Tangs died

[jordandr96]

I came home from work and went to feed my fish and found my bristletooth and scopas dead on the substrate. All my fish were seemingly doing very well even last night. They were all very active and eating everytime I'd feed the tank, and I fed pretty often so I know they didn't starve. They all got along nicely. I had no concerns whatsoever. I've been following the 4 month recommended BRS guide to biome cycling my tank for coral. It's been one month so far and I've added two clowns, a bristletooth tang, a scopas tang, a melanarus wrasse and a starry blenny. Each fish added individually except the clowns, and each drip acclimated and added after verifying nitrites and ammonia were undectable with unexpired api test kits. All the other fish are still fine. Just the two tangs. I removed the dead tangs and tested the water immediately.

API Ammonia: 0 ppm
API Nirtite: 0 ppm
Hanna Nirtate: 24.7 ppm
Hanna Alk: 7.7 dkh
Temp: 78 F
Salinity: 1.024

My tank is an IM 50 lagoon AIO fusion pro 2.
The tangs were still juveniles and were going to be transferred to a bigger tank in the future. My initial thoughts after doing some research are low O2 levels. I'm just not sold on that though since I have two spin stream nozzles attached to the return lines which agitate the surface pretty good, but I may be overestimating their gas exchange ability. I unfortunately cannot test for O2, but have since added a tunze comline skimmer to the rear chamber. I just don't know what else it could be. The other fish are just fine and it has me so confused. No gasping as the surface, everyone is still eating when I feed. I'm going to be doing a 15 gallon water change tonight regardless. I really thought things were going very well for the tank and now I'm unsure and don't want to add anything to it until I'm sold on what the issue was. Please provide solid opinions and/or fact based constructive criticism and thank you for taking the time to read.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I came home from work and went to feed my fish and found my bristletooth and scopas dead on the substrate. All my fish were seemingly doing very well even last night. They were all very active and eating everytime I'd feed the tank, and I fed pretty often so I know they didn't starve. They all got along nicely. I had no concerns whatsoever. I've been following the 4 month recommended BRS guide to biome cycling my tank for coral. It's been one month so far and I've added two clowns, a bristletooth tang, a scopas tang, a melanarus wrasse and a starry blenny. Each fish added individually except the clowns, and each drip acclimated and added after verifying nitrites and ammonia were undectable with unexpired api test kits. All the other fish are still fine. Just the two tangs. I removed the dead tangs and tested the water immediately.

API Ammonia: 0 ppm
API Nirtite: 0 ppm
Hanna Nirtate: 24.7 ppm
Hanna Alk: 7.7 dkh
Temp: 78 F
Salinity: 1.024

My tank is an IM 50 lagoon AIO fusion pro 2.
The tangs were still juveniles and were going to be transferred to a bigger tank in the future. My initial thoughts after doing some research are low O2 levels. I'm just not sold on that though since I have two spin stream nozzles attached to the return lines which agitate the surface pretty good, but I may be overestimating their gas exchange ability. I unfortunately cannot test for O2, but have since added a tunze comline skimmer to the rear chamber. I just don't know what else it could be. The other fish are just fine and it has me so confused. No gasping as the surface, everyone is still eating when I feed. I'm going to be doing a 15 gallon water change tonight regardless. I really thought things were going very well for the tank and now I'm unsure and don't want to add anything to it until I'm sold on what the issue was. Please provide solid opinions and/or fact based constructive criticism and thank you for taking the time to read.

Sorry to hear and tank looks to be new/newer and may not be seeded well based on artificial life rock and little area for bacterial culture. I'd also advise to revisit your ammonia and nitrate and take a water sample t a trusted LFS that does Not use Api tests and have them check your water to see what readings they get and to compare with yours.
Are remaining fish eating and breathing normal?
Main culprit I believe was reduced oxygen and due in part to a basic tank with limited filtration from included sump - What media do you have in filter chamber?
Consider adding a hang on skimmer such as Ice Cap K1-50 or K1-100 which is very effective.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thats a big bioload in a 50 gallon in just one month. I would say you are going way too fast.

Not nearly enough rock in the tank. More rock means a stronger biofilter, and provides hiding spaces, which is important for new fish to hide and feel safe.

I see only one powerhead and flat water surface. I would suggest to add another powerhead on the opposite side and aim it at the surface to agitate the water surface and help put oxygen into the water,

And slow down, 50 gallon is a small tank, you are stocking too fast, with fish that really should be in larger tanks than 50 gallons. Yes I know, the tangs will be rehomed to larger tank later, but I guess the fish didn't know that

 

[jordandr96]

Update if anyone comes across this. It was velvet. All my fish were mysteriously dying and it finally dawned on me that it may be a disease of some sort. After some research, all the signs point to velvet. No fish showed any symptoms. They would be totally fine before I went to bed or left for work, and would be dead when I'd wake up or get home. Lots of learning from humble fish's website and BRS on the topic of fish disease and medicated quarentine. It doesn't not feel good to know that you're excitement and desire to see your tank full got your fish killed when you wanted to see them grow up and be happy in your tank. Never again without proper quarentine. Learn from my mistakes and don't kill your pets.

 

[Fishy888]

I’m sorry for your loss. I also see a few things that you can do to help your next fishes and corals to thrive. I’m glad you’re willing to take constructive criticism to heart.

I am quite certain that all of us at some point in our reefing careers have jumped the gun, buying fishes and/or corals especially in the beginning, and sometimes well into our reefing careers.

That said your tank is too young and sterile. Dinos love love loooooovvvee sterile tanks. The best thing you can do is to get some live, established rock from a reefer if you can, or from a LFS you can trust. Your system will thank you for it.

Another thing most reefers have done at some point is buying fish we have not researched. Even bristle tooth tangs need a 75 gallon tank, and that’s the absolute minimum size. Yes there are people who claim you can keep a naso tang in a fishbowl but how long do they live? More importantly we should be striving for our fishes to thrive. Research is your friend. There are some great posts about what size tank different fish need here on R2R.

When your add too many fish too fast, the ammonia the fishes add overwhelms your biological filter. That stresses the fish and their immune systems get weak. That’s when velvet, ich, and many other diseases the fish usually fend off when when healthy tear their ugly heads.

As I stated above, you need some live rock to seed your tank. I’d say you need 2 to 3 times as much rock as you have in there. Your system will be able to easily handle the bioload of appropriately sized fish and of corals and inverts.

I assure you that I’ve jumped the gun more than once, and I’ve bought fish I didn’t research. Don’t beat yourself up about it but be better prepared before you get more fish.

 

[slingfox]

I am glad you figured out the real issue and plan to do better for your fish going forward. Stick with it!

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I recently went in with a couple other people to order some fish from a wholesaler. 2 days after putting them in qt the majority of the tangs and angels died from velvet. It happens quick.

It's definitely a gamble to add new fish, to a tank with healthy fish. Hopefully you learned some valuable lessons. Then it's all worth it.