All my fish are hyperventilating and my corals are shrinking in HELP!

[ReefJake123]

Any recent visits by an exterminator?

No sir

 

[Mariette]

The issue is the fact that my ammonia may have increased bc of the fishes deaths but what caused them to die?

Fish don’t live forever and, because most in the hobby are wild caught, their age is unknown. So maybe old age? Or heart attack? Fish can get those right? Point is: we can’t explain ALL death. I had a beta tank. 5g. W a few snails. Beta all of a sudden looked horrible. Huge Ammonia spike. poisoning. Did all I could. He died. I was devastated. Turns out one of my snails had died and I didn’t notice. The thing barely moved anyway and it looked like one of the rocks so I had t noticed. Why did the snail die? Who knows? But it sure explains the ammonia spike. You capeesh? You’re doing water changes and running carbon. Good.

 

[Mariette]

Should add that if your theory is correct about corals and warfare, keep a very close eye on all of them. Anyone receding? Taking over? If there’s a turf war, it will happen again until 1 dies or you separate them.

 

[ReefJake123]

Fish don’t live forever and, because most in the hobby are wild caught, their age is unknown. So maybe old age? Or heart attack? Fish can get those right? Point is: we can’t explain ALL death. I had a beta tank. 5g. W a few snails. Beta all of a sudden looked horrible. Huge Ammonia spike. poisoning. Did all I could. He died. I was devastated. Turns out one of my snails had died and I didn’t notice. The thing barely moved anyway and it looked like one of the rocks so I had t noticed. Why did the snail die? Who knows? But it sure explains the ammonia spike. You capeesh? You’re doing water changes and running carbon. Good.

But you have to find it coincidental that two of my most healthy fish randomly died and I also got them when they were only juveniles and in aquariums the typical life span is 20 years so 3 years just doesn’t add up also that was only 5g one dead snail is a bigger effect on smaller volume of water so yeah

 

[ReefJake123]

Should add that if your theory is correct about corals and warfare, keep a very close eye on all of them. Anyone receding? Taking over? If there’s a turf war, it will happen again until 1 dies or you separate them.

Well my Yuma is dead now and I do have tons of zoas and they are know to release a few toxins so who knows man my Kenya is dying and my hairy mushrooms don’t look to hot my green BTA doesn’t look good either

 

[Lasse]

No unusual smell - like from rutten eggs or the smell that comes from rotting algae on the seashore? Do you use DOC (dissolved organic carbon) like NoPoxor or similar products? No painting in the appartment? For me it looks like intoxication of some type or oxygen depletion. Do you run your skimmer 24/7 or is it stopped during night?

IMO most ammonia tests give false readings and even if your reading of 0.25 ppm is true - it means that you have around 0.025 free ammonia (NH3 or ammoniac) at pH 8.2 and that´s not toxic in the way your aquarium has developed.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ReefJake123]

No unusual smell - like from rutten eggs or the smell that comes from rotting algae on the seashore? Do you use DOC (dissolved organic carbon) like NoPoxor or similar products? No painting in the appartment? For me it looks like intoxication of some type or oxygen depletion. Do you run your skimmer 24/7 or is it stopped during night?

IMO most ammonia tests give false readings and even if your reading of 0.25 ppm is true - it means that you have around 0.025 free ammonia (NH3 or ammoniac) at pH 8.2 and that´s not toxic in the way your aquarium has developed.

Sincerely Lasse

Nope tanks smells like the usual saltwater smell I use DOC in my overflow box my house is a cabin and is all wood so no on the painting oxygen isn’t the issue I thought it would be but I just bubbled the crap outta the tank with fresh oxygen

 

[ReefJake123]

UPDATE: One of the chromis are dead the kole tang died the cleaner shrimp died pseudo chromis is dead the blue tang is dead guys this is really heart breaking to watch fish I’ve bonded with and loved to die on me I’ve gone through all my filtration and it’s spot on my tank is too perfect to cause this death don’t refer to my filtration that’s not what I’m worried about does anyone know ways to test the toxins from corals?

 

[Lasse]

I use DOC in my overflow box

Do you not mean active carbon in the owerflow box. DOC is another form of carbon - Vodka, vinegar and sugar are typical DOCs.

All wood? Have there been any change of wood recently? Which type of wood? Coniferous trees such as pine and spruce can release turpentines during some conditions but that´s a very long shoot I think.

It is rather impossible to trace any toxins from corals - but you can send in an ICP test in order to see if there is no other chemical explanations for what ´s happen. Before this happen - had you change any water prio?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Retro Reefer]

Sounds like some kind of chemical poisoning, Have you had your windows open and any chance someone was, painting, staining or using weed or insect killer outside near your house? I know someone that lost a tank because the county sprayed insecticide throughout their neighborhood and they weren’t aware it was going to happen and had their windows open. Also another similar issue here on R2R a while back, turns out the neighbors had sprayed stain on their deck and fumes made it into their house and killed everything in the tank.

 

[00Barracuda00]

So sorry to hear everything is going off the rails. You have my condolences.

I have far less than half the expertise many of the commenters here have, but I'd ask when the last time you had your hands in the tank was. Excluding the removal of the lost fish of course.
Also, is there anything in the tank or sump that could be rusting?

 

[Retro Reefer]

Another point I would increase your activated carbon quantity and get yourself some poly bio marine poly filters asap.

 

[MnFish1]

But you have to find it coincidental that two of my most healthy fish randomly died and I also got them when they were only juveniles and in aquariums the typical life span is 20 years so 3 years just doesn’t add up also that was only 5g one dead snail is a bigger effect on smaller volume of water so yeah

I think you're right that the fish death is the key - which lead to higher ammonia, etc - and caused some corals to close off.

Yellow tangs can live far more than 40 years. So - I guess its also possible that the coral beauty died of 'something' which caused ammonia - which caused some of your other corals to release toxins...?

Are you seeing any other problems with your fish (Besides hyperventilating)? (Could it be latent velvet, etc ) - when was the last new thing you added?
You say you are pointing the power heads up - thats not the same as having them pointing across the surface of the water to increase oxygenation.
Water changes and carbon are great just remember - assume chemical x is at 1. And that chemical x is toxic at .5. If you change 5 gallons x is down to .9. Another 5 - .81 another 5 - .73. Another - .65. etc etc etc it would take more water (and take more time - ie. if you did it every day) it will take much longer to get down to safe levels than if you did a large water change (i.e. 50%)

 

[BestMomEver]

If no one has said this.... check for stray voltage or bare cords. I had an urchin chew through the plastic on an unplugged power cord. It leached copper in the tank and killed everything in a 300 gallon tank. Everything. I had accidentally left the plug draping in the sump and tossed an urchin in. He ate through the plastic on the cord.

 

[ReefJake123]

Do you not mean active carbon in the owerflow box. DOC is another form of carbon - Vodka, vinegar and sugar are typical DOCs.

All wood? Have there been any change of wood recently? Which type of wood? Coniferous trees such as pine and spruce can release turpentines during some conditions but that´s a very long shoot I think.

It is rather impossible to trace any toxins from corals - but you can send in an ICP test in order to see if there is no other chemical explanations for what ´s happen. Before this happen - had you change any water prio?

Sincerely Lasse

Sorry I meant as in active carbon not as in those other forms I’m pretty sure it’s all oak but no change to wood at all and no I didn’t change any water prior

 

[ReefJake123]

Sounds like some kind of chemical poisoning, Have you had your windows open and any chance someone was, painting, staining or using weed or insect killer outside near your house? I know someone that lost a tank because the county sprayed insecticide throughout their neighborhood and they weren’t aware it was going to happen and had their windows open. Also another similar issue here on R2R a while back, turns out the neighbors had sprayed stain on their deck and fumes made it into their house and killed everything in the tank.

I don’t live in a neighborhood I live in the woods but I haven’t been having my windows open at all

 

[ReefJake123]

Another point I would increase your activated carbon quantity and get yourself some poly bio marine poly filters asap.

I’ve already got the poly bio marine filters and I already have tons of activated carbon in my filtration

 

[ReefJake123]

So sorry to hear everything is going off the rails. You have my condolences.

I have far less than half the expertise many of the commenters here have, but I'd ask when the last time you had your hands in the tank was. Excluding the removal of the lost fish of course.
Also, is there anything in the tank or sump that could be rusting?

I rarely put my hands in my tank and nothing is rusting

 

[SammieT]

I've noticed some people never check for exposed magnets


thats something to look for

 

[ReefJake123]

I've noticed some people never check for exposed magnets


thats something to look for

And where would I see any of those