Lost another fish

[alliw]

On Saturday I added an azure damsel to my 20g reef. The tanks has been going since March. The only fish that keeps surviving is a black Molly. I have some LPS and SPS, 2 snails and a blood shrimp. All are doing well. My water is fine, but the damsel went missing between yesterday and today. No trace anywhere. I checked all around the tank, nothing could the Molly have eaten it? I’m confused.

 

[Lavey29]

How many fish have you lost? Do you know what salinity your LFS uses compared to yours? What filtration do you have?

 

[alliw]

The only other fish I added was shipped to me a month back - a very tiny elec blue goby that died within 24 hours. My salinity is 1.026. Still doesn’t explain why there is no trace. Unless something is living in the sandbed or the damsel committed suicide and became a dog treat.
I have a HOB filter and an in tank skimmer

 

[Lavey29]

The only other fish I added was shipped to me a month back - a very tiny elec blue goby that died within 24 hours. My salinity is 1.026. Still doesn’t explain why there is no trace. Unless something is living in the sandbed or the damsel committed suicide and became a dog treat.
I have a HOB filter and an in tank skimmer

Some LFS keep their fish in very low salinity to prevent disease which means proper acclimation would be needed prior to adding to the tank. A lot of fish are jumpers or swim into the filtration to. If they die in tank then cleaner crews take care of them also. Also small fish are masters of hiding in rocks to and may not come out for a week or more.

 

[vetteguy53081]

On Saturday I added an azure damsel to my 20g reef. The tanks has been going since March. The only fish that keeps surviving is a black Molly. I have some LPS and SPS, 2 snails and a blood shrimp. All are doing well. My water is fine, but the damsel went missing between yesterday and today. No trace anywhere. I checked all around the tank, nothing could the Molly have eaten it? I’m confused.

As they can jump, check 8ft perimeter around tank and also your overflow as they can sneak through there.
Also assure molly is not an issue as they can harass other tankmates despite their small flat mouths.

How are you acclimating new fish and for how long?
What is ammonia, salinity and ph levels in tank?

 

[alliw]

I didn’t see it today, it was super easy to get him acclimated, it was like he had always Ben in this tank. Apparently someone gave it to the LFS as they were moving and wanted them to make sure he went to a good home. I know, could be anything. I’m just sad. I’d really like to add some fish besides this original Molly and now I feel like I’m failing big time. I hope you’re right and it’s hiding. My pH is 8.01 I know that’s low and am doing various tests to see why (tap, RODI water, my salt mix etc.) but most corals are OK. Not as open as they could be but open nonetheless.
I’ll keep searching

 

[alliw]

Ammonia is 0
Nitrate on Friday (day before adding said fish was 2.5 ppm
Salinity 1.026
Alk 10.9
Ca 375

I would love to set up a small tank as a sump but dont want to drill the tank so have been watching lots of videos and am considering drilling the filter instead. Another topic I know lol

 

[areohen]

i love it when people says that their water is fine but never post what the water parameters are. 99% of the time people say that, their water isn't fine.
You said you put a goby in the tank and it died within 24hrs right? did you ever figure out why it died before adding the damsel? I would think your water parameters arent good causing your goby to die. But who knows without know what those parameters really are.
As far as your Damsel, your molly definitely didn't eat your damsel. Im sure its hiding somewhere. Do you have a lid on your tank?

 

[areohen]

Ammonia is 0
Nitrate on Friday (day before adding said fish was 2.5 ppm
Salinity 1.026
Alk 10.9
Ca 375

I would love to set up a small tank as a sump but dont want to drill the tank so have been watching lots of videos and am considering drilling the filter instead. Another topic I know lol

as i was typing my previous post, you posted your parameters.

Nitrate are low IMO. What's your phosphate? Your alk is somewhat high as natural seawater is around 7.

 

[alliw]

i love it when people says that their water is fine but never post what the water parameters are. 99% of the time people say that, their water isn't fine.
You said you put a goby in the tank and it died within 24hrs right? did you ever figure out why it died before adding the damsel? I would think your water parameters arent good causing your goby to die. But who knows without know what those parameters really are.
As far as your Damsel, your molly definitely didn't eat your damsel. Im sure its hiding somewhere. Do you have a lid on your tank?

I appreciate your help. I’m not sure if it’s fine enough, no. My bad. Is there something that looks bad to you? I’m new to saltwater and the chemistry can be tricky. I really appreciate your help though. I’ve gotten most of my info from this forum and another nano forum. I’m not doing this perfectly by any means.
No lid. I had made one but felt that there wasn’t as much air hitting the water and maybe that was why my pH was low.
I’ll keep looking thank you.

 

[alliw]

Yes, I want to raise my Nitrate a little. No I don’t know why the goby died. It was hiding in the corner of the bag it came in. I watched it swim up and backwards then it travelled the rainbow stream RIP.
I last measured my phosphate at 0.134
I’d like to get all these things in check but don’t know where to begin. Again, thank everyone for your help.

 

[Idech]

How do you a climate your fish ? For how long ?

 

[Bpones]

as i was typing my previous post, you posted your parameters.

Nitrate are low IMO. What's your phosphate? Your alk is somewhat high as natural seawater is around 7.

Low nitrate ain’t killing fish.
How are you acclimating?

 

[Lavey29]

I didn’t see it today, it was super easy to get him acclimated, it was like he had always Ben in this tank. Apparently someone gave it to the LFS as they were moving and wanted them to make sure he went to a good home. I know, could be anything. I’m just sad. I’d really like to add some fish besides this original Molly and now I feel like I’m failing big time. I hope you’re right and it’s hiding. My pH is 8.01 I know that’s low and am doing various tests to see why (tap, RODI water, my salt mix etc.) but most corals are OK. Not as open as they could be but open nonetheless.
I’ll keep searching

Good chance he is hiding but look into getting a mesh lid. With alk at 10.9 and your very low nitrates level your corals are going to begin to struggle. Weekly water changes. Try alk at 8 to 9 dkh. Make sure your tank has good surface ripple or 02 exchange.

 

[alliw]

I found the fish. It jumped.
When you said 8 ft vettguy- I started looking all around, my dog is a vacuum so I never thought to check in front of the tank that far! poor dude was a good 5 ft away and from the looks of him it happened last nite :(

 

[alliw]

Good chance he is hiding but look into getting a mesh lid. With alk at 10.9 and your very low nitrates level your corals are going to begin to struggle. Weekly water changes. Try alk at 8 to 9 dkh. Make sure your tank has good surface ripple or 02 exchange.

Yep. Totally getting mesh and really want to figure out how to get a sump going to get some of the equipment out of the tank, I hope that once I do, I can raise the pH with algae

 

[Lavey29]

Yep. Totally getting mesh and really want to figure out how to get a sump going to get some of the equipment out of the tank, I hope that once I do, I can raise the pH with algae

I'd just save your current tank as a QT tank and save for something already sump ready in the future. You can transfer everything over for instant cycle too.

 

[alliw]

How do you a climate your fish ? For how long ?

I normally float the bag for an hour or so then start dripping 5ml every few mins for another hour

 

[alliw]

I'd just save your current tank as a QT tank and save for something already sump ready in the future. You can transfer everything over for instant cycle too.

Not what I wanted to hear haha! I’ve spent a lot so far. I have a tank I could drill potentially but it’s a hex I was gifted. I’m not so fond of the tallness unless a jellyfish could live there …but with my luck…

 

[alliw]

Good chance he is hiding but look into getting a mesh lid. With alk at 10.9 and your very low nitrates level your corals are going to begin to struggle. Weekly water changes. Try alk at 8 to 9 dkh. Make sure your tank has good surface ripple or 02 exchange.

I’m doing 8c water changes every week, maybe it should be more. I don’t know how to lower the Alk but I read somewhere that the higher Alk is balancing pH swings. I think it was from YouTube, how to balance all this without chemicals or a dosing pump? I’m trying to keep things as natural as they can be. I have some cheato in my tank in a breeding box too, hoping it will help with pH but also now coming to know that it’s better on a reverse light schedule so may add another HOB to rig a small fuge. I was going to start adding kalkwasser to try and up my pH but am wary with alk spikes.