Learning the hard way.

Relax4

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So recently I learned through here that peppermint shrimp eat corals , hence my $80 hammer , then going after my mushrooms. Well, they are no longer ! So on to my next thing , in the last 2 weeks , I have lost both of my clowns,sucked to the filter when I get up in the morning.It was fine yesterday when I fed them . My water is good ( check it all the time) . The only thing I can think of , is when I go in to remove black har algea with a tooth brush from rocks and sand. Is this doing something to tank when I do this ? My wrasse,goby, and Blennie seem alright.
 

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Definitely gotta keep peppermint shrimp well fed if there’s no aptasia or if they don’t eat them. I purposely overfeed because they will scavenge for the extra.

Only issue I can see with the tooth brush is if it was previously used in one’s mouth, or if the bristles are coated with anything
 
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Relax4

Relax4

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Lost the blennie this am too . So I did a 50 % water change. Let see if that’s helps . All the corals are really happy . That’s why I get confused. Thanks.
 

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Lost the blennie this am too . So I did a 50 % water change. Let see if that’s helps . All the corals are really happy . That’s why I get confused. Thanks.
Have the fish been acting differently? Rubbing, flashing, swimming in strong current or even swimming toward the surface?
 

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Any spots? Or do the fish look different in any way.
 
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Relax4

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Any spots? Or do the fish look different in any way.

No spots, tank is only 4 month so old . I lost the wrasse today . Just tested everything with my Api test kit everything is on the money. Damsel still swimming around and gobi came out this am . Another water change ? I’m paniking! I have a urchin coming today .. ugg ! My urchin is moving around, snails are all over the place , cleaner shrimp molted last night .
 

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No spots, tank is only 4 month so old . I lost the wrasse today . Just tested everything with my Api test kit everything is on the money. Damsel still swimming around and gobi came out this am . Another water change ? I’m paniking! I have a urchin coming today .. ugg ! My urchin is moving around, snails are all over the place , cleaner shrimp molted last night .
Can you post Pics and numbers. This will help.
 
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Relax4

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Only thing I can think of is I mix my saltwater, as long as it looks desolved in bucket I put it in . Am going doing this wrong?
 
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Only thing I can think of is I mix my saltwater, as long as it looks desolved in bucket I put it in . Am going doing this wrong?
Am I , not going, my fat fingers !
 
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Relax4

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Can you post Pics and numbers. This will help.

F244F4ED-E40E-470C-B5BB-77F71B4E1750.jpeg
 
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I have green and pink spots on back of tank . Hard to see in pic.

image.jpg
 
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Relax4

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Here’s a pic of tank . All corals are doing good , except for my branch thing , to the right.

AF82D78C-8010-40B5-A964-D852C50FA762.jpeg 9CA67587-B02D-46D5-AF7B-D2C051186E2A.jpeg
 

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Your corals do look good. Aside from the API test hinting at ammonia, the parameters look good.
The longer you mix your salt for, the better. Can't ever say never, but I'd think you'd have to do a horribly poor job of salt mixing to kill off fish like you've seen. You'd expect the corals to react to a horrible salt batch as well.

You might have to give real consideration to the possibility of disease.
Very sorry for your fish. Very pretty tank.
 

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If inverts/corals are healthy and fish are dropping like flies, it is almost certainly not water quality. Fish can live in filth that will wipe out your corals and inverts. For that reason, I would not be worried about adding the urchin.

Observe fish, not a lot you can do until you have a prognosis. To me, successive deaths that quick sound like a parasitic infection.

Final advice: if you are going to do this hobby long term, get better test kits than the API. They're cheap. You get what you pay for.
 
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Relax4

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If inverts/corals are healthy and fish are dropping like flies, it is almost certainly not water quality. Fish can live in filth that will wipe out your corals and inverts. For that reason, I would not be worried about adding the urchin.

Observe fish, not a lot you can do until you have a prognosis. To me, successive deaths that quick sound like a parasitic infection.

Final advice: if you are going to do this hobby long term, get better test kits than the API. They're cheap. You get what you pay for.
Any advice on a good test kit ?
 
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Relax4

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I’m new to this , so much to learn. Will see if gobi and damsel will hang on. Thank you all for advice and help . Last thing I put in tank were snails . Ones that go in sand and the ones that can right themselves . Not good with names but the store I go to is pretty reputable. Thanks again . Sucks losing cool fish .
 
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