Diamond Goby: "Healthy" to dead in 12 hours

[Starkrost]

I added a Diamond goby to the tank on 11-Jul-2020. She was totally rearranging the sand bed to her liking, living with the pistol shrimp, sifting sand, and seemed to be doing great. Last night she was "panting" heavily and this morning she was belly up and deader than a doornail. Parameters yesterday were: pH 7.8, ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate 40. No injuries, lesions, or other signs of disease. I moved some frags yesterday and glued them in with 2 part epoxy (always used paleo glue in the past), changed the filter floss, and removed the hitchhiker sponge. Last night I fed pellet food for the fish (as usual) and broadcast feeding of reef roids. No real change to my normal routine. Any ideas?

 

[NJDragonet]

Your PH is way to low that will cause death in a fish from 12-24 hours. The shrimp is more tolerant I suggest you add a PH booster a good choice would be Instant Ocean PH booster. Then after that check the levels again if your PH is at least 8.0 you should be good to go.

 

[Big G]

Was the fish shipped or did you pickup the fish at your LFS?

 

[NJDragonet]

Was the fish shipped or did you pickup the fish at your LFS?

It may have had an infection if it was shipped.

 

[Starkrost]

LFS but not one I've used before. I also purchased a Blue Tuxedo Urchin at the same time and it seems fine.

 

[PSU4ME]

Your PH is way to low that will cause death in a fish from 12-24 hours. The shrimp is more tolerant I suggest you add a PH booster a good choice would be Instant Ocean PH booster. Then after that check the levels again if your PH is at least 8.0 you should be good to go.

If that’s true, my entire tank would have been dead months ago. 7.8 PH will not kill your fish.

 

[Starkrost]

Your PH is way to low that will cause death in a fish from 12-24 hours. The shrimp is more tolerant I suggest you add a PH booster a good choice would be Instant Ocean PH booster. Then after that check the levels again if your PH is at least 8.0 you should be good to go.

Thank you!

 

[NJDragonet]

LFS but not one I've used before. I also purchased a Blue Tuxedo Urchin at the same time and it seems fine.

The inverts seem fine it is 100% your PH. If not where their anything odd about the fish when you got him.

 

[Starkrost]

If that’s true, my entire tank would have been dead months ago. 7.8 PH will not kill your fish.

Maybe it wouldn't kill everyone, but I've been uncomfortable with it always being this low no matter what I do.

 

[NJDragonet]

If that’s true, my entire tank would have been dead months ago. 7.8 PH will not kill your fish.

It will not if the fish has been in the tank for months and got used to it. This fish was only in there for 14 hours.

 

[Starkrost]

The inverts seem fine it is 100% your PH. If not where their anything odd about the fish when you got him.

My inverts are doing great. Shrimp is clicking, snails are multiplying. Nothing odd about the goby until last night.

 

[NJDragonet]

My inverts are doing great. Shrimp is clicking, snails are multiplying. Nothing odd about the goby until last night.

Then it seems to be the PH get the Instant Ocean PH booster and then test again and if your PH is 8.0-8.4 your good.

 

[Big G]

LFS but not one I've used before. I also purchased a Blue Tuxedo Urchin at the same time and it seems fine.

What was the salinity level of the LFS's tank the goby came in from?

 

[Starkrost]

What was the salinity level of the LFS's tank the goby came in from?

I don't know. It didn't get the acclimation I would have liked. It jumped from the bag within 20 minutes of starting to acclimate so got dumped unceremoniously into the tank. But it seemed to be doing just fine until last night.

 

[Starkrost]

Could it have starved to death? Tank is only 4 months old.

 

[Big G]

Some stores and shippers keep their salinity rather low. And the effects on the fish can take a few hours to 2-3 days later with sudden death as the organs shut down.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[Starkrost]

Some stores and shippers keep their salinity rather low. And the effects on the fish can take a few hours to 2-3 days later with sudden death as the organs shut down.
Sorry for your loss.

Thank you.

 

[Big G]

Could it have starved to death? Tank is only 4 months old.

Fish can go for days and in some cases weeks without eating.

 

[Big G]

Thank you.

Osmotic shock is a silent killer. Matching your QT/tank to the incoming fish's existing salinity is a good move. For example, Live Aquaria often ships fish at around 1.015. So matching to that salinity and then slowly moving it up only 0.001 every day or two, until reaching 1.025/6 is very gentle on the fish's internal organs and nervous system.

 

[Zionas]

That’s strange. I always thought inverts were more sensitive to pH than fish? Or is it salinity?