My fish are all dying

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BigAquaBob

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Never mind cardinal is dead man this sucks
 

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Jay Hemdal

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A number of people here seem to be looking over the fact that inverts/corals are still alive. Fully agreed with your comments here. Possibly lack of oxygen, most likely a diseased Anthias.
Low DO as a cause of death can sometimes be determined by the state the fish are in after death - remember the old SNL skit, Mr. Bill? If the fish look like that, with wide open mouths, it is almost always gill disease or lack of oxygen that caused their death.

Jay
 
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BigAquaBob

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Low DO as a cause of death can sometimes be determined by the state the fish are in after death - remember the old SNL skit, Mr. Bill? If the fish look like that, with wide open mouths, it is almost always gill disease or lack of oxygen that caused their death.

Jay
I would say they aren't gaping open. I have had two fish now die stuck to the power head but they were there when I woke up. The clownfish was doing just fine last night so I am not sure. It's kind of hard to tell the state of it with it stuck to the power head. Tang and dottyback and cardinal just kind of look like normal dead fish I guess.
 

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Here's the tank
Is this a current photo or one from when the tank was just set up? i find it hard to believe that this is a 5 month old tank that has been going through algae issues with how clean the rocks and sand are. IMHO the most important thing when seeking help is to be straight up and honest with responses to questions asked by the many reefing experts that are genuinely trying to help. My only advice going forward is to slow down. You are going through a lot of issues regarding fish deaths and before you even figure it out you're asking about adding more coral. I don't feel that your tank is fully cycled by the info you are giving and by rushing the process you are setting yourself up for failure. This is not a short term-instant success hobby. It is a long term obsession.
 
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BigAquaBob

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Is this a current photo or one from when the tank was just set up? i find it hard to believe that this is a 5 month old tank that has been going through algae issues with how clean the rocks and sand are. IMHO the most important thing when seeking help is to be straight up and honest with responses to questions asked by the many reefing experts that are genuinely trying to help. My only advice going forward is to slow down. You are going through a lot of issues regarding fish deaths and before you even figure it out you're asking about adding more coral. I don't feel that your tank is fully cycled by the info you are giving and by rushing the process you are setting yourself up for failure. This is not a short term-instant success hobby. It is a long term obsession.
Current photo. I cleaned the sand and glass early this week. I used to only have a simple led light. Then when I got an actually reef light started to see a lil algae then i got two and boom I had an algae bloom. I am in the process of hanging the lights so I went back to one reef light and put the corals and anemone right by the light to help them stay alive. I used live rock from someone's refugium and some dry rock from the lfs and live sand when I started the tank.
 
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BigAquaBob

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Wrasse came out here breathing super rapid as well. Not eaten today
 

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Jay Hemdal

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Wrasse came out here breathing super rapid as well. Not eaten today
It is breathing fast, but its eyes are tracking well, and it is holding itself upright by using its pectoral fins. Given the rapid mortality, I would have to say Amyloodinium, velvet.

Jay
 

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Couple new things I did not know before, so I will give you some of my experience advice.

1. That type of wrasse (Halichores sp) needs a deeper sandbed to be truly comfortable. At least 2-3 inches. For the long run. They can handle no sand as some do in qt, but get more sand in there for that guy to thrive.
2. From the way it is described, the fact that you used live rock from another established tank, you should not really have to worry about a cycle. Good job there. I start all my tanks with live rock and never experience a cycle.
3. Just because you had an algae bloom, does not mean fish died of low o2 (it can be a major stressor and low o2 is not a good thing). How were the fish after the bloom before the anthias? Or did this bloom happen after the anthias? This last question is vital to the issue.
4. Since the inverts were fine, we are looking at disease or low o2 or combination. Inverts can handle low o2 better than fish. Inverts alive, not a full toxic issue, probably not nitrite as inverts will not like that either.
Looking at it all together from what I can tell,

You added a fish that had a disease (probably latent/unseen - brooklynella or uronema, maybe velvet). The other fish exposed could not handle the stress and the disease. It can happen to anyone no matter their experience. But, it especially happens to newer reef keepers. This is because of trust in others. Not a flaw at all, just lack of knowledge and trust in ones own self.

Just leave the tank fallow for at least 45 days. I am crazy and go for the full 80 days to 4 months. Then, add slowly and qt everything.

Good luck, mate.
 
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BigAquaBob

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Couple new things I did not know before, so I will give you some of my experience advice.

1. That type of wrasse (Halichores sp) needs a deeper sandbed to be truly comfortable. At least 2-3 inches. For the long run. They can handle no sand as some do in qt, but get more sand in there for that guy to thrive.
2. From the way it is described, the fact that you used live rock from another established tank, you should not really have to worry about a cycle. Good job there. I start all my tanks with live rock and never experience a cycle.
3. Just because you had an algae bloom, does not mean fish died of low o2 (it can be a major stressor and low o2 is not a good thing). How were the fish after the bloom before the anthias? Or did this bloom happen after the anthias? This last question is vital to the issue.
4. Since the inverts were fine, we are looking at disease or low o2 or combination. Inverts can handle low o2 better than fish. Inverts alive, not a full toxic issue, probably not nitrite as inverts will not like that either.
Looking at it all together from what I can tell,

You added a fish that had a disease (probably latent/unseen - brooklynella or uronema, maybe velvet). The other fish exposed could not handle the stress and the disease. It can happen to anyone no matter their experience. But, it especially happens to newer reef keepers. This is because of trust in others. Not a flaw at all, just lack of knowledge and trust in ones own self.

Just leave the tank fallow for at least 45 days. I am crazy and go for the full 80 days to 4 months. Then, add slowly and qt everything.

Good luck, mate.
I have a 2 inch in most spots of the tank. I had the bloom after the anthias. I will definitely try getting this qt up today. Should I put some sand from the dt tank in withe wrasse or leave it bare? What should I try treating with?
 

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Low DO as a cause of death can sometimes be determined by the state the fish are in after death - remember the old SNL skit, Mr. Bill? If the fish look like that, with wide open mouths, it is almost always gill disease or lack of oxygen that caused their death.

Jay
Great tip Jay. I mean it is post mortum but might save the other fish. Thanks!
 

fade2black

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I don’t know how long u been in the hobby, but u should know his system still have nitrite plus the amount of fishes he keep adding, things dying is very normal. Fishes at lfs are already stressed, in that new tank with nitrite how can they live and potential disease will show up that a certain thing
He posted his parameters and there was no ammonia or nitrites.
 

Dom

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Well supposedly this place qts for 4 weeks so that is kind of why I bought from there. I will have to work on getting a qt of my own. Should I just let it run it's course in the main tank or take them out and let that tank sit for multiple weeks.

I think the proper course of action is treatment in a quarantine tank and going fallow with your display.
 

Dom

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4 months fallow. Geez am I better off just burning the thing in the front yard

This hobby is about being patient. The expression being "nothing good happens fast in the hobby".
 

Dom

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Really want to thank everyone for the advice. I am working on setting up a qt soon. Any thoughts on what disease it is now that I have a pic of an infected fish? Just sucks cause the fish we doing so good just started some coral got 2 lights for the coral and bam algae bloom and bam probably all dead fish now. So ticked but it's my fault.

Don't beat yourself up. There is a learning curve to this hobby. From your pictures and posts, I would say that you aren't doing badly.

What I think you need to work on is your patience. You allowed the urge to get the Anthias into your tank to out weigh the necessary step of QT. I'm sure you won't make that mistake again. ;)
 

Dom

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dang I didn’t know nitrite is not toxic to saltwater fish but here is what google say. May be u can get a Nobel prize to prove that wrong

You are correct; it does say that "Nitrites are toxic to all fish". But the next line says "you don't need to worry about nitrites in a marine system", which is what we have here; a marine system.
 

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Dear Bob-
In reading your responses, I genuinely think you are a very nice guy who made some mistakes along the way.
My advice to you is avoid the mudslinging and follow the advice of those on here who honestly want to help you.
Go super slow, one thing at a time and ask all pertinent questions along the way. No question is dumb.
I honestly feel for you. It does suck.
We all make mistakes. Don't be discouraged just be informed and educated.
I believe that this forum should reflect positivity and good vibes by informed and genuine individuals so, in that respect, peace to you and good vibes on your journey forward in this hobby.
Hope that helps and if you need anything along the way just ask.
Maybe we can all avoid disasters in the future.
Joel
 
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BigAquaBob

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Got the wrasse some copper safe and made a temporary qt tank out of a tupperware tote threw new water and air stone and put him in. Still alive we will see. I am working on getting a qt tank. Is a 20 gallon qt tank ok?? Should I put anything in the qt tank? I know the wrasse will probably be in there a while. At least 2 months.
 

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