New Fish Die within a week

[RandyR]

I need help. I have had my 55 set up for over a year and every time I get new fish (and I mean at least 30) they die within a week. I've worked with several LFS and they are dumbfounded. We've tested EVERYTHING (PH, Phos, Amonia, and all the basics plus copper, etc) and while once in a while it may have a higher Nitrate or the salinity is off, we rectify those and all of the numbers are good (I've had experts test everything and while I don't have the numbers with me, trust me when I say it looks good on paper). I have a sump, protein skimmer, etc. and a temp around 78. I set up a RODI and now make my own water (red sea salt) but I'd been using water purchased from the store so neither made a difference.

I currently have a Foxface, 3 chromis, 2 Scooters, and 2 anemones and even a few frags that have lived through everything. It's not an aggressive tank and I acclimate by floating, drip, then a "holding" cage so acclimation isn't the issue. I've tried countless clowns, tangs, angels, small toby puffers, etc. from different LFS and some will look great, swim, eat, etc. and then they just die in 5 days. I have done significant water changes in the past and I dose to keep nitrates down, etc. I need to do something different.

I don't know what to do and it pains me to kill fish (and not to mention $) Should I drain it and start over? 50% change? Please help.

Please help.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

how many do you add at once? The proper way is 1-2 fish then wait a few weeks before adding another

 

[vetteguy53081]

There is a few pertinent questions to form direction
What is age of tank?
What test kits are you using?
What test kits are the LFS using?
We’re fish acclimated & how long?
Are you using RODI water or tap from the faucet?
Pics OF THE TANK?

 

[Reeferbadness]

it could be that your tank has ich but ur current residents have built up their immunity

 

[RandyR]

how many do you add at once? The proper way is 1-2 fish then wait a few weeks before adding another

usually it's 1, sometimes 2.

 

[RandyR]

it could be that your tank has ich but ur current residents have built up their immunity

Does Ich kill them with no signs? They don't appear to have any trama or build up (their only in there for a week at most)

 

[RandyR]

There is a few pertinent questions to form direction
What is age of tank?
What test kits are you using?
What test kits are the LFS using?
We’re fish acclimated & how long?
Are you using RODI water or tap from the faucet?
Pics OF THE TANK?

Thanks for your interest!
The tank has been running for 1.5 years
I have the cheap test kits but the LFS expert uses much better tests including the spinner machine and several different kits. I trust that the numbers are good.
I acclimate well. Soak in the tank for 15mins, drip for 45, put in the tank's holding cell for hours, sometimes a day.
RODI is from the outdoor faucet.
Here's a tank pic. I do have a little issue with some sort of algae gunk (its not hair, its more like a brownish grime build up?) I have a sock I change periodically to try to capture the flaky grime.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tank looks awefully white
Sure it’s seeded?
Have you tested outdoor water source?

 

[Lyss]

Do you have a group of fish that’s been in there long-term but new additions die, or is it just fish keep dying and you keep trying to replace them?

 

[RandyR]

Tank looks awefully white
Sure it’s seeded?
Have you tested outdoor water source?

I cleaned it this weekend and "mixed up" the sand so it looks fresh:) What do you mean by seeded?
I have not tested my outdoor water. I don't even know how I would do that but I thought the RODI filter (with the charcoal) wold purify the water?

 

[RandyR]

Do you have a group of fish that’s been in there long-term but new additions die, or is it just fish keep dying and you keep trying to replace them?

Group has been there for a while. Only new ones die. But the ones I have aren't aggressive or pick on new guys. I've even rearranged the rocks when get new ones sometimes. So the ones I have are tolerant to whatever kills newcomers.

 

[Dave1993]

Could be disease or maybe just getting unlucky usa not known for the most healthy fish in the world

 

[Lyss]

Group has been there for a while. Only new ones die. But the ones I have aren't aggressive or pick on new guys. I've even rearranged the rocks when get new ones sometimes. So the ones I have are tolerant to whatever kills newcomers.

I was just wondering b/c I saw a case once where the same was happening and it was finally discovered that the thermometer they had in there was broken — kept showing the temp as lower than it was, so owner compensated for that by raising temp on heater. Well, the true temp in the tank was 90 degrees. B/c it happened gradually old fish adapted but any new fish added died.
In addition to all the usual suspects it can’t hurt to check for odd things like this.

 

[Dave1993]

I was just wondering b/c I saw a case once where the same was happening and it was finally discovered that the thermometer they had in there was broken — kept showing the temp as lower than it was, so owner compensated for that by raising temp on heater. Well, the true temp in the tank was 90 degrees. B/c it happened gradually old fish adapted but any new fish added died.
In addition to all the usual suspects it can’t hurt to check for odd things like this.

Could be this too do you run a controller on ur aquarium if not i recommend getting 1 my heater broke and the controller started beeping like hell when it dropped below a certain point good job i had a spare off old tank

 

[littlebeard]

What type of anemones? Do you have any pictures of the dead fish? How are they acting before they die? Do you qt? If you don't have you thought about getting 2 of the same type of fish from the fish store and putting one in a qt tank and one in the display?

 

[brandon429]

This issue is remedied daily in the fish disease forum. All preps found in the disease forum are missing here, this meets every diagnostic criteria for needing fallow and qt disease prep, post this same issue in the disease forum see what they recommend.

 

[Ghost25]

Stop telling yourself these deaths are freak accidents! what the heck man, you put 29 fish in a tank one after the other and they all die and you seriously think number 30 will be better?

You might as well flush them down the toilet. Like Brandon said, the most likely culprit is fish disease. Stop throwing fish needlessly to their death.

 

[davidcalgary29]

It's also worthwhile setting up a camera and watching the tank remotely. They're cheap, very easy to set up, and can function as a security camera when (or if) it's no longer needed for the tank. With this, you'll be able to determine with certainty if the current inhabitants of the tank are as peaceful as you think that they are.

 

[brandon429]

Im fascinated the current lot doesnt die. that's neat/challenge to decipher

 

[Jedi1199]

Stop telling yourself these deaths are freak accidents! what the heck man, you put 29 fish in a tank one after the other and they all die and you seriously think number 30 will be better?

You might as well flush them down the toilet. Like Brandon said, the most likely culprit is fish disease. Stop throwing fish needlessly to their death.

I was leaning toward disease issues myself but wanted to get others' opinions first. I lost a few fish in my 180 in a similar fashion (took a little longer but results were the same) until I realized I had ich in that tank. Treated the entire tank with copper (it's a FOWLR tank) and haven't lost a fish since. Had a couple get eaten, but that's not the same thing... lol