Losing fish

reefchaser · Feb 15, 2013

Yesterday morning i looked in the tank and i could not find one of my yellow damsel's. I got up this morning and i found one of my cardinal's half way under a rock with a snail on it. Please help!!!! I have one cardinal and one damsel left.

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Connie · Feb 15, 2013

How old is your tank? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite?

reefchaser · Feb 15, 2013

They have been in there for a week. They are fine during the day but at night im losing them. My nitrates and amonia is zero. I was wondering if i had a pest thats coming out.

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Connie · Feb 15, 2013

It would be really hard for a pest to catch a damsel, so I don't think that is it. Have you checked your PH? How old is your tank? It might not be finished cycling yet if it is new.

mike007 · Feb 15, 2013

Without knowing what your water parameters are it is hard to diagnose your problem. Damsels are hard to kill so there is something bad wrong.

reefchaser · Feb 15, 2013

Its been running for about a month. I wonder why they only die at night?

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reefchaser · Feb 15, 2013

My ph is 8.0
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Connie · Feb 15, 2013

Is your PH 8.0 at peak lighting time or at night? One month is too soon to add fish in my opinion. I waited 8 weeks before adding anything and then only added two yellow tailed damsels and that was all that was in there for another month. Without more information on your tank parameters, I would have to guess your tank hasn't finished cycling. If that is the case, you probably have nitrites which are very deadly to anything in the tank. Also, do you have a skimmer?

reefchaser · Feb 15, 2013

No i don't have a skimmer. I ordered one. My ph is 8.0 during the day. I have tested my nitrates. They both show zero.

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SeahorseKeeper · Feb 16, 2013

What size tank? How did you go about setting up the tank and cycling it?

ShannPeach · Feb 18, 2013

Even if you are testing zero for ammonia and nitrate, you may still have nitrite, which can also be quite toxic...so I agree with Connie and think you should definitely check nitrites also, just to rule it out if nothing else.