Sad Day Our Yellow Tang Died

[kdtorgy]

Our yellow tang died overnight. We've had it for over two years. He looked fine yesterday and this morning I found him dead on the bottom. All the other fish and corals look fine so I'm not sure what happened. He was full size when we got him two years ago so maybe just old age? I tested the water parameters and here's the following:
pH: 7.9 - usually 8.0 to 8.1 mid day when I usually check.
Alk: 9.8
Ca: 458
Mg: 1350
NH3: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 77
Phosphate: 0.00 - was 0.19 yesterday with Hanna Checker. I upped the dosage of NoPOx yesterday from 1/2 recommended amount to 3/4 recommended amount and am not running GFO right now.
Temp: 77
Salinity: 1.027 - I know that's a little high. Usually keep 1.024 - 1.026

Tank is mixed reef and is just over 2 years old. In the past week I've made some changes as I have summers off and am working to get water parameters correct. Typically nitrate and phosphate are high and magnesium and calcium are low so I've done the following changes.
1. Dosing BRS calcium, magnesium and alkalinity with a Red Sea doser. I've been bringing up the parameters slowly so I don't think that's an issue.
2. Dosing live phytoplankton and Red Sea Reef Energy + (following manufacturer dosing schedule).
3. Dosing Red Sea NoPOx - dosing 1/2 of recommendations.
4. Added a chaeto fuge - dosed with Chaeto Gro for the first time yesterday. I got the chaeto from a trusted LFS and did a five minute dip before adding it. All the other fish are acting normal so I don't think there's an infection but who knows.

Water is a little yellow this morning so I added carbon in a filter bag to the baffle. I'm not going to dose NoPOx for a few days until the phosphate comes back. Maybe I added too much and created a bacterial bloom?

I'm new to the hobby (2 years experience) so any recommendations would be helpful.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Any new additions to the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Our yellow tang died overnight. We've had it for over two years. He looked fine yesterday and this morning I found him dead on the bottom. All the other fish and corals look fine so I'm not sure what happened. He was full size when we got him two years ago so maybe just old age? I tested the water parameters and here's the following:
pH: 7.9 - usually 8.0 to 8.1 mid day when I usually check.
Alk: 9.8
Ca: 458
Mg: 1350
NH3: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 77
Phosphate: 0.00 - was 0.19 yesterday with Hanna Checker. I upped the dosage of NoPOx yesterday from 1/2 recommended amount to 3/4 recommended amount and am not running GFO right now.
Temp: 77
Salinity: 1.027 - I know that's a little high. Usually keep 1.024 - 1.026

Tank is mixed reef and is just over 2 years old. In the past week I've made some changes as I have summers off and am working to get water parameters correct. Typically nitrate and phosphate are high and magnesium and calcium are low so I've done the following changes.
1. Dosing BRS calcium, magnesium and alkalinity with a Red Sea doser. I've been bringing up the parameters slowly so I don't think that's an issue.
2. Dosing live phytoplankton and Red Sea Reef Energy + (following manufacturer dosing schedule).
3. Dosing Red Sea NoPOx - dosing 1/2 of recommendations.
4. Added a chaeto fuge - dosed with Chaeto Gro for the first time yesterday. I got the chaeto from a trusted LFS and did a five minute dip before adding it. All the other fish are acting normal so I don't think there's an infection but who knows.

Water is a little yellow this morning so I added carbon in a filter bag to the baffle. I'm not going to dose NoPOx for a few days until the phosphate comes back. Maybe I added too much and created a bacterial bloom?

I'm new to the hobby (2 years experience) so any recommendations would be helpful.

Bummer to hear
They do startle easily and often crash into glass or other objects
Any heavy breathing or other behavior yesterday?

 

[kdtorgy]

Any new additions to the tank?

Nothing besides the chaeto, dosing, live phyto. I did add a jar of copepods on Sunday night to start a pod population.

 

[kdtorgy]

Bummer to hear
They do startle easily and often crash into glass or other objects
Any heavy breathing or other behavior yesterday?

I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I've read that the reef energy AB+ can spook the fish a bit. They seem to hide a bit when I add it but come out shortly after it dissipates.

 

[kdtorgy]

I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I've read that the reef energy AB+ can spook the fish a bit. They seem to hide a bit when I add it but come out shortly after it dissipates.

Bummer to hear
They do startle easily and often crash into glass or other objects
Any heavy breathing or other behavior yesterday?

Come to think of it I do have a blue tang that is hiding in the rock quite a bit lately and seems to be breathing a bit heavy. I didn't notice that with the yellow tang.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Any white spots visible?

 

[kdtorgy]

no white spots on any fish

 

[kdtorgy]

Any white spots visible?

no white spots on any fish

should I turn lights off for a while?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Come to think of it I do have a blue tang that is hiding in the rock quite a bit lately and seems to be breathing a bit heavy. I didn't notice that with the yellow tang.

I’m suspecting flukes or similar but seeing pics under white lights will be helpful with assessment

 

[ZoWhat]

NO3 77?!?

Poor water quality due to
* ineffective skimming
* overfeeding
* lack of routine WCs

This hobby is a waste of your time unless you know exactly how to control your NO3 and PO4 with the husbandry skill of your choosing

 

[kdtorgy]

NO3 77?!?

Poor water quality due to
* ineffective skimming
* overfeeding
* lack of routine WCs

This hobby is a waste of your time unless you know exactly how to control your NO3 and PO4 with the husbandry skill of your choosing

Nitrates have been high since I started the tank 2 years ago. I've been trying to get them down, which is part of the reason I added a fuge. The tangs didn't seem to be bothered by the nitrates. I also started dosing NoPOx. I'm thinking I added a little too much and have a bacterial bloom. I stopped dosing NoPOx and will do my weekly water change later today

 

[ZoWhat]

Nitrates have been high since I started the tank 2 years ago. I've been trying to get them down, which is part of the reason I added a fuge. The tangs didn't seem to be bothered by the nitrates. I also started dosing NoPOx. I'm thinking I added a little too much and have a bacterial bloom. I stopped dosing NoPOx and will do my weekly water change later today

Bacterial bloom = O2 depletion
Your Yellow sufficated

 

[kdtorgy]

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m doing a 25% water change today and not dosing nopox for a while. Any other ideas about getting more o2 in there?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Point powerhead/output nozzle towards the top. Add an airstone.

 

[Chortanator]

No-pox suffocated my entire tank so it's definitely a possibility. Sorry for your loss

 

[kdtorgy]

Point powerhead/output nozzle towards the top. Add an airstone.

Any recommendation on an air stone?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Do you use a protein skimmer?
I agree. Lack of o2.
D

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any recommendation on an air stone?

Simple air stone even from Walmart pet dept
What test kit are you using for nitrate?
If youre running out for an air stone, stop at a trusted LFS that does NOT use api test kits and see what nitrate reading they come up with

 

[Sharkbait19]

Any recommendation on an air stone?

I’m not well versed in all the brands, but any combo of air pump, line, and stone will work.