Multiple unexplained fish deaths within days

[fish4550]

Hi everyone, I was hoping someone here might have some wisdom to help save my fish. I’ve lost several fish within the last 3-4 days. It started with an emperor angel. The angel started acting lethargic and showed some stress spots (greyish blotches), was moved to quarantine, and died a few hours later. Around the same time, a Midas Blenny went missing and turned up dead the next day. Its body had no signs of any disease. A cleaner goby also went missing but I’m assuming it died and was eaten by my cleanup crew.

Two days later, one clownfish has gone missing- that clownfish had some light blotches on its front white stripe (I wish I had taken a picture when I saw it), and the other clownfish looks fine visually but is displaying odd behavior (swimming straight into the power head). I have several other fish (blue tang, goldline rabbitfish, watchman goby, Diamond goby, and pygmy filefish) that currently seem to be fine.

During this same time, I’ve had several rock flower anemones that also appear to have died/went missing after several months of stability in the tank.

180 gallon tank, set up for ~3 years. No measurable ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates are around 30ppm. Tank runs about 78-79 degrees. I’ve checked for stray voltage and didn’t have any (I also keep a ground probe in it, which I removed to test for voltage, and run it on a gfci outlet).

The only recent change in the tank was the addition of some coral frags (mushrooms and chalice). That was about 2 weeks ago. I ran them through a dip before putting them in. Coral appears to all be fine and growing.

I’m really puzzled here and just wondering if anyone has any ideas?

 

[threebuoys]

Can you provide photos and video, preferably taken under white light?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone, I was hoping someone here might have some wisdom to help save my fish. I’ve lost several fish within the last 3-4 days. It started with an emperor angel. The angel started acting lethargic and showed some stress spots (greyish blotches), was moved to quarantine, and died a few hours later. Around the same time, a Midas Blenny went missing and turned up dead the next day. Its body had no signs of any disease. A cleaner goby also went missing but I’m assuming it died and was eaten by my cleanup crew.

Two days later, one clownfish has gone missing- that clownfish had some light blotches on its front white stripe (I wish I had taken a picture when I saw it), and the other clownfish looks fine visually but is displaying odd behavior (swimming straight into the power head). I have several other fish (blue tang, goldline rabbitfish, watchman goby, Diamond goby, and pygmy filefish) that currently seem to be fine.

During this same time, I’ve had several rock flower anemones that also appear to have died/went missing after several months of stability in the tank.

180 gallon tank, set up for ~3 years. No measurable ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates are around 30ppm. Tank runs about 78-79 degrees. I’ve checked for stray voltage and didn’t have any (I also keep a ground probe in it, which I removed to test for voltage, and run it on a gfci outlet).

The only recent change in the tank was the addition of some coral frags (mushrooms and chalice). That was about 2 weeks ago. I ran them through a dip before putting them in. Coral appears to all be fine and growing.

I’m really puzzled here and just wondering if anyone has any ideas?

Sounds like something going on with water if its affecting both fish and inverts. I would focus on ammonia-ph-temperature .
What comes to mind is velvet but without pics/video under white lighting will be a mere guess.
Are fish breathing normal or rapid?
Any at the surface of the tank or swimming in path of current?
Any sudden darting by any fish?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi everyone, I was hoping someone here might have some wisdom to help save my fish. I’ve lost several fish within the last 3-4 days. It started with an emperor angel. The angel started acting lethargic and showed some stress spots (greyish blotches), was moved to quarantine, and died a few hours later. Around the same time, a Midas Blenny went missing and turned up dead the next day. Its body had no signs of any disease. A cleaner goby also went missing but I’m assuming it died and was eaten by my cleanup crew.

Two days later, one clownfish has gone missing- that clownfish had some light blotches on its front white stripe (I wish I had taken a picture when I saw it), and the other clownfish looks fine visually but is displaying odd behavior (swimming straight into the power head). I have several other fish (blue tang, goldline rabbitfish, watchman goby, Diamond goby, and pygmy filefish) that currently seem to be fine.

During this same time, I’ve had several rock flower anemones that also appear to have died/went missing after several months of stability in the tank.

180 gallon tank, set up for ~3 years. No measurable ammonia or nitrites. Nitrates are around 30ppm. Tank runs about 78-79 degrees. I’ve checked for stray voltage and didn’t have any (I also keep a ground probe in it, which I removed to test for voltage, and run it on a gfci outlet).

The only recent change in the tank was the addition of some coral frags (mushrooms and chalice). That was about 2 weeks ago. I ran them through a dip before putting them in. Coral appears to all be fine and growing.

I’m really puzzled here and just wondering if anyone has any ideas?

What other invertebrates are in the tank? Are they all fine? A key way to differentiate between environmental issues and fish diseases, is that the former affects both fish and inverts. Your anemones dying could be that, but if all the other inverts are fine, then the nems dying could be unrelated, and the issue is actually a fish disease.

Videos and pics are going to be vital here I think.

Jay

 

[fish4550]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I will try to get some pictures when I’m home again this afternoon. Although the only fish I could see any kind blemish on is the clownfish that has now disappeared. To answer the other questions raised:

On the inverts, I have a bunch of turbo/cerith snails, a handful of conchs, and 4 urchins. They all appear to be fine. The anemones are the only invert I’ve seen a problem with.

The one clownfish that is still visible was swimming in the power head current this morning. Other than that he looked normal. The blenny did do some sudden darting the night before it died. I haven’t noticed anything abnormal in swimming or breathing from any of the other fish.