue?