75 gallon saltwater tank deaths

Joyce R

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One or two fish have died every day for 5 days including yellow tang, fox face , yellow eye tang and clowns. Water parameters good. Salinity ok. Tank established in January. Deaths started two weeks ago. Hindsight yellow eye tang had swollen mouth but new hire maintenance guy said if he is eating he might be ok. No signs or markings on dead fish. What to do please
 

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Can yo be more specific on your water parameters? Anything new added to your tank?
 
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Joyce R

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Can yo be more specific on your water parameters? Anything new added to your tank?
API tests show ok. Salinity on the mark. Is there a sickness? I do not see ick. I see no signs EXCEPT 2 weeks ago maintenance group we just hired to help us said yellow eye tang had swollen lips I did not recognize. He said if he is eating he will be ok. Hindsight ! Could he had been sick for a while and infected all others. If so with what! We are 75 yrs old. This is sad. We do not have quarantine tank. Should we? Should we have removed tang from tank? So many fish have died this week.
 

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API tests show ok. Salinity on the mark. Is there a sickness? I do not see ick. I see no signs EXCEPT 2 weeks ago maintenance group we just hired to help us said yellow eye tang had swollen lips I did not recognize. He said if he is eating he will be ok. Hindsight ! Could he had been sick for a while and infected all others. If so with what! We are 75 yrs old. This is sad. We do not have quarantine tank. Should we? Should we have removed tang from tank? So many fish have died this week.
So sorry for your losses , it is really sad and stressful. Have you been in touch with the maintenance company you hired since the loss of your fish? Is it possible that they could help you set up a quarantine tank? Are there corals or invertebrates in your current tank?
 
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Joyce R

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So sorry for your losses , it is really sad and stressful. Have you been in touch with the maintenance company you hired since the loss of your fish? Is it possible that they could help you set up a quarantine tank? Are there corals or invertebrates in your current tank?
What little coral died long time ago. I am sure maintenance group would be happy re set up quarantine but do I want that? Not sure. They come Tues. should I give up and do freshwater. My beautiful yellow head sleeper gody is now in trouble.
 

Chrisfish

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What little coral died long time ago. I am sure maintenance group would be happy re set up quarantine but do I want that? Not sure. They come Tues. should I give up and do freshwater. My beautiful yellow head sleeper gody is now in trouble.
I would hate to see you give up, I know there are many members here that are much more knowledgeable than me. Let me see if I can get you some help.
#reefsquad
 

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I have a glaring question in my mind. How long did you have the fish before the new company? If they were all well established and healthy and nothing new was added, couldn't it be possible that unclean equipment or something else from the new company has caused the described sickness and stress? Are they using a different salt than you used before? There has to be more to this...
 

savemyreef

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I have a glaring question in my mind. How long did you have the fish before the new company? If they were all well established and healthy and nothing new was added, couldn't it be possible that unclean equipment or something else from the new company has caused the described sickness and stress? Are they using a different salt than you used before? There has to be more to this...

I agree with this. Good idea to come here and ask for other ideas! Losing fish is so hard and I feel for you guys. Any equipment changes recently? Any change to your normal routine? Can you give a rough idea of how often you added fish? 5 days could be velvet but typically moves quicker than that and if there have been no adds recently, my bet would be something else.
 

4FordFamily

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It could certainly be velvet sometimes it doesn’t show spots outward in the fish. Sorry for the losses but if you wanted to cover all bases treat the remaining fish in copper or chloroquine phosphate in a QT. Do two praziquantel (prazi pro) baths at an hour each 5-10 days apart, and follow @Big G antibiotic suggestion above.

sorry for the losses :(
 
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Joyce R

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It could certainly be velvet sometimes it doesn’t show spots outward in the fish. Sorry for the losses but if you wanted to cover all bases treat the remaining fish in copper or chloroquine phosphate in a QT. Do two praziquantel (prazi pro) baths at an hour each 5-10 days apart, and follow @Big G antibiotic suggestion above.

sorry for the losses :(
This is good and frightening. The new guy tested everything. Said salinity was off and removed about 5 gallons of water and replaced RO water. This of course was different water than any ever before put into the tank. Never have I thought the new guy did anything wrong until now. Looking back all fish died after their visit. But, I always thought it was because the yellow eye tang had swollen lips and it must be a disease spreading throughout our beautiful tank. The new guy came highly recommended by a very large and highly regarded reef/coral aquarium shop.
 

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This is good and frightening. The new guy tested everything. Said salinity was off and removed about 5 gallons of water and replaced RO water. This of course was different water than any ever before put into the tank. Never have I thought the new guy did anything wrong until now. Looking back all fish died after their visit. But, I always thought it was because the yellow eye tang had swollen lips and it must be a disease spreading throughout our beautiful tank. The new guy came highly recommended by a very large and highly regarded reef/coral aquarium shop.
When he said salinity was off, by how much?
 
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Joyce R

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He used a plastic instant ocean sea test hydrometer. I did not (unfortunately) ask what it measured. I am fast learning to document and ask more questions. He is coming back Tuesday and I will be more diligent. The fox face is still alive but looks terrible. The gody is there somewhere. Two yellowtail damsels are alive. Everything else died. It is disturbing to think the new guy did something, but again hindsight!! I have a Refractometer but still learning. The salinity looks ok. Thank you to all who have cared so much.
 

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He used a plastic instant ocean sea test hydrometer. I did not (unfortunately) ask what it measured. I am fast learning to document and ask more questions. He is coming back Tuesday and I will be more diligent. The fox face is still alive but looks terrible. The gody is there somewhere. Two yellowtail damsels are alive. Everything else died. It is disturbing to think the new guy did something, but again hindsight!! I have a Refractometer but still learning. The salinity looks ok. Thank you to all who have cared so much.
Post a picture of foxface. Foxface and damsels are super hardy.
What is your salinity now?
 
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Joyce R

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Post a picture of foxface. Foxface and damsels are super hardy.
What is your salinity now?
. 34. 1.025
34 - 1.025 ....
069654AB-818E-47EE-B269-D1D9EFB9764D.jpeg
 

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