rickytom
New Member
Hi all
I would like to ask you for some advise on the probable cause of fish deaths in my marine tank (apologies for being a little long winded)
I bought the established fish tank with fish (2 clown and one coral beauty) a few months ago. Before I purchased any further fish, I ensured environmental conditions were settled and non of existing fish were exhibiting any signs of disease/parasites by waiting for a period of approx 6 weeks.
After 6 weeks passed we purchased 2 bannerfish from an aquarium, which settled in really well/fed well and had no behavioural problems.
Approx one week the aquarium received and new stock of fish including Royal gramma and 3 days later we were allowed to purchase it. The fish settled in and although hiding, fed straight away. However after approx 4 days of having the it stopped feeding. I saw it a day or 2 later upside down and contacted the aquarium as was concerned. They advised this is usual behaviour and not to worry. The following day (Xmas eve) it was dead. This followed with the 2 bannerfish dying hours apart on Xmas day with loss of colour, rapid breathing, twitching. When I contacted the aquarium after boxing day they told me to bring water sample for testing, howver these were all well within acceptable parameters as I'm an ex water quality scientist and well maintain my aquarium. I advised it sounded like a parasite had introduced by the new fish esp as it was the royal grammar died first within days of entering the tank. The aquarium dismissed this suggestion and advised it was an ammonia spike or external contaminant. Again due to my background I believed this was not the case.
Then a few days later, one of the clownfish which has been in there from the beginning without symptoms began with the same as the bannerfish and died that day. I rang the aquarium and they again tried to say was ammonia spike but to send them pictures. At this point they confirmed as velvet and suggested i try treatment treatment. After approx 3 days of treatment, my other clown showed symptoms and died that days. I continued treatment for a further 3 days but finally my coral beauty also died of the same. I obviously believe that the most likely scenario would be the royal gramma brought the velvet into the tank.
The aquarium has advised that due to the gramma dying and not being noticed straight away will have started an ammonia spike. This will have caused the other fish especially the wimple’s to become stressed, the fish loosing colour and struggling to breath are the main symptoms of an ammonia spike.
They went onto advise that in relation to the velvet that broke out after the fish death. This can be a common occurrence in marine tanks due to the nature of velvet. Most established marine tanks will have the organism that causes velvet (oodinium) in the tank, it’s a free swimming organism that very easily turns parasitic. As with almost all parasitic infections, most fish can fight off minor infections providing their immune system is strong however can infect any fish at any time.
We agree as a team that the cost of the royal gramma should be reimbursed to yourselves as it didn’t settle, and although the circumstances of the wimple fish was out of our control and as a gesture of good will also reimburse you for the two wimple fish also.
As a result of the above I find out extremely hard to believe that there was a fish death caused by an ammonia spike, followed immediately by an outbreak of velvet which killed the remaining fish in the tank. The aquarium has also failed to provide explanation as to why the royal gramma died.
Therefore I would really appreciate some external expert advice of the situation above
I would like to ask you for some advise on the probable cause of fish deaths in my marine tank (apologies for being a little long winded)
I bought the established fish tank with fish (2 clown and one coral beauty) a few months ago. Before I purchased any further fish, I ensured environmental conditions were settled and non of existing fish were exhibiting any signs of disease/parasites by waiting for a period of approx 6 weeks.
After 6 weeks passed we purchased 2 bannerfish from an aquarium, which settled in really well/fed well and had no behavioural problems.
Approx one week the aquarium received and new stock of fish including Royal gramma and 3 days later we were allowed to purchase it. The fish settled in and although hiding, fed straight away. However after approx 4 days of having the it stopped feeding. I saw it a day or 2 later upside down and contacted the aquarium as was concerned. They advised this is usual behaviour and not to worry. The following day (Xmas eve) it was dead. This followed with the 2 bannerfish dying hours apart on Xmas day with loss of colour, rapid breathing, twitching. When I contacted the aquarium after boxing day they told me to bring water sample for testing, howver these were all well within acceptable parameters as I'm an ex water quality scientist and well maintain my aquarium. I advised it sounded like a parasite had introduced by the new fish esp as it was the royal grammar died first within days of entering the tank. The aquarium dismissed this suggestion and advised it was an ammonia spike or external contaminant. Again due to my background I believed this was not the case.
Then a few days later, one of the clownfish which has been in there from the beginning without symptoms began with the same as the bannerfish and died that day. I rang the aquarium and they again tried to say was ammonia spike but to send them pictures. At this point they confirmed as velvet and suggested i try treatment treatment. After approx 3 days of treatment, my other clown showed symptoms and died that days. I continued treatment for a further 3 days but finally my coral beauty also died of the same. I obviously believe that the most likely scenario would be the royal gramma brought the velvet into the tank.
The aquarium has advised that due to the gramma dying and not being noticed straight away will have started an ammonia spike. This will have caused the other fish especially the wimple’s to become stressed, the fish loosing colour and struggling to breath are the main symptoms of an ammonia spike.
They went onto advise that in relation to the velvet that broke out after the fish death. This can be a common occurrence in marine tanks due to the nature of velvet. Most established marine tanks will have the organism that causes velvet (oodinium) in the tank, it’s a free swimming organism that very easily turns parasitic. As with almost all parasitic infections, most fish can fight off minor infections providing their immune system is strong however can infect any fish at any time.
We agree as a team that the cost of the royal gramma should be reimbursed to yourselves as it didn’t settle, and although the circumstances of the wimple fish was out of our control and as a gesture of good will also reimburse you for the two wimple fish also.
As a result of the above I find out extremely hard to believe that there was a fish death caused by an ammonia spike, followed immediately by an outbreak of velvet which killed the remaining fish in the tank. The aquarium has also failed to provide explanation as to why the royal gramma died.
Therefore I would really appreciate some external expert advice of the situation above
