Water change caused death

[littlefoxx]

How did you convert the molly to salt? Was it bred in salt or did you do that yourself?

 

[alliw]

How did you convert the molly to salt? Was it bred in salt or did you do that yourself?

Just temperature floated and dumped it in. He was living his best life for months, really healthy. My shrimp constantly approached him trying to clean him but he wasn’t into being rubbed down I guess ha!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good chance change in chemistry was too sudden but a molly is very tolerant of change and can be temperature difference, salinity difference as examples but I would not pose blame on water unless you used tap or water high in Po4 or iron as examples

 

[alliw]

Good chance change in chemistry was too sudden but a molly is very tolerant of change and can be temperature difference, salinity difference as examples but I would not pose blame on water unless you used tap or water high in Po4 or iron as examples

I’m quite careful with the water but relied on the batch code on AF website for this and matched the salinity to the DT when mixing. Not sure about the ALK as I last tested mine a week back it was 9.95. As it was only a 4gal change I’d suspect something besides the water. I use RODI and it tested @ 1ppm before salt was added. I doubt that’s enough to off a Molly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m quite careful with the water but relied on the batch code on AF website for this and matched the salinity to the DT when mixing. Not sure about the ALK as I last tested mine a week back it was 9.95. As it was only a 4gal change I’d suspect something besides the water. I use RODI and it tested @ 1ppm before salt was added. I doubt that’s enough to off a Molly.

agree- coincidence

 

[GiannisK]

If you never disturbed the sand, or if you did it deeper than usual and everywhere, this releases anaerobic bacteria that will die in contact of oxygen and create an ammonia spike.

This is unfortunately a common cause of killing fish in unsuspecting fish keepers.

Either disturb the sand regularly, or don’t do it at all or very sparingly.

Wouldn't an ammonia spike be more likely to kill the shrimp and corals than the Molly though?

 

[alliw]

Wouldn't an ammonia spike be more likely to kill the shrimp and corals than the Molly though?

I don’t know that’s why I’m here. I’m new since March to saltwater. Not sure what to do now- I want fish - should I order an iCP test? I’m feeling something is wrong - more wrong than this in my tank. Would an ICP test show bad bacteria? How can I tell if this is a bacteria issue? So many questions…

In the past I’ve kept cichlids and they were realllly low maintenance - like I don’t even remember doing water changes - that was 20 years ago and I’m starting to feel I’m failing with saltwater.

 

[Raph]

I don’t know that’s why I’m here. I’m new since March to saltwater. Not sure what to do now- I want fish - should I order an iCP test? I’m feeling something is wrong - more wrong than this in my tank. Would an ICP test show bad bacteria? How can I tell if this is a bacteria issue? So many questions…

In the past I’ve kept cichlids and they were realllly low maintenance - like I don’t even remember doing water changes - that was 20 years ago and I’m starting to feel I’m failing with saltwater.

Saltwater will do that to you lol. Don't worry you're fine and you'll be alright. If you really think there's something in your water you can in fact do an icp test but inverts are really sensible and if your shrimp is doing fine, you water is probably alright ( not talking about amonia here but more about hard metals ect).
Out of curiosity, do you know if your molly was old?
Take your time, do a water change and wait for a while but your tank is probably alright!

 

[GiannisK]

I don’t know that’s why I’m here. I’m new since March to saltwater. Not sure what to do now- I want fish - should I order an iCP test? I’m feeling something is wrong - more wrong than this in my tank. Would an ICP test show bad bacteria? How can I tell if this is a bacteria issue? So many questions…

In the past I’ve kept cichlids and they were realllly low maintenance - like I don’t even remember doing water changes - that was 20 years ago and I’m starting to feel I’m failing with saltwater.

The ICP test just shows element concentrations. It's possible harmful anaerobic bacteria were released into the water, and alongside them harmful concentrations of certain elements (like sulfur), but I doubt that if that was the case, they wouldn't have also killed the other inhabitants (though it's possible). I would also guess that would cause the fish to die a lot faster than overnight. I'm not a marine biochemist so I'm only speculating.

Did you notice the molly breathing heavily after the change, or any other change in behavior?

I would say don't be discouraged, everyone's lost fish before. I don't think anything's wrong with your tank.

 

[alliw]

Saltwater will do that to you lol. Don't worry you're fine and you'll be alright. If you really think there's something in your water you can in fact do an icp test but inverts are really sensible and if your shrimp is doing fine, you water is probably alright ( not talking about amonia here but more about hard metals ect).
Out of curiosity, do you know if your molly was old?
Take your time, do a water change and wait for a while but your tank is probably alright!

Thanks. Yea I’m patient. It took me a while to add more than just him. Now that he’s gone I’m starting to question all I know and have read. I forget the term ‘cherry picking’? Info from all over leads to mistakes.
The Molly was about 2” when it passed and when purchased maybe 1” it fed well. Always had a full belly and was plucking at debris in the off times.
What do y’all recommend I do now?

 

[alliw]

The ICP test just shows element concentrations. It's possible harmful anaerobic bacteria were released into the water, and alongside them harmful concentrations of certain elements (like sulfur), but I doubt that if that was the case, they wouldn't have also killed the other inhabitants (though it's possible). I would also guess that would cause the fish to die a lot faster than overnight. I'm not a marine biochemist so I'm only speculating.

Did you notice the molly breathing heavily after the change, or any other change in behavior?

I would say don't be discouraged, everyone's lost fish before. I don't think anything's wrong with your tank.

I didn’t notice any abnormal behaviour, no. No breathing or darting or lethargy. Nothing. When I saw him this morning the tips of his fins were pale. Maybe some pale around his gills but emotion overcame me I couldn’t look long.
A month ago we got an azure damsel and it jumped. Two months ago we got a neon goby (tiny) that I believe was startled from shipping and died. I’ve had bad luck or something with this tank

 

[GiannisK]

I didn’t notice any abnormal behaviour, no. No breathing or darting or lethargy. Nothing. When I saw him this morning the tips of his fins were pale. Maybe some pale around his gills but emotion overcame me I couldn’t look long.
A month ago we got an azure damsel and it jumped. Two months ago we got a neon goby (tiny) that I believe was startled from shipping and died. I’ve had bad luck or something with this tank

I'm also new to saltwater but I've been doing a looot of research the past few months and sometimes you just won't know what it was. There's always some stress involved in water changes, which can be enough to push organisms over the edge if they were unhealthy due to fending off disease, poor nutrition, poor water quality, or something else. Some species are especially susceptible (I know mollies are hardy in freshwater but I don't know anything about them in saltwater). Unfortunately science is very limited on aquariums, and what I've gained in the past few months is what we all do is accrue anecdotal evidence from successful reef keepers and do our best to imitate what worked for them. Especially if you can find a single, experienced, and successful source of information and go to them for advice.

 

[alliw]

I'm also new to saltwater but I've been doing a looot of research the past few months and sometimes you just won't know what it was. There's always some stress involved in water changes, which can be enough to push organisms over the edge if they were unhealthy due to fending off disease, poor nutrition, poor water quality, or something else. Some species are especially susceptible (I know mollies are hardy in freshwater but I don't know anything about them in saltwater). Unfortunately science is very limited on aquariums, and what I've gained in the past few months is what we all do is accrue anecdotal evidence from successful reef keepers and do our best to imitate what worked for them. Especially if you can find a single, experienced, and successful source of information and go to them for advice.

Appreciate your input! I always hesitate to chime in on posts due to my being so immature to the salt hobby. I read a bunch about salt mollies before I decided on the first inhabitant and I knew that it wasn’t going to stay forever but I also knew that if it died then it would be the tipping point. Now that I have this one blood shrimp and a bunch of corals including porites which are presumably harder to keep, I’m stumped. Firstly I think - do another water change just water in a couple days, let the new filter kick in, then find a few Chromis or a single sand sifting goby. I do want to ensure new fish won’t die by jumping so a mesh top is on the way!

 

[littlefoxx]

I don’t know that’s why I’m here. I’m new since March to saltwater. Not sure what to do now- I want fish - should I order an iCP test? I’m feeling something is wrong - more wrong than this in my tank. Would an ICP test show bad bacteria? How can I tell if this is a bacteria issue? So many questions…

In the past I’ve kept cichlids and they were realllly low maintenance - like I don’t even remember doing water changes - that was 20 years ago and I’m starting to feel I’m failing with saltwater.

One thing I learned from switching from freshwater to salt was patience. Try a pair of clownfish first, very hardy and fun! Once others help you figure out what happened to the molly. My understanding is you have to take it slow when transitioning a molly to salt if it wasnt born a saltwater molly. Anyone feel free to correct me if Im wrong

 

[Idech]

Wouldn't an ammonia spike be more likely to kill the shrimp and corals than the Molly though?

That’s a good point. Inverts would have been affected too. I thought I read the OP only had a molly in the tank.

 

[alliw]

One thing I learned from switching from freshwater to salt was patience. Try a pair of clownfish first, very hardy and fun! Once others help you figure out what happened to the molly. My understanding is you have to take it slow when transitioning a molly to salt if it wasnt born a saltwater molly. Anyone feel free to correct me if Im wrong

Well yea some say slow drip or some say fast dump. But this was in there for months and survived all the water changes and other finned inhabitants since so it’s like losing a master corporal. He was well accustomed to the salt environment. Take it with a grain of salt I guess (no pun intended)

 

[alliw]

That’s a good point. Inverts would have been affected too. I thought I read the OP only had a molly in the tank.

Blood shrimp - the other roommate- fit as a fiddle today.

 

[Idech]

Blood shrimp - the other roommate- fit as a fiddle today.

Hmmm. Makes it more of a mystery then.

 

[blecki]

Swings it towards oxygen levels over ammonia.

If the tank was very low in oxygen even a very small reduction could have put it below what the fish needed. I'm surprised nobody asked for a FTS yet.

 

[GiannisK]

Appreciate your input! I always hesitate to chime in on posts due to my being so immature to the salt hobby. I read a bunch about salt mollies before I decided on the first inhabitant and I knew that it wasn’t going to stay forever but I also knew that if it died then it would be the tipping point. Now that I have this one blood shrimp and a bunch of corals including porites which are presumably harder to keep, I’m stumped. Firstly I think - do another water change just water in a couple days, let the new filter kick in, then find a few Chromis or a single sand sifting goby. I do want to ensure new fish won’t die by jumping so a mesh top is on the way!

How big is your tank? From what I've heard chromis can actually be challenging to keep due to their great susceptibility to a parasite called uronema, which is hard to get out of a tank once it's in there. Personally I'm so concerned with dealing with disease and the difficulties of quarantine that I've decided to only get fish from a source I'm almost certain won't have parasites (like from another reefer who I can trust) or buying from a source online that pre-quarantines their fish (like Dr. Reef -- usually costs a bit more). I've also heard others that have great success with them though and don't have such problems. I'd still do quarantine, but it makes it far more likely the fish won't have anything to begin with.