Fish keep dying, getting ready to call it quits

[Torps]

I've lost multiple fish and subsequently evicted the CBS and Serpent Star to remove all possible predators. Since then, I lost a fire fish (lived one day) and a clown fish (lived 3 weeks). The tank is professionally maintained and water quality is pristine. The current residents are a Pajama Cardinal which has survived the entire year since I inherited the tank, and a Royal Grama that's lasted a month. There's several corals and snails and such, but absolutely nothing that's remotely dangerous toward fish.

I figure there's either a large bobbit worm (or other predator) that somehow went unnoticed during the move a year ago, or stray voltage. Anyone have any tips? I'm not too keen on spending hundreds in fish just to have them all die. I have zero reasons to suspect either of these problems, but I'm at a loss for a fix. I'd love a solid lead on this... I'm about ready to redirect my hobby budget and time elsewhere

Stray voltage "test results" below. No clue how to interpret them.
one lead in water, other free in air: 8V
complete circuit, no equipment plugged in: 12V
one piece of equip plugged in (doesn't matter what): 45V
each additional piece of equip (any order): +5V

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What size of tank is this?
How are they dying? Disease? Aggression? Jumping? Were your fish ever qt'd? Snails do or don't die?

How is the rockwork in your tank? Are there adequate hiding spots for fish? A tank picture might help I think. Is the water surface agitated to provide gas exchange and oxygenate the tank?

What do you feed and how often do you feed? Have you tested the ammonia level and do you know the current nitrate level?

 

[W31Olds]

Stray voltage is not killing your fish. Bobbit Worm also. If I had to guess, it's a combination of factors.
Poor Specimen or Acclimation- Firefish
Royal Gramma - Flukes
Clownfish- Disease of some sort.

Are you purchasing the Fish or is your Maintenance Company and are the QT'd?

 

[Bitter old man]

I've lost multiple fish and subsequently evicted the CBS and Serpent Star to remove all possible predators. Since then, I lost a fire fish (lived one day) and a clown fish (lived 3 weeks). The tank is professionally maintained and water quality is pristine. The current residents are a Pajama Cardinal which has survived the entire year since I inherited the tank, and a Royal Grama that's lasted a month. There's several corals and snails and such, but absolutely nothing that's remotely dangerous toward fish.

I figure there's either a large bobbit worm (or other predator) that somehow went unnoticed during the move a year ago, or stray voltage. Anyone have any tips? I'm not too keen on spending hundreds in fish just to have them all die. I have zero reasons to suspect either of these problems, but I'm at a loss for a fix. I'd love a solid lead on this... I'm about ready to redirect my hobby budget and time elsewhere

Stray voltage "test results" below. No clue how to interpret them.
one lead in water, other free in air: 8V
complete circuit, no equipment plugged in: 12V
one piece of equip plugged in (doesn't matter what): 45V
each additional piece of equip (any order): +5V

Professional maintained? Do you test behind them? I would.

 

[exnisstech]

If its professionally maintained what do they have to say about the losses?
There are so many possibilities from disease to a water issues or even unhealthy livestock drom the start.

PS: pristine water really means nothing. Test results including salinty could be helpful.

 

[Mickle]

"professionally maintained" is probably the problem. Shouldn't be much maintenance if any, unless youre stacked with corals

 

[Torps]

What size of tank is this?
How are they dying? Disease? Aggression? Jumping? Were your fish ever qt'd? Snails do or don't die?

How is the rockwork in your tank? Are there adequate hiding spots for fish? A tank picture might help I think. Is the water surface agitated to provide gas exchange and oxygenate the tank?

What do you feed and how often do you feed? Have you tested the ammonia level and do you know the current nitrate level?

32 gal biocube. Surface aggitation pic below, and water cascades thru the filter components in the back. Nitrate, nitrite, and amonia currently zero. I test about once per month just to check up on their work. Snails and hermits have declined in numbers since I initially stocked them, but there are still some in there. Strawberry Conch has been healthy for 8 months.

Maintenance and fish supplier is my LFS. They travel every week to *somewhere* and hand select their stock and do some sort of QT. I don't QT myself.

Sep 11 tests:
PH 8.0
Ammonia, nitrate/ite: 0
Phosphate: 0.5
Calcium: 460
KH: 6
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 79

 

[KrisReef]

The maintenance guy, do they replace the lost fishes at no cost, or could there be a conflict of interest here?

 

[StartingATank]

Do the professionals do water changes for you? Have you noticed any visual signs on the fish before they died? Do the fish breathe quickly before they die? I hope things turn your way soon.

 

[Torps]

The maintenance guy, do they replace the lost fishes at no cost, or could there be a conflict of interest here?

LFS specifies all sales final for live goods. I get it, but they're at a loss as to the cause too. I'm going to have a chat and see if they'll put a little money where their self proclaimed expertise is. Especially with these last two since there's no possible predators AND these two were acclimated by them. If I were some business, I'd expect the product to be a fish tank full of fish. Not good quality water and, separately, whatever I buy to put in it.

They do seem like great people tho. I'll have a chat. It still ticks me off that I don't know why seemingly perfectly healthy fish are just dying. Their store is the best I've seen too. Never a dead or slow fish in any tank. That might be a low bar, but it's surprising how rare it is.

I think I saw a question about how fish are dying... Not sure. Occasionally, I'll find a body and remove, but there's enough of a cleanup crew that bodies don't last long. They can't jump out of the tank (solid lid) and I never find them in the rear filter compartments.

Do the professionals do water changes for you? Have you noticed any visual signs on the fish before they died? Do the fish breathe quickly before they die? I hope things turn your way soon.

Yep, water change every visit, 2-3 week intervals. There's never a change in behavior that I notice. I'm not well versed in identifying a sick fish, but I've never had the slightest inkling that any of these fish have been anything but healthy.

The biggest surprise was a blue damsel that come over with the move. He outlived everything and, being a damsel, was probably a bit on the aggressive side. He disappeared one day when only the CBS was a possible culprit.

 

[StartingATank]

Just curious, how do they acclimate? Also, do you know what the numbers of their water is before they introduce the fish?

 

[exnisstech]

By CBS so you mean coral banded shrimp? I have a two in separate tanks and they don't bother small fish even tho they are big enough they could probably grab one. People see them waving their claws around and often think it's aggression when it's actually a defensive posture to scare off would be predators. Mine don't even bother other shrimp.

 

[Torps]

Just curious, how do they acclimate? Also, do you know what the numbers of their water is before they introduce the fish?

What I do at their instruction is replace about 1/4 of the water (from the bag) with my water, every 10 min, 4 times. That seems to work. The fish have lasted weeks with that method. They do it similarly but a bit quicker. They clown was done that way and lasted almost a month. I'm guessing that isn't the cause... poor acclimatization should be quickly evident?

Not sure about their water numbers, but salinity is basically equal. They make their own salt water.

By CBS so you mean coral banded shrimp? I have a two in separate tanks and they don't bother small fish even tho they are big enough they could probably grab one. People see them waving their claws around and often think it's aggression when it's actually a defensive posture to scare off would be predators. Mine don't even bother other shrimp.

Yes. I've seen mixed opinions on them being predatory. My tank tech was pretty adamant that the CBS was a non issue. She was even skeptical that the serpent star was a problem, but others at the LFS thought it could be hunting. either way, deaths are still occurring.

 

[KrisReef]

I’m now leaning towards a salinity issue at the LFS. I predict that their salinity is very low, and acclimating these fishes to natural salinity is a huge metabolic challenge.

I would take my hydrometer to the LFS and see if there tanks are low in salinity. @Jay Hemdal is the guy who impressed me with the issue of low salinity (used to suppress disease in commercial settings.)

The loss of multiple species from a normal tank suggests that this issue may be salt density related?!

 

[StartingATank]

I agree with a salinity issue

 

[NJHC]

I've lost multiple fish and subsequently evicted the CBS and Serpent Star to remove all possible predators. Since then, I lost a fire fish (lived one day) and a clown fish (lived 3 weeks). The tank is professionally maintained and water quality is pristine. The current residents are a Pajama Cardinal which has survived the entire year since I inherited the tank, and a Royal Grama that's lasted a month. There's several corals and snails and such, but absolutely nothing that's remotely dangerous toward fish.

I figure there's either a large bobbit worm (or other predator) that somehow went unnoticed during the move a year ago, or stray voltage. Anyone have any tips? I'm not too keen on spending hundreds in fish just to have them all die. I have zero reasons to suspect either of these problems, but I'm at a loss for a fix. I'd love a solid lead on this... I'm about ready to redirect my hobby budget and time elsewhere

Stray voltage "test results" below. No clue how to interpret them.
one lead in water, other free in air: 8V
complete circuit, no equipment plugged in: 12V
one piece of equip plugged in (doesn't matter what): 45V
each additional piece of equip (any order): +5V

Make sure to check your electric Current. I had the same problem a long time ago found out that there was a short in the heater and it was electrocuted the fish stretching them out my parameters and everything was perfect, but it was killing my fish.

 

[Paul B]

I don't think it is predation, salt level, electrocution or stray voltage. I can't see your fish or know what the dead fish look like or what the fish are doing just before they die so It is just guesswork.

Stray voltage doesn't kill anything and if they were getting electrocuted, so would you when you put your hand in there. Low salinity won't kill fish if snails are living.

Did you notice any of the fish shaking their heads back and forth? Do the dead fish have their mouths "wide" open?

Do they eat and what are you feeding? How long has the tank been set up?

Do you see any tiny spots, barely visible, almost like powder? Are the fish swimming in circles or sucking air from the surface? Too many unknowns.

 

[Torps]

I don't think it is predation, salt level, electrocution or stray voltage. I can't see your fish or know what the dead fish look like or what the fish are doing just before they die so It is just guesswork.

Stray voltage doesn't kill anything and if they were getting electrocuted, so would you when you put your hand in there. Low salinity won't kill fish if snails are living.

Did you notice any of the fish shaking their heads back and forth? Do the dead fish have their mouths "wide" open?

Do they eat and what are you feeding? How long has the tank been set up?

Do you see any tiny spots, barely visible, almost like powder? Are the fish swimming in circles or sucking air from the surface? Too many unknowns.

No head shaking. The clown gobies and fire fish were still like they were hovering/perching as expected as little as 10 hrs before they were found dead. Dead fish moths were closed/relaxed. Feeding flakes and pellets with weekly mysis shrimp. No blemishes of any kind noticed on live or dead fish. No abnormal swimming behavior, sucking air at surface, or the like. One clown goby and most recent clown fish may have been glass surfing more than normal tho… especially that one clown goby.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've lost multiple fish and subsequently evicted the CBS and Serpent Star to remove all possible predators. Since then, I lost a fire fish (lived one day) and a clown fish (lived 3 weeks). The tank is professionally maintained and water quality is pristine. The current residents are a Pajama Cardinal which has survived the entire year since I inherited the tank, and a Royal Grama that's lasted a month. There's several corals and snails and such, but absolutely nothing that's remotely dangerous toward fish.

I figure there's either a large bobbit worm (or other predator) that somehow went unnoticed during the move a year ago, or stray voltage. Anyone have any tips? I'm not too keen on spending hundreds in fish just to have them all die. I have zero reasons to suspect either of these problems, but I'm at a loss for a fix. I'd love a solid lead on this... I'm about ready to redirect my hobby budget and time elsewhere

Stray voltage "test results" below. No clue how to interpret them.
one lead in water, other free in air: 8V
complete circuit, no equipment plugged in: 12V
one piece of equip plugged in (doesn't matter what): 45V
each additional piece of equip (any order): +5V

First - you can completely rule out a “stray voltage” here - that does NOT kill fish, despite what you’ll read. You’re seeing induced voltage, that causes no harm. Besides, look at this critically - some fish and invertebrates are fine, and electrical current doesn’t pick and choose.

Now - electrical safety around aquariums is ver important! A short circuit is NOT stray voltage and that can kill fish and you. Be sure your equipment is UL or CE rated and plugged into a GFI protected circuit.

Has the person maintaining the tank weighed in on these issues?

 

[Torps]

First - you can completely rule out a “stray voltage” here - that does NOT kill fish, despite what you’ll read. You’re seeing induced voltage, that causes no harm. Besides, look at this critically - some fish and invertebrates are fine, and electrical current doesn’t pick and choose.

Now - electrical safety around aquariums is ver important! A short circuit is NOT stray voltage and that can kill fish and you. Be sure your equipment is UL or CE rated and plugged into a GFI protected circuit.

Has the person maintaining the tank weighed in on these issues?

It is on gfci. The maintainer mentioned stray voltage as a possible cause, but she didn’t know anything about it. Just that she’s heard of it. I figure check that off the list.

I’ll check the store’s salinity, but my tank should be really close to theirs by now.