On the verge of quitting..

[CoralB]

I know your upset and frustrated , the people here are trying to help you . That being said make a check list starting with all your parameters and if their in check look at the possibility that there may be stray voltage. Next check for the quality of the water coming from the tap into your RO system . Check for heavy clorimines . Icp test can be helpful . If so add clorimine filters inline with your RO after the sediment filter . You mentioned possible rust which can be a issue , check all metals in contact with your tank including and especially magnets . All it takes is one drop on the floor and the plastic gets a unseen hairline crack that allows the magnet to rust . Are you running a UV light ??? Wouldn’t hurt if it’s something in the water column disease / parasitic wise ? . Being a small tank is your water that your changing the same temp ?? Could it be shocking the tank ? If your keeping your parameters stable and run down the list your bound to find the problem . Also as far as the clicking , my snails do that often not sure if you have them but that could be a source for the clicking as they go up near the surface . Hope this helps but I would step back make a check list after reading the post written here as suggestions . It is a great hobby until something goes wrong . There is still a lot not known about recreating the ocean in a small see thru box but on the other hand this hobby has come a long way in the last 15 years compared to when I started . Good luck !!!

 

[Nate Chalk]

Check list of known common issues and start going down the list ^

 

[Lyss]

I just read through this, and my first thought was confusion at why every suggestion is being knocked down. There are many good suggestions here to follow up on. #1 thing is to test parameters, and it’s hard to help when someone posts seeking ideas but doesn’t have parameters. The other thing is, I would for sure be looking w/a red flashlight at night every night to see what might be hiding in there before ruling all possibility of bad hitchhikers out. I personally started w/all dry everything, dip all my corals, and just had to pull a Eunice worm out of my tank. Stuff finds it’s way in unless you are QT like mad on everything you want to put in there.

 

[Projects with Sam]

There is a really easy diy 35 ppt (1.026) salinity calibration fluid you can make at home, per Randy Holmes-Farley recipe. Search for it on here, it's easy to find. I am a bit skeptical of your approach to managing salinity as described here, no offense, and recommend you definitely have a look at it

Salinity is super easy to let slide; the results of which are no fun. I'd look into this DIY solution.
Hmm, could you use a bag of saline to calibrate from? Those may be handy in med school.

*** glad you checked it!*** edit

 

[Projects with Sam]

I just read through this, and my first thought was confusion at why every suggestion is being knocked down. There are many good suggestions here to follow up on. #1 thing is to test parameters, and it’s hard to help when someone posts seeking ideas but doesn’t have parameters. The other thing is, I would for sure be looking w/a red flashlight at night every night to see what might be hiding in there before ruling all possibility of bad hitchhikers out. I personally started w/all dry everything, dip all my corals, and just had to pull a Eunice worm out of my tank. Stuff finds it’s way in unless you are QT like mad on everything you want to put in there.

Agreed; if you have any frag plugs in the tank you cannot rule out nasty worms.
I've started pulling all my frag plugs off and I always find some nasty creepy-crawlies in there. At least one worm per plug, 3 worms in one plug was my biggest and I haven't even been reefing a year.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Your picture of the gill looks like gill flukes inside that dead clown. It's pretty easy to rule out. Give each remaining fish a freshwater dip and see of you get flukes in the water.

If you do, you need to quarantine the fish you have and treat with prazipro. You could do it in your display but it would kill any coral you have. While you are at it, I would treat with copper too to ensure your tank is free from ich

I've used Prazi in a tank with corals and it didn't kill them.

 

[Freddy0144]

There are lots of variables that could contribute to your issues. Go back to the basics. additionally, with the DIY Fuge, what is it made of? what kind of glue or silicone did you use to assemble the fuge? was it Aquarium safe?

The Basics
1. Are you using RO water for mixing salt and top off?
2. Have you checked the salinity to validate that it is where is should be 1.026?
3. Check the ammonia, Nitrates in the tank are they acceptable?
4. what is the PH in the tank? how large are the swings between day and night?
5. How often are you testing all of these parameters? 34 gallons is not a large tank therefore things can get out of hand faster than a larger body of water?
6. is there a stray electrical current in the tank?
7. for the algae issues are you testing for Phosphate too? how frequently?
8. Is the temp of the tank stable? what is it at?

I know those are lots of questions, but those are the basics I would be looking at with the issues that you are having.

If you did not use an aquarium safe glue or silicone I would remove the Fuge from the system and get some water changes going.

 

[bruno3047]

It’s entirely possible that a mantis shrimp egg or tiny juvenile made it into your tank as a hitchhiker on a coral. It somehow managed to stay alive and it’s now killing your fish. Mantis shrimp use a “hammer-like” claw to kill. So you won’t see a chewed up carcass like you would with, say, a Coral Banded shrimp. Also, mantis shrimp don’t always kill for food. Sometimes they kill to protect their homes if they feel threatened.

 

[Projects with Sam]

 

[maleks.reef]

Your picture of the gill looks like gill flukes inside that dead clown. It's pretty easy to rule out. Give each remaining fish a freshwater dip and see of you get flukes in the water.

If you do, you need to quarantine the fish you have and treat with prazipro. You could do it in your display but it would kill any coral you have. While you are at it, I would treat with copper too to ensure your tank is free from ich

Stupid question - do flukes move or wiggle? When I first saw those white masses I thought it was just some sand.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Ive been doing this for over 5 years now. There is not a resource out there that I have not consumed prior to starting this tank. Additionally, I haven't tested my parameters RECENTLY. In other words, during the time when i lost the other fish, the tank was doing very good and nothing was out of the norm. Parameters were always ok, sometimes lacking on the alk and calcium since i do not dose but I am sure a bit of low alk would not kill fish. The max i had were 6 fish, all of which on the smaller side, in a 34 gal tank with a fuge and a ton of rocks and even 4 year old media. Also, I havent been able to test for salinity for the past 2 months because of the shortage of calibration fluid here, i have had this issue long before I ran out of calibration fluid. I mentioned that I do WCs every 2 weeks sometimes every month but I have not done one in a little bit over 4 weeks because Ive been busy. Of course there is a reason for all of these deaths. I never said it is paranormal. I just said that I cant seem to locate the issue since it almost random the way they day. Some disappear, some show up as skeletons, one bangai drifted into an aiptasia and was half eaten, and some show up dead and preserved.

You can check salinity via a refractometer for £25 or even a hydrometer for £3, basic instruments for my aquarium

 

[Projects with Sam]

You can check salinity via a refractometer for £25 or even a hydrometer for £3, basic instruments for my aquarium

He mentioned he did and the salinity checked out.

 

[BigRick]

Stupid question - do flukes move or wiggle? When I first saw those white masses I thought it was just some sand.

When I first looked at the clown gills I thought I saw a fluke...

The knocking sounds can come from trochus snails. Mine go crazy and knock on the glass when lights go out. If you've seen it they swivel their shells back and forth really quick making the noise. Mantis will eat the fish. Small pistols less then an inch making loud snapping sounds.