Fish problems, I hope someone can help!

[SmokeyCFH]

Okay guys, my tank has been up and running for around 6 months now and for some reason the only thing I'm able to keep alive in this tank is coral's and damsels (and I hate damsels!). I had a diamond watchman goby which seemed to be doing fine until the damsels got to it and destroyed it. I've had 4 clowns, 2 each at different times and they barely made it a week. All my parameters are perfect and all my coral's have been thriving, growing and splitting like crazy! My CUC is solid and I've had a red star and yellow sea cucumber for around a month with no health issues. Could the place i'm getting the fish be bad? I've gotten them all at the same place and the last two clowns I got were at the store for a week and eating fine so the guy told me. I talked to a different store owner and he said it was strange that my coral's are thriving but I can't keep any clownfish alive in my tank...if anyone has any opinions or advice it would be much appreciated. Right now I have NO fish in my tank because I'm tired of wasting money on them. Thank you guys for everything!

 

[spscrazy]

did you have the damsels in everytime you got fish or did you get some fish after the damsels were out?

 

[SmokeyCFH]

The only fish I added with the damsels was the goby, other than that all the damsels were taken out and traded.

 

[aquabull]

If the clowns were wild caught, they could have had something bad enough to affect the later clowns. What was the behavior before death, and or the coloration and condition of the cadavers?

 

[SmokeyCFH]

Would anyone happen to know how I can turn my 3-stage RO to RO/DI? Would I just need an additional canister hooked up as the last filter used? Thank you again.



The first two I got seemed fine, they were eating and swimming around, then i noticed one kind of dipping while swimming, their colors all stayed strong even after death which I thought was a little strange but I'm used to freshwater cichlids. one lived a week after the other on both cases. so i don't know, i'm so lost right now, I want fish but I am NOT putting damsels back in there to pick at the rest of my acro's.

 

[spscrazy]

how did you acclimate the fish? always ask to see the fish eat taking the lfs word for it.........well maybe maybe not if it were me I would try another store & see what happens especially since you are getting corals & cuc to live

 

[SmokeyCFH]

I got the goby from a different store and like i said, he seemed fine except for the fact that the damsels kicked it's butt. I drip acclimate my fish.

 

[skinz78]

So all of your fish are coming from the same store?

Some collectors still use cyanide. The unfortunate side effect of this is the fish usually die from it later on down the road. I am wondering if your LFS is buying fish from one of these collectors.

 

[Saltgator]

So all of your fish are coming from the same store?

Some collectors still use cyanide. The unfortunate side effect of this is the fish usually die from it later on down the road. I am wondering if your LFS is buying fish from one of these collectors.

^^^Agreed^^^^. I ended up turning to online stores over my LFS. For the price of shipping, you get what LFS (IMO) offers theirs. Plus, some even offer a multi day guarantee. I only shop at my LFS for food and if their are any deals that can't be passed up. If online isn't something you want, I would just try a different LFS. GL and sorry for you losses.

 

[SmokeyCFH]

Yeah, I think I've already decided to start getting my livestock from online stores. They have a better guarantee and they're around the same prices. I just hate waiting haha