Healthy corals .. dead fish .. What gives .. advice ? Burned out

Pbh-reef

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@OrionN that is a very good idea - I was thinking about this thread the other day (cause I'm a crazy person?) and thought of oxygen loss and then it slipped my mind. Although lots of surface agitation makes it less likely

to the OP - I don't see any signs of disease, but it could be in the gills.
Brook and velvet will both die w/o a fish host in 6 weeks:

 
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Dustinc1983

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Hm thanks! I do turn the power head off from 9pm - 8am so the only flow is the return pump (and it’s pretty week) . I have that pointed up to agitate the surface but it’s not all the much. Plus I’m in Denver so the air pressure is already much lower than sea level (less o2 molecules in my air) haha..
 

OrionN

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Do you have a sump under the tank or the sump on the back? If you have the sump under the tank, then the overflow alone will oxygenate the tank. Hypoxemia only happen in tank with no sump on a different level and no skimmer.
Regardless, I wold not turn the PH off at night.
 
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Dustinc1983

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It’s a small AIO . No additional sump...the rear chamber I have a 3.1 oz chemipure elite pouch, a bag of ceramic balls, and on top (closest to surface) a basic layer of filter floss .. I also have a heater in there. .
 
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Dustinc1983

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Okay.. went with more constant surface agitation in hopes for more O2... and maybe prematurely took a flyer on a single clown a few days ago and now I see this. Should I just get him out now? He eats but this isn’t normal. What in the heck. It’s discouraging not to be able to keep a fish. Now I’m thinking this guys has a disease. Irony, the only fish I’ve ever kept longer than 2 years; petco clowns... I’m just embarrassed now
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Tamberav

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First off, maybe keeping fish in a pico 5 gallon tank is just too small?
Here’s a quick run down. Fluval sea 5 . Up since October 5th 2019 but all live rock came from another 2 year established (no issues) tank of mine. I have some easy corals that are healthy, happy and grow. Duncan, Acan, large frogspawn, some Kenya tree weeds... parameters seem normal but I’ll admit I use junk tests so don’t flame me ... haha. Salinity normal on refrac 1.025

My eyeball test is crude but good. Algae is always under control, rarely have any uglies, great flow, good water changes, good RODI water top off, I buy my salt water at a very reputable Denver, CO LFS. I don’t over feed

First I lost a pair of snowflake clowns about a month in. Then I went fishless for 2 months and then added another single clown; dead. Fast forward I lost a single frostbite clown; dead. Then added a royal gramma .. was good and eating and playing for 2 months, I decided to add a single cardinal at this point to have a total of 2 fish. Cardinal lasted 8 days and found his remains in my CUC and now 3 days ago after a water change my gramma died and CUC had a feast again. Thoughts ? I usually do 2 gallon water change every 10-14 days .Too much or little? I don’t think I have a big Bio load. One thing I have noticed is a temp swing I can’t seem to control in this pico .. like 72.8 - 75.5 is this an issue? I never check ALK could I have an issue there with healthy corals and dying fish ?
Final thought maybe this just needs to be a single damsel tank or simply an invert and softies / lps display ... Any tips ? Or something I should check on . I have the stock return and also a power head. Ask any questions and I’ll answer honestly. No I don’t quarantine btw since this is essentially a QT with display. Thanks guys

All those fish are pretty large for a 5g. My female clown and gramma both grew into big beasties.

I have a 5g with a pictus blenny and a hasslet goby. They seem to do well. I change 3g at a time every 1-2 weeks. I have never tested anything, not even temp, so can't help you there but I am sure it swings around.


Edit: I see your clown now :( Looks like disease, I wonder if that is brook setting in.
 

Difrano

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You have few issues here, high bioload, fish that require bigger tanks and disease, I would say that 99% of the tanks out there have parasites living in them, just like the ocean. So why all the ocean fish have not been wiped out by parasites or illness, because they have immune systems that fight back the disease, now on our tanks the fish are under stress due to be confined, water quality, water stability etc. So a fish that doesn't belong to a smaller tank, it will get stressed at higher levels and even if it looks fine it's immune system is taking a toll and give the opportunity to the disease to kill it. That's why the bigger the tank you see less people complaining about brook ich or velvet.
 

OrionN

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So how is the tank?
To increase O2, you can add a air stone in the back chamber. This will solve the hypoxemia at night.
Hopefully your clowns are disease free and your fish are fine now that you know hypoxemia at night is a problem and take steps to prevent it.
Update please.
 
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Dustinc1983

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Temp is stable now at 77. I had to put a 100W in the rear chamber. Basement is super cold at night I guess..

That clown unfortunately died soon after my post. I waited months with just corals and inverts and nothing but basic water changes. Tank is super clean expect a few more spots of bubble algae but that is turning white and dying off with almost no manual removal.

I introduced a new single clown (only fish now in tank) and he has been happy, eating, and active for about 2 months. I think a single fish in a 5G is what I plan to keep in this tank. I have a sexy shrimp and peppermint as well.

The stock pump is not cutting it. Its due for a cleaning but I think I will replace it now for better performance. Ill look into that recommendation. The return pump chamber is completely stagnant. I've heard of people making a tiny hole in the line for some flow in there.

I have a powerhead that is facing opposite flow of the return (so its mounted at the end, near the skimmer grids where the water returns) and I'm wondering if that's a mistake. My nutrients are low, I don't see any uglies but maybe I should mount the PH on the side. . I'm wondering if the opposing flow is effecting performance.
 

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