Help!! all my fish are dying!

Justiena · Mar 27, 2017

Hi! so im new to saltwater tanks, Iv had mine up for almost two months and everything was doing great until this past weekend. I came home on Friday and my purple fire fish was dead so I did a water change, checked my levels (all normal) and just assumed he got picked on and was stressed out.. then next day my royal gramma was dead, I was baffled and upset, I did another small water change. This Monday morning I woke up and my dwarf flame angle was dead.... All levels still normal, I have a lighting maroon clown left and hes seems to be okay there haven't been any signs of illness... I dont know what is happening!!!!

(I have a 14 gal biocube, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite PH at an acceptable level and very low Nitrates salinity at 1.024 (using APR test strips))

IBroughtPopcorn · Mar 27, 2017

Justiena said:
Hi! so im new to saltwater tanks, Iv had mine up for almost two months and everything was doing great until this past weekend. I came home on Friday and my purple fire fish was dead so I did a water change, checked my levels (all normal) and just assumed he got picked on and was stressed out.. then next day my royal gramma was dead, I was baffled and upset, I did another small water change. This Monday morning I woke up and my dwarf flame angle was dead.... All levels still normal, I have a lighting maroon clown left and hes seems to be okay there haven't been any signs of illness... I dont know what is happening!!!!

(I have a 14 gal biocube, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite PH at an acceptable level and very low Nitrates salinity at 1.024 (using APR test strips))

Take a water sample to LFS to have your water double checked. What's the temp? Is there any copper anywhere?

4FordFamily · Mar 27, 2017

Based on the chronology, I'll bet the flame angel was a more recent addition?

When was the most recent fish added? Any other symptoms? Swimming in to powerheads, hiding from light, being cryptic, scratching, any loss of color?

Cflip · Mar 27, 2017

Justiena said:
Hi! so im new to saltwater tanks, Iv had mine up for almost two months and everything was doing great until this past weekend. I came home on Friday and my purple fire fish was dead so I did a water change, checked my levels (all normal) and just assumed he got picked on and was stressed out.. then next day my royal gramma was dead, I was baffled and upset, I did another small water change. This Monday morning I woke up and my dwarf flame angle was dead.... All levels still normal, I have a lighting maroon clown left and hes seems to be okay there haven't been any signs of illness... I dont know what is happening!!!!

(I have a 14 gal biocube, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite PH at an acceptable level and very low Nitrates salinity at 1.024 (using APR test strips))

Had the same problem. Still don't know for sure so I'm just letting my tank go fallow for 76 days and will try again after QT any new fish.

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 27, 2017

It's a very small tank for that many fish being added so swiftly. Maroon clowns are notorious for aggression, I would bet he killed every other fish to expand its territory. A 14 gallon tank is much too small for that many fish, not to mention a dwarf angel..

reefs+waves · Mar 27, 2017

Those test strips could be causing a faulty reading however a 2 month old tank is probably cycled, my guess is maybe that the temp is swinging in the nighttime especially if you don't use a heater. The fish may have also been stressed out because the is a tiny tank for all those fish.

Frop · Mar 27, 2017

Justiena said:
Hi! so im new to saltwater tanks, Iv had mine up for almost two months and everything was doing great until this past weekend. I came home on Friday and my purple fire fish was dead so I did a water change, checked my levels (all normal) and just assumed he got picked on and was stressed out.. then next day my royal gramma was dead, I was baffled and upset, I did another small water change. This Monday morning I woke up and my dwarf flame angle was dead.... All levels still normal, I have a lighting maroon clown left and hes seems to be okay there haven't been any signs of illness... I dont know what is happening!!!!

(I have a 14 gal biocube, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite PH at an acceptable level and very low Nitrates salinity at 1.024 (using APR test strips))

Sorry for the loss, welcome to R2R btw.

GreensoldierUSA · Mar 27, 2017

I would have to say that the maroon clown is more than likely being aggressive towards the others. I would also not keep that many fish in a small biocube but just my 2 cent

PJS · Mar 27, 2017

Welcome to R2R!
There's a lot of good knowledgeable people here to help guide you, good luck!

AntarcticIkeelu · Mar 27, 2017

You said your ph is at an acceptable level, what is that and did you test during the day or at night (2+ hours after lights go out)

Justiena · Mar 28, 2017

IBroughtPopcorn said:
Take a water sample to LFS to have your water double checked. What's the temp? Is there any copper anywhere?

The tank is at 80, no copper that im aware of.. I will take a sample tomorrow to the LFS, I noticed these little bugs all over the bottom of the tank and on the walls today they are clear with a red line in the middle, long antennas and fast. could this be killing my fish?? heres a link to a video of them in my tank

4FordFamily said:
Based on the chronology, I'll bet the flame angel was a more recent addition?

I added the angel last.. I guess I shouldnt have done that and wont again

No signs of ich or anything but I got garlic to add with the food for the clown just in case, the clown seems lethargic but is still eating

Thank you all for the help and input!!!!

cmcoker · Mar 28, 2017

Justiena said:
The tank is at 80, no copper that im aware of.. I will take a sample tomorrow to the LFS, I noticed these little bugs all over the bottom of the tank and on the walls today they are clear with a red line in the middle, long antennas and fast. could this be killing my fish?? heres a link to a video of them in my tank

I added the angel last.. I guess I shouldnt have done that and wont again No signs of ich or anything but I got garlic to add with the food for the clown just in case, the clown seems lethargic but is still eating

Thank you all for the help and input!!!!

Amphipods, they're good guys

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/amphipod-gammarid/

buzzword · Mar 28, 2017

Amphipods, awesome, and did not kill your fish. My guess is the Maroon clown as well. Nasty buggers. Especially in such a small tank.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2017

A dwarf angel I would say has no business being in a 14g ever. The maroon is the meanest of all clowns. That part sounded like a recipe for disaster.
How were the fish acting prior to death?
Were they shaking their head?
White spots at all?
Faded whitish areas on their scales?
Are you sure your tank cycled? Did you see your ammonia spike and nitrites spike?
You have way to much coraline algae for a new tank. Where did you get your live rocks from? I am guessing those are second hand

Justiena · Mar 28, 2017

40B Knasty said:
A dwarf angel I would say has no business being in a 14g ever. The maroon is the meanest of all clowns. That part sounded like a recipe for disaster.
How were the fish acting prior to death?
Were they shaking their head?
White spots at all?
Faded whitish areas on their scales?
Are you sure your tank cycled? Did you see your ammonia spike and nitrites spike?

They all seem to get along pretty well accept for the occasional chase from the angel to the gramma. I guess I made a mistake adding the angel, do you think it could have been sick? all the fish were great until a week after I added him

when they died they stared to fade. No ammonia or nitrite spike since probably 3 weeks in, I had a damsel but gave it back to the LFS

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2017

Angels from what I have gathered is a 50/50 shot at flukes. Disease not sure on those. Let me get a disease specialist in here.

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 28, 2017

I doubt it's anything more than aggression from the clown. If it's not showing any mal-signs, I wouldn't worry about it. You may have a hard time adding any new livestock because of him.

40B Knasty · Mar 28, 2017

I messaged melpry1985, but I am guessing she went to bed.
Your clown is the more resilient of the fish.
Where did you get your live rock?
I am so lost as to how you have so many bugs and coraline algae.
Maybe you have a hitchhiker in your tank or velvet. Velvet is deadly. Like 2 day deadly.

Justiena · Mar 28, 2017

4FordFamily said:
Based on the chronology, I'll bet the flame angel was a more recent addition?

When was the most recent fish added? Any other symptoms? Swimming in to powerheads, hiding from light, being cryptic, scratching, any loss of color?

The clown is at the top, right now near the heater and the return pump, he has done that since I got him, is this not normal? he only does it when the lights are out! He hasnt been as playful the last few days, I am really worried.. I dont want to lose all my fish, I feel like an awful fish mother

AntarcticIkeelu · Mar 28, 2017

I'm interested in what your pH. level could have been at night. Given that it is only a 14 gal and it was very heavily stocked, it is possible all of this was attributable to a massive pH swing. When the lights go out and your plants and coral stop photosynthesizing, your oxygen concentration decreases leading to higher CO2 levels which mean lower pH. I have a 150 gal tank with only 9 small fish, a 30 gallon refugium full of macroalgae with lights running opposite my DT, a protein skimmer, and a filtration system that has great aeration. With all of this my pH still swings from 8.3 during the day to 8.1 at night. Since your tank is so much smaller and was far more heavily stocked there is a good chance you were experience large CO2 spikes at night. Try testing your pH 2 hours after the lights go out and see if there is a large difference from day to night. If there is you can simply add an airstone and only run it when your lights are off to help offset this