Fish Deaths.. Need feedback asap

[DBarsotti]

Ok so i have a friend who has an 88g reef tank, a month or more back he had a complete tank crash due to various reasons, overfeeding, disease, ect. The only 2 survivors of the crash were a Blue Damsel and a blue chromis. The Blue Damsel is beefy and has EXTREME aggression towards other fish.

He recently stocked his tank with the following fish all at once

1 3" Foxfaced Rabbit
2 1" False Percs
2 matted file fish
2 bi-color dotty backs
2 1.5" spotted cardinals
1 1.5" Flame angel
1 1.5" Pygmy angel
1 1.5" Pakistan Butterflyfish
3 Small Waitei Anthias

+ the existing damsel and chromis.

So right off the bat i told him a majority of the fish were very difficult to keep for a novice, and most didn't get a long with each other and pointed out various other issues that one would immediately notice from that list of fish.. A long with the fact that i observed the blue damsel beating up pretty much any smaller fish that got in his way... particularly the small butterfly, flame angel, pygmy angel and false percs..


well so now, these fish all have died
1 1.5" Pakistan Butterflyfish
3 Small Waitei Anthias
2 1.5" spotted cardinals
1 1.5" Flame angel
2 1" False Percs

He noticed the other night that there was a 4"-6" fireworm or bristle worm in the tank and then read online that the worms kill fish, I told him that such worms are pretty typical in tanks and with the amount of food available in the tank that the worm was pretty unlikely to go after fish, and also that the worm was probably not big enough to kill a fish.

I instead pointed out that the blue damsel is continuously picking on the newly introduced fish and stressing them out most likely enough to kill them.. since, 1. they are not big enough or aggressive enough to stand a fight and 2. They haven't adapted to the tank and begun eating enough to be able to take such stress..

he continues to insist its the worm....

lets hear your comments please.

 

[Madreef]

I would suggest he joins this and other online forums. If he doesn't have time there are several books that he could read that would help. Scott Michael has some great fish guides that are slightly dated but still great reference material. Eric Borneman also has some books about coral and aquarium care. Again some of the material is slightly dated but completely relevant. A small library can be had for less than $250; a cost that is much lower than further livestock losses.

Many people choose to learn the hard way, and too often it's from a good salesperson.

 

[DBarsotti]

Thanks madreef, I know there are many great sources to learn from, I suggested to him that he should definitely read up on fish behavior and compatibility .

I mainly wanted people to point out issues they notice with my story, hopefully it can be a good learning experience for him and others with similar situations

 

[redemer123]

you should STERNLY inform your friend that what he is doing (stocking fish in a tank like that) is highly frowned upon in this hobby, It is very unwise. I would highly suggest he get on the forum himself and learn the basics this way your not the middle man. It upsets myself, and many others im sure, to see people do things like this. I almost certain that in a tank that small introducing such a massive bioload all at once is what killed all the fish.

 

[BlueHeaven]

I'd say adding that many fish at one time created a large bio load quick. I'd have to know more about why the tank crashed the first time.
Plus, what kind of equipment is on the system?

 

[secretreefer]

Hope peta doesn't call me but ............if he cant catch the blue damsel use this as a last resort......... get a long 12" needle, create a makeshift sling using a straw, rubberbands, electrical tape. put flakes up so the blue damsel comes up to eat and exorcise his tank........ stress + overloaded tank at once + new arrival + demon damsel = dead fish. seriously a blue damsel ain't worth losing all those other fish.

 

[Troylee]

Yeah I think he overloaded it man.... The most you wanna add is 3 fish at a time not 20 lol... It was cause a ammonia spike and you saw the result...

 

[DBarsotti]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, i appreciate it.

I have tried on several occasion to make him give me a call before purchasing a fish but he doesn't listen. i was just over there now and after a big water change and a bunch of carbon yesterday, the remaining fish are all doing well. I had a talk with him and he seems to want to understand why things aren't working, even tho he did bring up the worm again...

I am going to help him catch the stupid damsel so that should rid that problem from the tank.

I would by no means call myself a pro, but i have kept a successful SPS system for 4 years so I'm definitely aware of all the issues with the list and the amount fish. its unfortunate my warnings and advice were ignored.

I definitely hate seeing sw fish die, or being kept poorly. Hopefully our talk today takes his reef to a better place.

 

[DBarsotti]

I'd say adding that many fish at one time created a large bio load quick. I'd have to know more about why the tank crashed the first time.
Plus, what kind of equipment is on the system?

88g DT
25g Sump
has a Controller
dosing pumps dosing B-ionic
Runs Carbon
Reef Octopus Extreme XS 160 Protein Skimmer
shallow sand bed
4xt-5

 

[Aquaph8]

Thats a pretty sad story. I think your friend needs to learn a lot before he buys any more fish. Its awful that many fish had to die.

 

[GR808]

Yeah big D, I'd get rid of the damsel fish because they are territorial and if attacks other fish will stress them out and then ich and so on. Also, introducing too much livestock at once is a no no.

 

[secretreefer]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, i appreciate it.

I have tried on several occasion to make him give me a call before purchasing a fish but he doesn't listen. i was just over there now and after a big water change and a bunch of carbon yesterday, the remaining fish are all doing well. I had a talk with him and he seems to want to understand why things aren't working, even tho he did bring up the worm again...

I am going to help him catch the stupid damsel so that should rid that problem from the tank.

I would by no means call myself a pro, but i have kept a successful SPS system for 4 years so I'm definitely aware of all the issues with the list and the amount fish. its unfortunate my warnings and advice were ignored.

I definitely hate seeing sw fish die, or being kept poorly. Hopefully our talk today takes his reef to a better place.

yeah whatever man.. LOL close to a pro in my book....:xd:

 

[VegasRick]

Agree with everything you have been telling him. That's a lot of fish to be added all at once. Especially with an aggressive damsel terrorizing everything. Fireworms usually only eat stuff thats already dead or dying. Did you find out whether it was an ammonia spike?