All my fish died over night

[emilystelck]

All my fish died overnight. Everyone looked great last night. I added a couple new fish yesterday, did not change water. Did not quarantine these fish because I’ve had such good luck and everyone has always been fine after temperature acclimation. Most of these fish have been in the tank already for 2-3 weeks.

ph about 8
Nitrate 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Alkalinity 200
Hardness 300
Temperature 78

Deceased fish:
sailfin blenny x2
Royal dotty back
Clown fish x 2
Arrow crab
Snowflake eel
Blue Koran angel
Blonde naso tang
Hawkfish
green long tentacle anemone

Alive still:
Pink spotted watchman goby x 2
Emerald crab x 2
Hermit crabs
Chocolate Chip Star Fish
Two different types of coral (I think they’re alive?)

Not seen yet and assuming deceased in caves:
Caribbean Octopus
Black and white Heniochus
Striped Blenny
Pajama Cardinal

I’m also relatively new to salt water tanks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Very upset over the situation. Also to add, none of the fish have any visible spots, wounds, discoloration, slime or anything on them. They’re just dead.

 

[emilystelck]

could you post pictures of your whole setup and equipments connected to your tank?

Yes! I’m just not home right now!

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I would get a better ammonia test kit. Not showing ammonia after all these dead fish that were just added and already straining the biological filtration is impossible. There is ammonia with so many dead fish, almost a certainty.

 

[emilystelck]

could you post pictures of your whole setup and equipments connected to your tank?

I also did take everything out of it before I left. All that’s left in there is substrate and Caribbean sand.

 

[Lavey29]

Yes that I know! Sorry, I’m really new to this and not at home right now. But I believe maybe you’re asking about my ClariSea? It’s a rolling filter that I have. Is that a sump? I didn’t think it was.

It's ok, when you get a chance post some pictures of your tank and filtration system so everyone understands what your working with and can provide you some guidance.

Also please give us your water salinity when you can....thanks

 

[emilystelck]

I would get a better ammonia test kit. Not showing ammonia after all these dead fish that were just added and already straining the biological filtration is impossible. There is ammonia with so many dead fish, almost a certainty.

Do you happen to have a recommendation? I would appreciate it!

 

[emilystelck]

It's ok, when you get a chance post some pictures of your tank and filtration system so everyone understands what your working with and can provide you some guidance.

Also please give us your water salinity when you can....thanks

I will! I appreciate everyone being so willing to help. Really glad I joined this community!

 

[Sharkbait19]

I also did take everything out of it before I left. All that’s left in there is substrate and Caribbean sand.

I wouldn’t recommend removing all rock - all that does is remove beneficial bacteria.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Do you happen to have a recommendation? I would appreciate it!

Honestly api ammonia at petco have been good. Easy to find and cheap.

 

[jmatt]

I added a couple new fish yesterday,....Most of these fish have been in the tank already for 2-3 weeks..... I’m also relatively new to salt water tanks.

You've said that the tank is two years old, but the statements above sound like it was only recently set up as a salt water tank. I doubt anyone that was successfully running a salt water tank for two years would describe themselves as "new".

So I guess my question is how long has the tank been running as a salt water setup? Because if it's less than a couple months to half a year, that's an enormous bioload to put in a tank in "2-3 weeks".

 

[Chrisv.]

I will! I appreciate everyone being so willing to help. Really glad I joined this community!

We're happy to have you here! A lot of learning happens here and as you're finding out, it's a super complicated hobby. We're all learning! Don't be too discouraged.

One idea: maybe it would make sense for you to make a video of your tank where you sort of slowly show the system as a whole and then go one at a time through your equipment and what you know about it. Then we can look at the video and say "at time x, that equipment is ... whatever..." It would just be a way for folks to get an overall picture of what's going on that might be hard to get from still photos.

The video feature on the site isn't great, so if you do this, upload to YouTube and post a link here. It doesn't have to be a searchable video or part of a real channel. YouTube links work better here for some reason.

 

[emilystelck]

We're happy to have you here! A lot of learning happens here and as you're finding out, it's a super complicated hobby. We're all learning! Don't be too discouraged.

One idea: maybe it would make sense for you to make a video of your tank where you sort of slowly show the system as a whole and then go one at a time through your equipment and what you know about it. Then we can look at the video and say "at time x, that equipment is ... whatever..." It would just be a way for folks to get an overall picture of what's going on that might be hard to get from still photos.

The video feature on the site isn't great, so if you do this, upload to YouTube and post a link here. It doesn't have to be a searchable video or part of a real channel. YouTube links work better here for some reason.

Awesome! I will! Thank you for the advice!

 

[Sharkbait19]

Honestly api ammonia at petco have been good. Easy to find and cheap.

The api ammonia test is pretty much known for misreads, I’d sooner do something like a salifert or Red Sea.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

If anything is still alive, buy seachem prime. If there is ammonia, this will save what is left in the short term. Get everything dead out. Leave the rock in.

 

[emilystelck]

You've said that the tank is two years old, but the statements above sound like it was only recently set up as a salt water tank. I doubt anyone that was successfully running a salt water tank for two years would describe themselves as "new".

So I guess my question is how long has the tank been running as a salt water setup? Because if it's less than a couple months to half a year, that's an enormous bioload to put in a tank in "2-3 weeks".

I haven’t had it the whole two years. Supposedly the person before me used it as a salt water tank but they were going to go bigger so I took. I had to buy all the bells and whistles though as they kept them. Basically, I’m new but the tank shouldn’t be from what I was told.

 

[neo1738]

Also so you know roughly 1 fish/10gal of water. Some will say inches of fish/gallon tank but either way unless you have a very large sump 15 fish is probably too much long term. Would limit to 8-10 depending on size. Agree with others get something to stabilize ammonia now just in case. Get better test kit for ammonia or an ammonia wheel that you can use for a month. Try to get a couple water changes in today and tomorrow watch that ammonia like crazy if there are inverts dead in the tank they will leech.

 

[Billldg]

@Jay Hemdal, are their any tell tale signs of ammonia causing the death of fish?

 

[Lionfish hunter]

The api ammonia test is pretty much known for misreads, I’d sooner do something like a salifert or Red Sea.

I have bought every test kit known to man. And many api ammonia. The api ammonia is just fine, there is not need for this person to spend more money on something that is harder to find. I knew somebody was going to have an issue with this. Mention api and everybody assumes it is crap.

FYI red sea is junk.

 

[jmatt]

I haven’t had it the whole two years. Supposedly the person before me used it as a salt water tank but they were going to go bigger so I took. I had to buy all the bells and whistles though as they kept them. Basically, I’m new but the tank shouldn’t be from what I was told.

Let's define what you mean by "tank" just so we can understand the situation. Did you take it with all of the rock and sand and filter etc intact... that stuff was all 2 years old as well?

I'm with the "the octopus croaked and killed everything else" vote on this, but I'm getting the sense that perhaps the tank wasn't aged and cycled enough to support everything you had in it. So, everything else aside (assuming that's the case) ya gotta take a slow-go approach to everything in this hobby.

Btw, don't feel too bad. I managed to destroy a tank of my own once. I think I was lazy about water replacement, stressed everything out until my anemone (or something) kicked the bucket and wiped out everything with it. And it happened in mere hours.

 

[WisReef]

Also so you know roughly 1 fish/10gal of water. Some will say inches of fish/gallon tank but either way unless you have a very large sump 15 fish is probably too much long term. Would limit to 8-10 depending on size. Agree with others get something to stabilize ammonia now just in case. Get better test kit for ammonia or an ammonia wheel that you can use for a month. Try to get a couple water changes in today and tomorrow watch that ammonia like crazy if there are inverts dead in the tank they will leech.

I would caution there should be a big * on that 1 fish/10 gallon of water rule. There's obviously a big difference between 1 chromis and 1 blue tang...much less 10 chromis vs 10 blue tangs. I wouldn't worry much about the ratio of fish/gallon but rather focus on their potential mature size/bioload.

I'm sure this is what you meant, but wanted to clarify this for anyone "new" to the hobby reading this thread.

 

[vetteguy53081]

While ammonia can cause death, I have a suspicion of false ammonia reading and curious on your acclimation.
How did you acclimate and for how long. Septic shock may be culprit but need more info.
Are you able to take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use API kits and have them test for you to see what readings they come up and to compare with yours?