Looking for thoughts

[wfbaca]

Need some ideas:
My system Red Sea Reefer 525, approx 3 months old. Parameters have been holding steady for 2 months. I added a few inhabitants (starting with clowns) a week at 5 weeks.

Last week I had two clowns and Bristletooth Tang die within a day of each other (the tang was in the tank two days). No visible signs of color variation, parasites or foul play on any fish.

I did a 30% water change.

Parameters after water change:
Temp: 78
Posph: .15
pH: 8.2
NO3: 0.04
NO4: 10
NH3: 0.0
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 8.5

Purchased 4 medium Oscellaris on Saturday (they had just arrived at Petco (not many options for lFS where I am) and were not taken out of the bag from the supplier). I used QuickQuarentine with no obvious problems. Then placed them in my DT. They seemed to be doing well and eating well. This morning I get up and all four are dead. I have found 3 of the four fish and again there are no signs of trauma.

Parameters:
Temp: 78
Posph: .19
pH: 8.2
NO3: 0.05
NO4: 15
NH3: 0.0
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 8.5

Other tank inhabitants:
- one of each: 6-line wrasse, filefish, watchman goby, pistol shrimp, fire shrimp, skunk shrimp, spiny urchin, chocolate chip star
- multiple red hermits and snails.

I'm guessing stress . . . it just seems strange to lose that many in a short span.

 

[Jekyl]

Hard to tell after the fish have already died. Could be acclimation, could be disease. While I'm not a quarantine kind of guy, I would be if petco was my only option.

 

[wfbaca]

These fish never felt the wonders of Petco water. They were still in the supplier's bag when I received them.

 

[Jekyl]

These fish never felt the wonders of Petco water. They were still in the supplier's bag when I received them.

The problem lies in the supplier, not petco really. I doubt they are sourcing from dr.reef or somewhere reputable. They're getting mass quantities sourced for as cheap as possible.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'd say the clowns probably had something to do with the acclimation process...not sure what Quick quarantine is but if I were you I'd give the drip acclimation process a shot

 

[wfbaca]

I'd say the clowns probably had something to do with the acclimation process...not sure what Quick quarantine is but if I were you I'd give the drip acclimation process a shot

I did the drip acclimation as well.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I did the drip acclimation as well.

I'd just recommend quarantining in that case and watching them even more closely for maybe oxygen deprivation or something along those lines...I'm not sure either though to be honest...just offering thoughts like you wanted

 

[wfbaca]

I'd just recommend quarantining in that case and watching them even more closely for maybe oxygen deprivation or something along those lines...I'm not sure either though to be honest...just offering thoughts like you wanted

I considered hypoxia as well. But, I have a skimmer running 12 hours a day, good surface flow, and other fish and invertebrates are doing well (so far). Unfortunately, I do not have an oximeter.

 

[ChattReefer]

This looks like stress die off. We're the fish darting around the tank at all after you put them in? Or extremely skiddish and erratic? Could be Stray Voltage leaking from something in your tank.

So sorry for your loss and not knowing the cause. We've all been there in this hobby. Hope this place can help find you some answers! Keep going man! It will get better!

 

[wfbaca]

This looks like stress die off. We're the fish darting around the tank at all after you put them in? Or extremely skiddish and erratic? Could be Stray Voltage leaking from something in your tank.

So sorry for your loss and not knowing the cause. We've all been there in this hobby. Hope this place can help find you some answers! Keep going man! It will get better!

They had been darting around and eating. The only electrical in the tank itself are two new powerheads . . . I can't discount them as a cause, but I would think they would be fairly unlikely.

 

[ChattReefer]

They had been darting around and eating. The only electrical in the tank itself are two new powerheads . . . I can't discount them as a cause, but I would think they would be fairly unlikely.

Could be Skimmer, Heater, or Return pump down in the sump. I had a small power head I used for a reactor that leaked voltage (still worked and was pumping water though the reactor). I could feel the shock 3ft above in my tank

 

[wfbaca]

Could be Skimmer, Heater, or Return pump down in the sump. I had a small power head I used for a reactor that leaked voltage (still worked and was pumping water though the reactor). I could feel the shock 3ft above in my tank

I don't like how that sounds!

 

[wfbaca]

I don't like how that sounds!

No voltage leak was detected (thankfully). But, that still leaves questions unanswered.