New fish die within hours

[Glass Algae]

I understand. What should I feed the bacteria during those week? Thanks in advance

I personally used shrimp from the store I basically just let s little chunk rock in the tank and decompose. *clean the shrimp in ro not tap before adding*

VERY sorry about your losses. If I was ur lfs I would've had u bring in a water sample beofr emaking u have to test love fish on ur tank again.

 

[Clemsy]

I personally used shrimp from the store I basically just let s little chunk rock in the tank and decompose. *clean the shrimp in ro not tap before adding*

VERY sorry about your losses. If I was ur lfs I would've had u bring in a water sample beofr emaking u have to test love fish on ur tank again.

I will try that. Thank you.

 

[darwindiaz]

I have a friend who is cycling his tank with fresh water Mollies right now. The Mollies seem to be thriving and appears to have had babies too. Maybe you can use those fish for now to help cycle your tank. Especially since your salinity level is low.

 

[Garf]

(sorry for the long post)

Hello guys,
I have a Coralife BioCube 32 gallon tank. I completed the cycle about a week ago (took me 4 weeks and a half). Dosed 2ppm ammonia and all levels go to zero in less than 24 hours (except nitrates). I have a RO/DI system which I used to do a few water changes to drop nitrate levels before adding fish. Last week I added one clownfish first (acclimated the fish). It started gasping for air and then stayed at the bottom until it died (died within hours). Checked parameters and everything zero. Thought maybe fish was sick. Next day went to another lfs and they advised me to get 2 clownfish claiming that they don't like being alone. Got home acclimated for about 2 hours, added fish and both died again. One looked OK for about 3 hours swimming normally but then started to swim on the sand like scratching himself and got lethargic and stayed on the sand until it died. The other one died first. That one was gasping for air at the top and started losing strength until it died. Tested parameters and everything zero (alkalinity 1.022). I waited one week, adding 2 ppm ammonia every 2 days to make sure that the bacteria had something to eat. Again, all parameters down to zero in less than 24 hours. I bought a chlorine test which arrived this week. Tested the water had zero chlorine, tested tds from rodi system and was zero, did a 50% water change one day and 25% next day to lower nitrates to about 5ppm. I decided to buy 2 more clownfish and both died within hours. The exhibit similar patterns before dying. At this point I don't know what to do. I was so excited but I'm losing hope. I don't like seeing these fish dying. It's way too sad. Every and any advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

PH 8.0
Temp 79-80 degree
Alkalinity 1.022
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
Chlorine 0
TDS 0
Protein skimmer
2 sponges for filtration
1 media bag
1 seachem purigen
About 20 pounds of rock and 2 inches of sand

A pic of the tank may be useful.

 

[Clemsy]

I have a friend who is cycling his tank with fresh water Mollies right now. The Mollies seem to be thriving and appears to have had babies too. Maybe you can use those fish for now to help cycle your tank. Especially since your salinity level is low.

I'll wait a couple of weeks and try that

 

[brandon429]

this tank is cycled, don't miss that part. You're being led totally in the opposite direction from fact.

every fish brought in/new potential disease, disease hasnt been ruled out at all.

the way you test for it is with common animals we're allowed to use after cycling, non fish animals.

 

[darwindiaz]

this tank is cycled, don't miss that part. You're being led totally in the opposite direction from fact.

every fish brought in/new potential disease, disease hasnt been ruled out at all.

the way you test for it is with common animals we're allowed to use after cycling, non fish animals.

Brandon is right. How was the behavior of the fish when you bought it at the store? Maybe try asking your LFS to feed it before purchasing to see if it's eating. Does the fish appear to have common signs of diseases on the fish (i.e white dots)? Since its a fishless system right now maybe add some prazipro when adding a fish.

 

[Clemsy]

Brandon is right. How was the behavior of the fish when you bought it at the store? Maybe try asking your LFS to feed it before purchasing to see if it's eating. Does the fish appear to have common signs of diseases on the fish (i.e white dots)? Since its a fishless system right now maybe add some prazipro when adding a fish.

The fish seemed fine. This happened while adding fish from two different store.

 

[darwindiaz]

The fish seemed fine. This happened while adding fish from two different store.

Yah. Things like this do happen. I recently purchased a naso blonde from a LFS and the next day it died. I'm happy that my LFS does offers a 72 hour policy. If not I would have been at a loss.

All I can advise is hang in there and always quarantine before adding to your display tank.

 

[Cell]

Put a snail and a hermit crab in. If they die, you have a water quality issue. If they live, your issue was likely disease.

 

[Paul B]

I understand. What should I feed the bacteria during those week? Thanks in advance

Whatever you feed the fish. Maybe a small piece of clam or fish. If the water gets slightly cloudy don't worry about it. Wait for it to clear and add a little more.

I do not believe as Brandon does that it is disease as that is a very small chance. The way they were breathing I feel it is ammonia but you can listen to whoever you like as Brandon also know what he is doing.

Don't get me wrong, the fish could have had a disease as most new fish do, but it doesn't kill them in a few hours.

 

[rainsong]

Saltwater noob here and following this thread. I am currently cycling my tank(s). Sorry about your losses.

Have you considered using Seachem Prime? In addition to neutralizing Chlorine and Chloramine, I believe it binds Ammonia rendering it harmless ... at least in the short run. This way at least you can rule out ammonia as being the cause.

 

[Cell]

4+ week tank and probably more cycle testing ie. ammonia dosing and monitoring to 0, than most do, the evidence doesn't point to a cycle issue. But it could definitely still be a water issue. Or a testing process/method issue.

 

[Cell]

Saltwater noob here and following this thread. I am currently cycling my tank(s). Sorry about your losses.

Have you considered using Seachem Prime? In addition to neutralizing Chlorine and Chloramine, I believe it binds Ammonia rendering it harmless ... at least in the short run. This way at least you can rule out ammonia as being the cause.

This wouldn't really rule out ammonia as the cause of previous deaths, but it would certainly protect new livestock from it.

 

[homer1475]

I'm curious how you "Acclimated" these fish for 2 hours? And how far is the LFS from your house?

We could have ammonia poisoning from the acclimation process.

 

[Cell]

Let's see a pic of the tank.

 

[New&no clue]

I am in agreement with adding some inverts. That will be the first step in seeing if it is a water quality issue or disease issue. They will also help keep your cycle going before you add more fish and help slowly increase your bio load.

 

[BoneDoc]

 

[brandon429]

pictures=rules out that second time a cycler was withholding all rocks and sand until the end of the cycle, to be added, after the water complied.

not joking Garf remembers that one. ammonia never does unpredictable things, you dont have to invest in its measure.

cyclers who handle the approach backwards get abnormal results, if you have rocks and sand at 4 weeks then you have no ammonia control issue, this is vital to process when using updated cycling science. the reason you arent buying kits to re verify another kit is because a cycling chart already tells you the active dates for ammonia.

and there isn't a time that chart wouldnt apply, with rocks and sand and water and 4 weeks. you have already fed these bacteria many times over.

 

[BoneDoc]

Put this ammonia alert in your tank. If it stays yellow after a day then ammonia is not your issue (there may be some but won’t be toxic enough to kill).