HELP NEEDED! Fish dying!

[Leonardstdr]

I am currently running a Fluval Evo 13.5 nano reef tank. I have just recently upgraded to the AI Prime 16HD reef light. I have stable parameters that are all within the correct levels; yet my fish keep dying. I have a cleaner shrimp, 6-8 various snails, a small starfish (not sure which kind but it only stays in my sand), three hermit crabs and a conch. I have several coral one LPS and a couple SPS. Everything in the tank is thriving, apart from the fish. I have now gone through 3 separate pairs of clowns, a sixline wrasse and two damsels. I have gone to my LFS and asked and they’re perplexed as well. Can anyone offer some help? I am providing pictures of the tank as well however I don’t have any filters for my phone so bear with me.

 

[NoohpyT]

How long has your tank been running for? Sand looks pretty clean

Also do you have anything in your sump (back chambers) that could be rusting?

 

[TokenReefer]

Do you have any Ammonia showing up on tests?

 

[noobreefer2]

What are your water parameters?

 

[Sebastiancrab]

You need to describe the dead fish and what happened. If another becomes ill, follow this:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

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You may have a parasite such as velvet which kills very quickly. If so, the tank will need to go fallow.

 

[BlueFynn_Ian]

You need to describe the dead fish and what happened. If another becomes ill, follow this:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

You may have a parasite such as velvet which kills very quickly. If so, the tank will need to go fallow.

Agree with Sebastian, if all your parameters are in check and your inverts are fine its a good chance there is velvet in the tank. Every time you add new fish in they get exposed to the parasites residing in the tank and it can kill them quite quickly.

 

[noobreefer2]

What are you feeding?
Have you made any changes recently?
Do you use RODI water?
What salt do you use?

I would get an ICP test kit to see whats up if none of this works.

 

[TokenReefer]

Did your lfs test your water? Need more info

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Agreed - there is really only one issue that kills fish but leaves invertebrates healthy, and that is one of the various fish parasites. The only water quality issue that *sometimes* kills fish but not invertebrates is low dissolved oxygen. If you tank has aeration (bubbles breaking the water’s surface) then this is not likely an issue.
The best thing would be to leave the tank fishless for 75 days and then restock with some fish - pre quarantined would be best!
Jay

 

[Leonardstdr]

How long has your tank been running for? Sand looks pretty clean

Also do you have anything in your sump (back chambers) that could be rusting?

I have no rusting, I checked last week. My tanks been running since June and my sand got very clean when I added the starfish and conch. Prior to that I had some issues with Dino’s and a diatom bloom.

 

[Leonardstdr]

Do you have any Ammonia showing up on tests?

I have API test kit and it shows very little ammonia, looks like around .25 and I took my water to my LFS and they did a lab test said the ammonia wasn’t an issue also.

 

[Leonardstdr]

What are your water parameters?

1.026 salinity, ph between 8 and 8.1, nitrite 0 nitrate between 0 and 5, ammonia between 0 and .25. ALK around 10.

 

[TokenReefer]

Sorry for the losses. I was under the impression it was very new for some reason and just threw it out there. Def listen to to fish medic^^

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I have API test kit and it shows very little ammonia, looks like around .25 and I took my water to my LFS and they did a lab test said the ammonia wasn’t an issue also.

Suggest you purchase better test kits such as Hanna or Salifert. API will always register .25 at least for ammonia.

 

[Leonardstdr]

What are you feeding?
Have you made any changes recently?
Do you use RODI water?
What salt do you use?

I would get an ICP test kit to see whats up if none of this works.

I feed Hikari Marine S as well as Hikari freeze dried Brine. I also occasionally feed frozen mysis shrimp and I also have new life spectrum Thera +. I use RODI water from my LFS and for saltwater I’ve been using pre mixed from the store also.

 

[NoohpyT]

I have no rusting, I checked last week. My tanks been running since June and my sand got very clean when I added the starfish and conch. Prior to that I had some issues with Dino’s and a diatom bloom.

Sounds like my EVO lol, hmm strange that they're all dying sounds like your tank is cycled and has been testing within parameters

what's your acclimation process of your fish? and how long would they survive in your system?

 

[Leonardstdr]

Sounds like my EVO lol, hmm strange that they're all dying sounds like your tank is cycled and has been testing within parameters

what's your acclimation process of your fish? and how long would they survive in your system?

I acclimate the fish by floating the bag in the tank for approx. 20/30 minutes. Prior to that I remove the fish and place them in a clean plastic container, where I add in water from my tank every two minutes until the waters doubled which is usually around 15 minutes.

 

[TokenReefer]

What's the time frame? How long have each fish lasted?

 

[Leonardstdr]

What's the time frame? How long have each fish lasted?

Not longer than 2/3 days for the last 4 that I had. I bought two clowns 3 weeks ago one died off after two days the other after 6/7. I didn’t buy anything for two weeks after and I purchased two damsels and one died in 24 hours the other in three days.