DFan

I'm in desperate need of some advice! I have a 75 gallon tank (Plus a 10 gallon sump and a Eheim filter). I have had it up and running now for about 13 months. For the most part (aside from a single incident of Ich which was treated with a copper free water treatment), it has been running very well. I had a small clown fish, a small blue hippo tang, a diadem dottyback, a flame angel, and a yellow longnose butterfly (all of them under 2 inches). I also had a cleaner shrimp, a flame shrimp, a couple dozen hermit crabs, a dozen or so snails, a single feather duster, and a single yellow gorgonian. I maintain the temperature around 79-81 degrees and the water has been tested weekly by me and once a month tested professionally at a local saltwater fish store. Except for a single episode of increased density about 6 months ago, all the levels are within normal range. I have approximately 1-2.5 inches of live rock along the bottom of the tank and a basic flourescent light source. I have no coral.

Here's my problem!! About two months ago, I came home to find one of my fish appearing to have a case of ich (some white spots on its tail, fins seemed shredded). Within the next 2 weeks, every fish I had was dead. However, it was only the one fish that had symptoms. I have NOT lost any of the invertebrates. I have done three water changes (with RO water) since the onset of this issue. Each sequential water test appears that the water perfect and is within normal ranges and when you look at it, is crystal clear. HOWEVER, every time I try to put a fish into the water....it dies within the week. I can't figure out what is wrong. Is there something else I can test for that may be killing my fish.

Here are my water test results::

-Ammonia levels.....0 ppm
-NitrIte Levels........0 ppm
-NitrAte Levels.......0 ppm
-pH........................8.2
-Gh........................161.1
-Kh........................179
-Temp....................80 degrees
-Specific Gravity.....1.023

Lahatiel

You are going to be asked what you are testing for and what are normal ranges...

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58 Gallon Freshwater FTWP (Fish tank with plants)

Chitown1

YUP, what have you been testing for and what were the readings. I would also check for stray voltage although it would be unlikely due to the fact your clean up crew is OK, I would stilll check it. Also, what is your salinity.

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Andyoybna

sounds like what has been happening to a friend of mine. Back in december, maybe january he got an order from drs foster and smith, of which included a blue hippo tang that spread ich throughout his tank, he talked to a marine biologist from thatfishplace.com and they told him to treat with malachite green, he also set up a QT/Hospital and ended up losing all of his fish. Now he has the same dilemma, all of his params are perfect, his corals are absolutely flourishing, but no matter what his fish will not stay alive. Last week when he told me about it (I knew about the ich outbreak, didn't know he lost everything, or that he hasn't been able to keep anything) He has tried the hardiest fish he can, hes tried damsels, added like 3 cleaner shrimp, added other fish, and they just die with no signs of disease and no symptoms. But anyways I reccomended a six-line wrasse to him at the LFS, and he also picked up a few corals, a percula clown or 2, and I don't remember what else. I definately hope I run into him again so I can ask him how that stuff is going, I just find it strange... The guy is a doctor, a very busy doctor (it takes 8 weeks for a new patient to get an appointment) He has spared no expense... He bought Metal Halide lights, a Chiller, Skimmer, testing kits, blah blah blah... does everything he is told but just has no luck whatsoever.... I have no idea what is going on i'm interested to see if anyone else has ever run into this and what they have done to fix it, or how long it took for their luck to change, and what fish were the magic fish.


Edit:

I just thought of something..... possibly low oxygen content in the water... try aiming one of your powerheads to the surface of the water for agitation, and if you have a glass top try taking it off.

new2me

Are you testing for the other minerals like calcium and all the other's?

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75 gallon tank, Magnum 350M, Turbo-twister uv, 80 lbs. aggregate
35 lbs. rock, 1 False-Percula, 1 Blue Devil Damselfish, Coral beauty, Haitian Anemone, 10 snails 4 diff. species, 4 camel shrimp. Saltwater is the best hobby because im in no hurry to finish it.

Andyoybna

I don't see why calcium or any sort of trace elements would kill fish and leave corals(his gorgonian) and his many inverts completely healthy, also I doubt he is supplementing calcium in that tank with no coral other than the gorgonian, maybe iodine.

Tommy Gun

Have you used any meds in this tank? I know that you said you are using some sort of non-copper based product, but what exactly are you using? I would try changing or adding some carbon filter media to your filtration system to see if that might pull out any meds that are still in the tank, and affecting your new fish.

Also, what are you doing to ensure that your water is getting oxegenated? When your fish die, do they spend a lot of time at the surface or are they breathing hard? If so, you might need to address the O2 issue a little bit better.

I would also take a better look at your water parameters. Since you do not list anything in your tank that would be feeding off your nitrates, having 0 nitrates is not usually a good sign....and could be a sign of an uncycled aquarium.

When you do water changes, how are you making your saltwater? Do you 'cure' the new water before adding it?

I think that the problem you are having here, as far as getting a good answer to your question is concered, is that there is just too little information for members here to make an educated guess. Without the ability to see your tank, see your fish, see your inverts, etc..., it is very hard to come to any type of definitive answer for you. You might do yourself some justice by posting a few days or weeks of water tests and any other information, as detailed as possible, so that the members here can help you better. Trust me, there are literally HUNDREDS of people here who have gone through almost any situation you could dream up, so I know that the answer to your question is here somewhere. I think that the members here are just hessitant to make completely wild guesses and in those situations, you get some very general and less-than-helpful replies. Try giving more info and see what happens. Ok?

I am sorry to hear about your losses though. I just went through the exact same thing myself.