# help with dying fish



## mimi koob (Apr 7, 2005)

my tank is 55 gal, live rock, live sand, amonia is between 0 and .25 nitrites 0 nitrates 20 temp 74 salt 1.023. tank is 4 months old my fist fish was ayellow tang.3 weeks ago i introduced 3 clowns and an atlantic bue tang( i think that is the correct name) evrone seemed happy and healthy this oast weekend the blue started turning white and spending time at the top of the tank but was still eating, Sunday he stopped eating and was spending time at the top and at the bottom of the tank, i did a 50% water change, monday morning he was dead. Now the yellow seems to be loosing his color and one of the clowns is acting strang, he spends time on the bottom of the tank sometimes on his side and at other times he is swimming around and appears okay. I spent most of my weekend at the lfs and doing everything they suggested. I can"t stand to see my fish suffering and not able to do anything for them. What am i doing wrong? I do 10% water changes every week.and feed them about once evrey three days, I have nori on the clip for them I remove what has not been eaten evry day and replace it with fresh. my lfs told me if my water is okay and there is no sign of disease there is not much i can do. any help would be greatly appreciated.
thanks mimi


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

do you have other fish with them? IMO it sounds like your tank does not have enough bio-load. that takes time. time for the bacteria to grow on your bio-wheel or bio-balls. you have a small eco system and the bio load takes time to grow. this works with the tank cycle, but is also differnt. as time takes hold of a tank it matures, while it matures the bio-load grows. it omly grows as needed so it wont over do it. the thing is you cant rush the fish. meaning putting them in to early or over stocking.


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## mimi koob (Apr 7, 2005)

no other fish, my tank was three months when i put my fist fish in. could be you are right, according to everything i was reading the tank seemed to be ready, especially with the 55lbs of live rock. the yellow was doing great untill after the blue died. i also have hermit crabs. and i put my fish in a quarintine tank for two to three weeks before the display tank.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Were the clownfish wildcaught or captive raised? Do you even know?

While in quarantine, what exactly did you do to them?

Did the ammonia get any higher than .25ppm at any point that you know of?

Ar the fish breathing normally of rapidly? ( or too slowly? )

What's in the room with the tank? Do you smoke? Any fires in the kitchen lately? Has the exterminator been by? Do you use hairspray? Have you done any painting? Do you work on your own car or other machinery?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

yeah sounds like a contamination issue. Did you use any cleaning supplies on the outside of the tank or aerosols of any sort in the same room might make it into the water. I would also say that your ammonia is too high, your antlantic tang went first probably because it was more sensitive and now your yellow tang and clown is feeling it... do a few more water changes today 20% now, 20% before you go to bed.


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## redpaulhus (Jan 18, 2005)

I don't know - 5 decent sized fish in one months time (including two tangs) in a 55g tank thats only been setup 3 months prior ?

to me it sounds like too many fish too soon - I generally add one fish every month or two for a 55g tank, and I generally wouldn't have that many fish in a tank that size till around the 1 year mark (never mind that neither tang belongs in a 55g, or that the two might not live together peacefully in even a 150g tank, or that the atlantic blue gets HUGE...)

I wouldn't rule out other possibilities, but I think the tank just needs time and patience...


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

i have to agree, i have had my 150 for four years now, it took a year before fish stop dieing. and i still have them die for one thing or another. the hardest thing in saltwater is PATIENCE. good luck.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I think the ammonia probably was because of the increased bioload of coarse... but he needs to do some water changes before he gets rid of the tang so it starts doing better...


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

when you do your water change do you make it or buy it from your LFS?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I don't think that would be a contributing factor unless there was a horrible excess of phosphates metals or the pH is really off.


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

it is a factor if she is using tap water with no dechlorinator in it.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

yeah but I doubt a fish would live for that long with chlorine in the water.


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

true, but also you have to look at the city's ph. down here in margate, fl. the ph is at 9.0. a friend was using it, i didnt believe it til he showed me the test.


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## mimi koob (Apr 7, 2005)

you ar right i do not know about the clown fish. nobody ever smokes in my house i do use hair spry but not in the same room as the tank but on the other side of the house, i suppose the heating vents might carry it ???? no fires no working on cars especially in the winter in northern illinois. i am not sure what you mean by what did i do to the fish while in quaritine tank, however i wathced them for unusually behavior, i fed them i watched for any disease. what should i have done? as far as the blue getting too big for tank and getting along we are setting up a 400 gallon tank to move the fish to. i was not told nor did i read about too many fish in less than a year however that does sound logical, yes the amonia did reach .50 at one time. the people at the lfs store think i might have had something on the live rock (sponge) die and that created the amonia prppblem ph has always been within normal range. i use ro water and sea water from the lfs. i tested both water sources and the paramenters were great. as of today no more deaths, and everyone is eating well. i am going to wait and see and start over if i need to. thanks for all the info all help is more than welcome.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

well if your ammonia comes down I doubt you will have no more misterious deaths... I think that was your main problem... Quarentining a fish is key when you are adding to a main tank. Watching them for disease for month or two in a smaller tank will decrease your odds of contaminating the whole main tank. Your 55 should be perfect for a QT tank for any species of fish you plan on keeping in the 400 gallon.


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## wrasser (Apr 5, 2005)

if you havent already you should add charcoal to the tank. it will take out chemicals like hair spray.


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