I’m KILLING fish! HELP! :(

[Cmartin7739]

"I have had success in it with one fish(squirrelfish) the other times when it’s failed it has been more than one in there (3 & 4)"

There's your answer right there. I guaranty you it is from overcrowding and ammonia. Don't trust a test kit, and don't trust an ammonia badge. I am certain it is ammonia from overcrowding, also perhaps oxygen deprivation. A HOB is not adequate, either for bio filtration or flow. Learned all this the hard way. Here's what I would do (what I do):

(1) Load (cram it) the HOB filter with bio media from your main tank. I pull a handful of matrix from my sump, and usually have a sponge filter pad that's been in the sump as well, and use that in the HOB. You want to go overboard.
(2) Add a powerhead. A HOB is not enough flow for a 20g (what I use). Keep the water lively in there for good oxygen exchange.
(3) Add biofilter supplements daily.
(4) 25% water change every 3 days (I use DT water, personally). You're going to use a lot water.
(5) 2 fish max for the 20g (unless/until you get very confident after several successful QTs). If you need to QT a bunch during the 72-day fallow period, you are going to need to buy a bigger container for them.

Thank you so much for the detail! I will start making those switches now!

 

[Cmartin7739]

I want to double check diagnosis with y’all that this is ich. The large spot does look fuzzy when looking up close.

thank y’all again for all your help!

 

[rlman41299]

What fish do you have in your display that needed to be transferred to a QT tank? A 20g QT tank seems too small of a Qt unless you are only housing a single clown fish. you also need a good water movement in there. I have read somewhere that you can't use both cupramine and prazipro together for cupramine is a chelated copper and if mixed with prazipro it becomes toxic. Also you don't need to seed the qt with beneficial bacteria since you will kill them all once you dose it with copper anyway. You need to find a way to control ammonia by other means. I would suggest minimal fish in qt and bigger qt while monitoring every single parameter from salinity, temp, ammonia to copper. Good luck.
By the way I never drip acclimate and never match my LFS salinity and have had good success with my method. I have lost more fish by doing the drip and match thing. I just make sure to temp match the bag with the qt by floating it for a few mins. What works for me may not work for someone else is.

 

[Cmartin7739]

What fish do you have in your display that needed to be transferred to a QT tank? A 20g QT tank seems too small of a Qt unless you are only housing a single clown fish. you also need a good water movement in there. I have read somewhere that you can't use both cupramine and prazipro together for cupramine is a chelated copper and if mixed with prazipro it becomes toxic. Also you don't need to seed the qt with beneficial bacteria since you will kill them all once you dose it with copper anyway. You need to find a way to control ammonia by other means. I would suggest minimal fish in qt and bigger qt while monitoring every single parameter from salinity, temp, ammonia to copper. Good luck.
By the way I never drip acclimate and never match my LFS salinity and have had good success with my method. I have lost more fish by doing the drip and match thing. I just make sure to temp match the bag with the qt by floating it for a few mins. What works for me may not work for someone else is.

I would have to get another tank because I have:
2-clowns
2-firefish
3-chromies
1-foxface
1-yellow damsel
1-hawkfish
1-pseudochromis

So I will have to use a rather large QT if I moved them all together.

 

[Qasimja]

you can get a cheap used 55G tank off facebook market place or craigslist i got a 55g tank and stand im using as my qt right now for 30 dollars off facebook market place