2 Dead Fish + 0 nitrates/ .46ppm nitrates

[Galiant50]

75gal display with 40 breeder DIY sump. Tank has been running since January, first fish (clowns) added in February

Stocking:
2 very small clowns
1 3" bicolor blenny
1 half dollar size Blue Tang
1 cleaner shrimp
60 assorted snails (tiny)
5 hermit crabs
1 DEAD 3" Golden Head Goby
1 DEAD 3" Fire Tomini Tang
A few monti and zoas (small frags to mini colonies)

Parameters:
NO3: 0.0 (Salifert)
Phos: .46 (Hanna)
Alk: 7.5 (Hanna)
PH: 8.2 (Hanna)

Filtration:

3 4" filter socks
Heavy refugium w/ 14hrs photo time. Seeded with broken rock and biological media

No skimmer


Story:

Hey everyone.. it's a pretty sad day. I've had the clowns, blenny and tang in the tank since around March. Blenny and clowns were added after cycle, tang a few weeks later. Yesterday when I went to the LFS I saw a tomini tang and golden head goby I loved. We are currently piecing together a 180gal tank upgrade (thanks Biden) so I figured 2 VERY small tangs could get along until the tank is up and running.

I added the Goby, Tomini Tang and cleaner shrimp yesterday. The goby was obviously struggling when I put him in. Looked like labored breathing and was hiding in a cup I had a fingernail sized mushroom in. I heavy fed the tank to make sure no one was angry with frozen food and some pellets. After feeding I waited about an hour and changed out the filter socks to help prevent any nutrient uptick.

when I went to bed, I make one more trip by the tank to check on everyone. The goby was belly up. Dead. 8 hours after being added. Deeply saddened, I took it out and went to bed.

left for work the next morning. Everyone looked okay (lights were still off so fish were hiding/sleeping). I get home today and the Tomini is stuck to the power head. I know the power head isn't too strong because the blenny likes to pick at them to get algae.

Idk what to do anymore. I'm torn apart. What started as a fun science teaching moment and new pets for my kids has now cost $1500+ and a ton of heart break. Someone please help. Idk what's killing these fish or why my phosphates are so high with 0 nitrates.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Phos a little high, ammonia was not mentioned and looking at your livestock list. . . . What is age of the tank ?

- what type of water are you using (tap from faucet or RODI ? )
- ammonia- salinity and water temperature

Fuge may not be seeded well enough to support chemistry for a non-matured tank and tank may have low oxygen with the limited filtration you are describing

 

[Azedenkae]

75gal display with 40 breeder DIY sump. Tank has been running since January, first fish (clowns) added in February

Stocking:
2 very small clowns
1 3" bicolor blenny
1 half dollar size Blue Tang
1 cleaner shrimp
60 assorted snails (tiny)
5 hermit crabs
1 DEAD 3" Golden Head Goby
1 DEAD 3" Fire Tomini Tang
A few monti and zoas (small frags to mini colonies)

Parameters:
NO3: 0.0 (Salifert)
Phos: .46 (Hanna)
Alk: 7.5 (Hanna)
PH: 8.2 (Hanna)

Filtration:

3 4" filter socks
Heavy refugium w/ 14hrs photo time. Seeded with broken rock and biological media

No skimmer


Story:

Hey everyone.. it's a pretty sad day. I've had the clowns, blenny and tang in the tank since around March. Blenny and clowns were added after cycle, tang a few weeks later. Yesterday when I went to the LFS I saw a tomini tang and golden head goby I loved. We are currently piecing together a 180gal tank upgrade (thanks Biden) so I figured 2 VERY small tangs could get along until the tank is up and running.

I added the Goby, Tomini Tang and cleaner shrimp yesterday. The goby was obviously struggling when I put him in. Looked like labored breathing and was hiding in a cup I had a fingernail sized mushroom in. I heavy fed the tank to make sure no one was angry with frozen food and some pellets. After feeding I waited about an hour and changed out the filter socks to help prevent any nutrient uptick.

when I went to bed, I make one more trip by the tank to check on everyone. The goby was belly up. Dead. 8 hours after being added. Deeply saddened, I took it out and went to bed.

left for work the next morning. Everyone looked okay (lights were still off so fish were hiding/sleeping). I get home today and the Tomini is stuck to the power head. I know the power head isn't too strong because the blenny likes to pick at them to get algae.

Idk what to do anymore. I'm torn apart. What started as a fun science teaching moment and new pets for my kids has now cost $1500+ and a ton of heart break. Someone please help. Idk what's killing these fish or why my phosphates are so high with 0 nitrates.

Sorry to hear.

Phosphate should not be high enough to have caused anything or be much of a worry to be honest, at least not linked to what is going on here.

It is possible that the fish were diseased when you purchased them, especially if all the other fish had been doing fine and the only things that died were the new fish. Kind of worrying because that could mean diseases have gotten into the aquarium.

 

[Galiant50]

Phos a little high, ammonia was not mentioned and looking at your livestock list. . . . What is age of the tank ?

- what type of water are you using (tap from faucet or RODI ? )
- ammonia- salinity and water temperature

Fuge may not be seeded well enough to support chemistry for a non-matured tank and tank may have low oxygen with the limited filtration you are describing

Temp 78.5. Ammonia 0. Age of tank is about 4 months. Tank was started with seeded rock and microbacter 7.

I have a 4 stage RODI filter with 0TDS. Salinity is right at 1.026 or 35ppm with an ATO for stability.

i have a skimmer running but the water level is too high to actually skim so it oxygenates them tank

 

[Saltyreef]

Your fish could have already been sick. Sounds like this was the culprit....possibly velvet.

 

[Galiant50]

Sorry to hear.

Phosphate should not be high enough to have caused anything or be much of a worry to be honest, at least not linked to what is going on here.

It is possible that the fish were diseased when you purchased them, especially if all the other fish had been doing fine and the only things that died were the new fish. Kind of worrying because that could mean diseases have gotten into the aquarium.

That was my thoughts when the Goby didn't make it. Just bad luck on a fish. But then the Tang..

The other fish look fine and are eating. I have noticed the Blue Tang scratching itself on the rocks but I don't see any ich signs or anything.

 

[Galiant50]

Also worth noting that everything was cautiously drip acclimated to tank parameters

 

[Saltyreef]

Sucks most LFS dont practice proper quarantine procedures and end up selling fish only to die soon after.
Low levels of copper in the LFS display keeps any parasites hidden until they get home with their new owners.....

 

[Saltyreef]

Also worth noting that everything was cautiously drip acclimated to tank parameters

Acclamation is not the issue here

Edit: i shoulnt say it isnt but likely diseased fish already.
Sounds like you know how to acclamate things ok based on your stock list

 

[Galiant50]

Acclamation is not the issue here

Idk. I've worked my butt off for the tank. It broke my heart when the first thing my sons did when they got home was get on the stepstool to see the fish and 2 were gone. Devastating.

 

[Azedenkae]

That was my thoughts when the Goby didn't make it. Just bad luck on a fish. But then the Tang..

The other fish look fine and are eating. I have noticed the Blue Tang scratching itself on the rocks but I don't see any ich signs or anything.

I mean if the other fish are looking fine-ish, then I would chalk it up to the Tomini being diseased too. Not everything shows clearly, and many LFS keeps their fish at low salinity, like 1.018 to 1.021 to slow down disease (apparently it helps). Then when they come into your tank, it just speeds up and boom death. Hopefully no disease was passed to your old fish.