Can't Keep Fish Alive

ogeissinger2303 · Sep 17, 2023

Hello! This is my first post on this forum. Unfortunately, I seem to struggle to keeping fish alive in my tank. I have gotten my water tested many times, and the parameters are always fine. My coral is all healthy too, it just seems to be the fish. Instantly, they swim into my cave or behind the rock away from flow and everything. And then they slowly stay there until they die off.
They seem to rapidly breath and then die. I have had multiple species (clown, firefish, cardnial fish) and they all seem to have this problem. If anyone can give me insight on what could cause death to my fish, but have my corals and water perameters completely unbothered I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you!

blaxsun · Sep 17, 2023

You'll probably need to post some details on your tank, ie: size, filtration, flow, parameters, etc.

Reef Devils · Sep 17, 2023

ogeissinger2303 said:
Hello! This is my first post on this forum. Unfortunately, I seem to struggle to keeping fish alive in my tank. I have gotten my water tested many times, and the parameters are always fine. My coral is all healthy too, it just seems to be the fish. Instantly, they swim into my cave or behind the rock away from flow and everything. And then they slowly stay there until they die off.
They seem to rapidly breath and then die. I have had multiple species (clown, firefish, cardnial fish) and they all seem to have this problem. If anyone can give me insight on what could cause death to my fish, but have my corals and water perameters completely unbothered I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you!

What are your parameters

Rick's Reviews · Sep 17, 2023

Pictures please, of your aquarium

Lavey29 · Sep 17, 2023

So don't keep adding fish until you figure this out.

The_Paradox · Sep 17, 2023

Based on little to no info, assuming your LFS is competent the first thing that comes to mind is oxygen. How much surface movement do you have?

mryan04290 · Sep 17, 2023

The_Paradox said:
Based on little to no info, assuming your LFS is competent the first thing that comes to mind is oxygen. How much surface movement do you have?

Would corals still be happy in a low oxygen environment? Or do they utilize the oxygen produced from photosynthesis

The_Paradox · Sep 17, 2023

mryan04290 said:
Would corals still be happy in a low oxygen environment? Or do they utilize the oxygen produced from photosynthesis

Corals would be fine. How much surface agitation do you have? Any skimmer?

littlefoxx · Sep 17, 2023

ogeissinger2303 said:
Hello! This is my first post on this forum. Unfortunately, I seem to struggle to keeping fish alive in my tank. I have gotten my water tested many times, and the parameters are always fine. My coral is all healthy too, it just seems to be the fish. Instantly, they swim into my cave or behind the rock away from flow and everything. And then they slowly stay there until they die off.
They seem to rapidly breath and then die. I have had multiple species (clown, firefish, cardnial fish) and they all seem to have this problem. If anyone can give me insight on what could cause death to my fish, but have my corals and water perameters completely unbothered I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you!

How are you acclimating? Whats the flow like? I had this issue with my nano, figured it is probably lack of oxygen in the water so added an air stone. Ive had a pair of coral banded shrimp in there two weeks now. This might be whats up with your fish too?

Nemo&Friends · Sep 17, 2023

How big is your tank? You say your fish breath rapidly and go and hide and die. Rapid breath can be a sign of , or stress. In case you have a disease you have not identified in your tank, wait 6 weeks before trying new fish again.
How are you acclimating them? Temperature, PH and salinity, it might be quite different from where you bought your fish from.

i cant think · Sep 18, 2023

Without much information on the tank, we can’t really say what it could be however I’m also leaning towards it being low Oxygen.

mryan04290 · Sep 18, 2023

i cant think said:
Without much information on the tank, we can’t really say what it could be however I’m also leaning towards it being low Oxygen.

Hi there I’m one of his friends he has a 14 cube with a HOB filter. I have access to test for dissolved oxygen and I’ll attach my test below all parameters that could be tested with a YSI proDSS sonde all looked fine I’ll tell him to post his other parameters sometime today

mryan04290 · Sep 18, 2023

Hypoxic environments read as 3 or less for DO mg/l

i cant think · Sep 18, 2023

mryan04290 said:
Hi there I’m one of his friends he has a 14 cube with a HOB filter. I have access to test for dissolved oxygen and I’ll attach my test below all parameters that could be tested with a YSI proDSS sonde all looked fine I’ll tell him to post his other parameters sometime today

7.15mg/l is raised (ideally you should have 6.4-7.0mg/l of Dissolved O2) so if anything there’s possibly too much Oxygen.

Ammonia could be an issue given its a 14G cube, and he’s tried to add several large species of fish for that tank.