Fish dead. Help

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello. I have an IM 30l that has been cycling for 3 weeks. All water tests have been totally normal. No ammonia or nitrates. I had two clowns, a flame goby and a lemon peel angel in QT. I went to move two of them in to the main tank last night and they both immediately swam around for 30 seconds and then became extremely lathargic and sank to the bottom. I immediately removed them and put them in a separate QT. Within minutes the goby and angel were dead. The two clowns are fine in the separate QT. I have lace rock and live sand in the tank. My other tanks are fine. Any ideas what could have caused it? Like I said, the water peramaters are all in check. Any help would be appreciated!
 

Flippers4pups

Fins up since 1993
View Badges
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Messages
18,493
Reaction score
44,499
Location
Lake Saint Louis, Mo
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Quick sudden death within that short of time could be:

Contaminants in the water.
Large temperature difference.
Large salinity difference. (Osmotic shock)
Stray voltage.
Weakened health and stress.
 

Pbh-reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
2,175
Location
Paris
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yikes this sounds awful!
Two things come to mind - stray voltage and chemical poison.


Are there any inverts in the tank? Are they ok?

Is their any chance someone water proofed their shoes,spray painted something, used windex on the tank, etc?

Using carbon can remove toxins along with a water change. I’m not sure how to rule out voltage but be careful putting your hands in the tank...
 
OP
OP
M

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yikes this sounds awful!
Two things come to mind - stray voltage and chemical poison.


Are there any inverts in the tank? Are they ok?

Is their any chance someone water proofed their shoes,spray painted something, used windex on the tank, etc?

Using carbon can remove toxins along with a water change. I’m not sure how to rule out voltage but be careful putting your hands in the tank...
There is no else in the tank. Just lace rock, sand and water. Could the rock be an issue? My other tank has live rock
 
OP
OP
M

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
T
Quick sudden death within that short of time could be:

Contaminants in the water.
Large temperature difference.
Large salinity difference. (Osmotic shock)
Stray voltage.
Weakened health and stress.
He temp is the same in all tanks, the salinity is very close in all tanks as well.
 

Pbh-reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
2,175
Location
Paris
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I guess the rock could be contaminated? I Don’t have any experience with it but it seems others have used it with success.
 

Frtdrmrose7

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
2,995
Reaction score
3,270
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How did you cycle the tank? Did you cure the rock?
 

Lowell Lemon

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
5,357
Reaction score
23,577
Location
Washington State
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would suspect the lace rock. It may have been exposed to insecticide or something of that nature. I have used lace rock myself without any problems.
 

Lowell Lemon

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
5,357
Reaction score
23,577
Location
Washington State
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what you could do other than do an ICP test and wait for results before trying any more fish or inverts. You need to diagnose before treating. It could be something else completely. You did test for stray voltage right?
 

Pbh-reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
2,175
Location
Paris
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what you could do other than do an ICP test and wait for results before trying any more fish or inverts. You need to diagnose before treating. It could be something else completely. You did test for stray voltage right?

I agree with this - if their is a contaminant in the rock you will likely need to pull all the rock and sand and cycle again :(

Are you sure no chemicals were sprayed around the tank? Is it by an open window?
 
OP
OP
M

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what you could do other than do an ICP test and wait for results before trying any more fish or inverts. You need to diagnose before treating. It could be something else completely. You did test for stray voltage right?
Yes my husband tested and all is fine
 

Pbh-reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
2,175
Location
Paris
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
An ICP test isn’t something you can do it home - it will catch things that we don’t have test kits for (like toxins and metals). Come to think of it are you using rodi water?
 
OP
OP
M

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
An ICP test isn’t something you can do it home - it will catch things that we don’t have test kits for (like toxins and metals). Come to think of it are you using rodi water?
My husband is an electrician and tested everything that plugs in. He is the expert with that lol. I am not using rodi water right now. I am working on getting one setup in the garage
 
OP
OP
M

Mtrask

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
36
Reaction score
33
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My husband is an electrician and tested everything that plugs in. He is the expert with that lol. I am not using rodi water right now. I am working on getting one setup in the garage
Oops. Reponded to the wrong person. Thank you for the link. I will look into that
 

Pbh-reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,391
Reaction score
2,175
Location
Paris
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Oh sorry I misunderstood- i was talking about testing for chemicals in the water but I’m glad your husband is an electrician and can test for voltage safely! Thinking more about it the source of your problem can’t be the water since that’s presumably the same in your other tanks including the qt.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 34 28.3%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 41 34.2%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 27 22.5%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 10 8.3%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 8 6.7%
Back
Top