Mystery deaths making me hesitant

[schleppey]

Hello, I have a 20 gal with a 6 line and watchmen goby, both quarantined and medicated. I added a pair of captive bred clowns and they were doing alright. They both looked healthy, not eating great but not starving, and that was the only hint of any bad sign I got. I have a decent amount of experience keeping fish and could not see any symptoms of disease, starvation, injury or anything.

After having the fish for a peculiar 5 days, they sadly both died. I was up before the lights came on and both clowns were fine, not even 2 hours later when the lights turn on one is dead at the bottom of the tank with his fins pointing straight out. Then within 2 hours of the first one dying the second one drops and looks exactly the same with the fins out at her sides.

I am bummed but have very few explanations. Did a water test right away but everything was regular. I thought at first maybe they came in sick with something but these were aquacultured from Sea and Reef who are very reputable. The LFS I bought them from specializes in captive bred clowns and is quite careful, so I doubt they picked something up there. Then I started to wonder maybe theres some madness going on in my tank.

My 6 line and watchmen were wild caught unlike the clowns, but are alive and well to this day. Now I am thinking maybe theres something in my water that is going to kill aquacultured fish because they have never been exposed to it, maybe flukes or some parasite.

This was all around 2 months ago and I have yet to add any fish but now I am looking to again soon, but still am a little hesitant. Any ideas of what happened to those little guys or what's happening in my tank would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[KJ]

Do you have any pic of these fish?

 

[HotRocks]

Hello, I have a 20 gal with a 6 line and watchmen goby, both quarantined and medicated. I added a pair of captive bred clowns and they were doing alright. They both looked healthy, not eating great but not starving, and that was the only hint of any bad sign I got. I have a decent amount of experience keeping fish and could not see any symptoms of disease, starvation, injury or anything.

After having the fish for a peculiar 5 days, they sadly both died. I was up before the lights came on and both clowns were fine, not even 2 hours later when the lights turn on one is dead at the bottom of the tank with his fins pointing straight out. Then within 2 hours of the first one dying the second one drops and looks exactly the same with the fins out at her sides.

I am bummed but have very few explanations. Did a water test right away but everything was regular. I thought at first maybe they came in sick with something but these were aquacultured from Sea and Reef who are very reputable. The LFS I bought them from specializes in captive bred clowns and is quite careful, so I doubt they picked something up there. Then I started to wonder maybe theres some madness going on in my tank.

My 6 line and watchmen were wild caught unlike the clowns, but are alive and well to this day. Now I am thinking maybe theres something in my water that is going to kill aquacultured fish because they have never been exposed to it, maybe flukes or some parasite.

This was all around 2 months ago and I have yet to add any fish but now I am looking to again soon, but still am a little hesitant. Any ideas of what happened to those little guys or what's happening in my tank would be appreciated, thanks.

Were both the existing fish and the new clowns all QTd? If so what did you use to QT them? How long etc?

 

[BadFish619]

6 lines can be aggressive

 

[schleppey]

Do you have any pic of these fish?

Unfortunately no. If there was something that had me concerned I definitely would have, but these fish looked literally pristine other than the fact they weren't breathing. I deeply inspected them in and out of water for a sign of anything.

 

[schleppey]

Were both the existing fish and the new clowns all QTd? If so what did you use to QT them? How long etc?

So all fish were qtd, but I am a little unsure of the process of the clownfish. The clownfish guy assured me that all fish he gets from s&r come in clean but he put them in a week qt anyway. Did not get the details on his qt because I was convinced they were clean as well I guess lol. The 6 line and watchmen goby were qtd 2 weeks with copper and prazi I believe, it was a little bit ago.

 

[schleppey]

6 lines can be aggressive

This is still one of my leading guesses on what happened but I could not find any damage at all on the bodies. I am peculiar but have not ruled it out

 

[HotRocks]

So all fish were qtd, but I am a little unsure of the process of the clownfish. The clownfish guy assured me that all fish he gets from s&r come in clean but he put them in a week qt anyway. Did not get the details on his qt because I was convinced they were clean as well I guess lol. The 6 line and watchmen goby were qtd 2 weeks with copper and prazi I believe, it was a little bit ago.

The only QT I would trust would be my own, and a select few other members of R2R .

If I were in you shoes I would set up a QT, treat your existing fish, and any new additions.

 

[HotRocks]

This is still one of my leading guesses on what happened but I could not find any damage at all on the bodies. I am peculiar but have not ruled it out

If it were from aggression it would be completely obvious.

 

[schleppey]

If it were from aggression it would be completely obvious.

Yea I kinda figured, just did not have much to work off. I am qting whatever new fish I get so I will just throw my current guys in there, good idea.

 

[RJinPV]

Yea I kinda figured, just did not have much to work off. I am qting whatever new fish I get so I will just throw my current guys in there, good idea.

In case it is aggression, and you want to get two more clowns, then put the six line into the QT tank when the clowns go in. That may limit aggression since the six line will not have formed a territory yet