3 Days … 3 dead fish

[VREAD]

We are currently running two tanks.

The first is a 55 gallon reef tank … two years established … no

In Early May we purchased 2 oscellaris clowns, a royal gramma and a gobi to place in a new 13 gallon tank. The tank was cycled prior to placing the fish. About a month ago we purchased a bubble tip anemone.

No issues until 3 days ago when we found the royal gramma dead. Yesterday we had a dead clown, this morning we found the last clown dead. Only the gobi has survived so far.

Mt husband ran the water tests yesterday:

Salt level is 1.245
PH is 8.4
Nitrite is 0
Ammonia is 0
Nitrate 6.0

We are baffled. Is it possible that the fish were killed by the anemone? The clowns have been hanging out with the anemone with no problems.

Does anybody have any ideas?

We have been running salt water tanks for 20 years and have never had this happen. We’re baffled.

 

[W31Olds]

I assume your salt level is 1.0245. Can you post a pic of your Tank. Not likely the anemone killed your fish however if some of the bag water contained a pathogen your fish may have caught something. What was their behavior for the past week or so?

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Was the new tank sanitized prior to adding water?

 

[VREAD]

I assume your salt level is 1.0245. Can you post a pic of your Tank. Not likely the anemone killed your fish however if some of the bag water contained a pathogen your fish may have caught something. What was their behavior for the past week or so?

Yes on the salt level is… sorry.

The fish have been behaving as they always did. Not hiding and eating normally.

 

[W31Olds]

And the fish behavior? Any torn fins, scratching, flashing, heavy breathing, etc.?

 

[VREAD]

Was the new tank sanitized prior to adding water?

No

 

[VREAD]

And the fish behavior? Any torn fins, scratching, flashing, heavy breathing, etc.?

No flashing at all. And breathing appeared normal.

 

[W31Olds]

Do you have a lid on the tank? I have a small 13 gallon that I use to QT that has a lid so maybe a lack of O2 as it depletes at night. How about additives? Do you Dose anything?

 

[VREAD]

Do you have a lid on the tank? I have a small 13 gallon that I use to QT that has a lid so maybe a lack of O2 as it depletes at night. How about additives? Do you Dose anything?

Yes ..l there is a lid. But it’s housed fish for two months now without incident.

We are not dosing for anything right now.

 

[World Citizen]

I find it odd this tank has a nitrate of 6 with the fish you had. I don't see a filtersetup so either you do a lot of waterchanges or something else is going on.

Did you do the watertest after a waterchange or before? How often do you change water and is there any filtering setup?

The white rock seems pretty white for a established tank, are they added later? Same for the glass and sorts.

The white haziness on the left panel? Is that bacteria film? Can you rub that of, or is it just the pic?

 

[VREAD]

I find it odd this tank has a nitrate of 6 with the fish you had. I don't see a filtersetup so either you do a lot of waterchanges or something else is going on.

Did you do the watertest after a waterchange or before? How often do you change water and is there any filtering setup?

The white rock seems pretty white for a established tank, are they added later? Same for the glass and sorts.

The white haziness on the left panel? Is that bacteria film? Can you rub that of, or is it just the pic?

We are also battling green hair algae. The white rocks are lab grown. They have recently been scrubbed. That is why they are so clean.

The white haze is just sand which hasn’t been cleaned off.

The filter system in this tank is housed in a compartment on the left side of the tank.

RO water is added to the tank once or twice a week due to evaporation. Water was tested after water was added.

 

[dvgyfresh]

We are also battling green hair algae. The white rocks are lab grown. They have recently been scrubbed. That is why they are so clean.

The white haze is just sand which hasn’t been cleaned off.

The filter system in this tank is housed in a compartment on the left side of the tank.

RO water is added to the tank once or twice a week due to evaporation. Water was tested after water was added.

Scrubbed with what? Hopefully it is not leaching chemicals