fish keep dying....help!

[Jay0103]

Hi Guys,

i am new to the marine tank world. I have had my tank for about 2.5 months. i started with fish in cycle with 2 clown fish.

within the first 10 days the smaller clown fish died. i then decided to not add any more until my tank cycled. once my tank cycled...i decided to buy a another clown fish and a fire shrimp....after acclimation and putting them both in my tank along with my 1 previous clown that was in my tank....30 mins later my shrimp died and my new clown died 8 days later....i still have 1 of my original clown left.

my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is around 2 to 5...my temp is 25 degrees celcius....my salinity is 1.025....its a fish only tank....but i don't understand what is happening why all my fish are dying apart from that 1 fish from the start.

any help would be appreciated.

for context i have a redsea max e 170

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO fish in cycles, especially for brand new hobbyists, is a mistake.
How did you confirm the cycle was complete before adding the fish and shrimp?
What size is the tank? How is the water oxygenated?
Fish dying points to disease, but when shrimp die, it points to water quality.
Are you using tap water or rodi water?
Tank pictures really help to give us a good idea of whats going on. Can you add a picture?

 

[Danroo]

Could be some copper leaching.

 

[Jay0103]

IMO fish in cycles, especially for brand new hobbyists, is a mistake.
How did you confirm the cycle was complete before adding the fish and shrimp?
What size is the tank? How is the water oxygenated?
Fish dying points to disease, but when shrimp die, it points to water quality.
Are you using tap water or rodi water?
Tank pictures really help to give us a good idea of whats going on. Can you add a picture?

I checked water quality for a few days and comfirmed amonia and nitrite are 0 and nitrate is there...this was at approx over 2 months of running tank to confirm cycle complete. My tank is 170 litres. I am using skimmer and return pump and wavemaker to ripple surface for oxygenation. I do also have 6 snails and some have given birth also...i use Rodi water from LFS and salt water from them too.... I'll have to take pic once i am home from work

 

[Jay0103]

Could be some copper leaching.

How do i test and how do i clear it out?

 

[CrewePD210]

I cleared out my tank twice by using Imagitarium carbon. Came here and found out that it is full of copper. Just FYI

 

[Piotrek]

Best way is to order and ICP test - you'll get a good view on the water parameters, and get info on poisonous stuff like Cu, Al and others checked.

 

[Danroo]

How do i test and how do i clear it out?

ICP test is a good starting g point, even though fish in cycle is frowned upon it shouldn’t kill your clowns. It could be copper leaching or the biological load isn’t there yet to handle fish.

 

[Jay0103]

I cleared out my tank twice by using Imagitarium carbon. Came here and found out that it is full of copper. Just FYI

When you say cleared out your tank, do you mean from copper? And can you use that carbon with fish in tank?

 

[Jay0103]

ICP test is a good starting g point, even though fish in cycle is frowned upon it shouldn’t kill your clowns. It could be copper leaching or the biological load isn’t there yet to handle fish.

Okay i will need to buy and check for copper. After changing my floss filter, nitrite was in my tank, is that normal?

 

[Jay0103]

Best way is to order and ICP test - you'll get a good view on the water parameters, and get info on poisonous stuff like Cu, Al and others checked.

Would that be poisonous to clown fish? I thought they are hardy and only ammonia and nitrite is toxic to them?

 

[Jay0103]

IMO fish in cycles, especially for brand new hobbyists, is a mistake.
How did you confirm the cycle was complete before adding the fish and shrimp?
What size is the tank? How is the water oxygenated?
Fish dying points to disease, but when shrimp die, it points to water quality.
Are you using tap water or rodi water?
Tank pictures really help to give us a good idea of whats going on. Can you add a picture?

Here is a pic

 

[mcarroll]

Hi Guys,

i am new to the marine tank world. I have had my tank for about 2.5 months. i started with fish in cycle with 2 clown fish.

45 gallons seems like it ought to keep the ammonia concentration from spiking too high.

Were you testing ammonia regularly? What was the highest reading you saw?

within the first 10 days the smaller clown fish died. i then decided to not add any more until my tank cycled.

Guessing you would have mentioned an ammonia spike if there was one.....so this leaves me wondering about a pathogen.

once my tank cycled...i decided to buy a another clown fish and a fire shrimp....after acclimation and putting them both in my tank along with my 1 previous clown that was in my tank....30 mins later my shrimp died and my new clown died 8 days later....i still have 1 of my original clown left.

How did you do acclimation? This can actually be a killer if it's done wrong.

my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is around 2 to 5...my temp is 25 degrees celcius....my salinity is 1.025....its a fish only tank....but i don't understand what is happening why all my fish are dying apart from that 1 fish from the start.

any help would be appreciated.

for context i have a redsea max e 170

Seems like present conditions are good.

I am using skimmer and return pump and wavemaker to ripple surface for oxygenation. I do also have 6 snails and some have given birth also...i use Rodi water from LFS and salt water from them too.... I'll have to take pic once i am home from work

If your snails are fine, that would seem to rule out water quality problems (other than nutrients).

How do i test and how do i clear it out?

Poly-Filter is a fun option if they sell it in your area. A filter pad that changes color based onscavenged contaminants.