Urgent help needed

[Sharkz]

Something is happening very quickly in my tank and I'm not sure what it is. Everything looked great and was enjoying dinner when all of the sudden my wife asks did I just feed the tank? I came out of the dining room and my tank has/had literally thousands of Copepods or something all in the water column. All alive by looking. As soon as they come in contact with the sand or rock they take off running. I even have a lot of them floating on top of the water. My drain is crazy as well. But my skimmer is acting normal. I'll upload pictures asap.

My fish have been eating them and feasting away, so I didn't think much of it. But now I see 2 of my Emerald Crabs look like they are dyeing right in front of us very quickly like within 10 minutes. This has only been happening for like 15 minutes. I'm going to start testing ASAP. Any ideas? I wasn't too concerned until I start seeing my crabs dyeing.

 

[deaclauderdale]

Do you have cleaner shrimp in your tank?

 

[Blue Lip]

Pictures?

 

[Sharkz]

Yes I have a cleaner shrimp. I'm uploading the pictures to photo bucket now... Just a few minutes..

 

[Scarybo]

Keep an eye on oxygen levels. That would be my first concern if I had a bloom or spawning of some type. Air stone or surface agitation

 

[Sharkz]

How would measure or check Oxygen levels? I have 2 MP40's I can ramp up more if that will help?

 

[Sharkz]

This is what was crawling all over the rocks and water column. Copepods?

 

[Sharkz]

Whats left floating on top of the water..

 

[Sharkz]

This picture was the fish having a feast. Tough to see in the picture but there were tons floating but the tangs and Heniochus devoured most of them.

 

[Sharkz]

Cleaner shrimp is very lethargic. Hardly moving which isn't like him. He cruises all over the tank.

 

[Chrisfish]

#reefsquad

 

[Vincent100]

Following
Hope it's nothing to worry about

 

[Sharkz]

Changed my filter socks and this was from one sock. Most of them were alive and running around. So back in the sump they went.

 

[Sabellafella]

Changed my filter socks and this was from one sock. Most of them were alive and running around. So back in the sump they went.

Lol oh my, thats cool. Maybe they were having a frenzy!

 

[redfishbluefish]

That looks like an enormous population of amphipods.....a good thing. I'm scratching my head on this one.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Amphipods! They aren't harmful. My concern would be why they all decided to ditch home and go into the water column? Since your fish ate them all there is no point in asking whether they were dying off.

As far as the crab and the shrimp, I'd keep a close eye on them. They are all invertebrates, and would all be sensitive to a contaminant if it got in the aquarium. Good luck

 

[Sharkz]

This all has happened in a flash which has me puzzled. My Emerald was upside and falling off my rock. Since then he has righted himself and back hanging on the rock. But still very lethargic.

Test results using Red Sea Kit. 6 month old.
Nitrate - 0.50
Nitrite - 0
Phos - 0.04 (Think this higher as I have some Red Slime on the back wall in spaces)
PH - 8.2
Alk - 9.5

 

[deaclauderdale]

I was going to say a cleaner shrimp spawn, but appears that those are amphipods. Have you checked for stray voltage in the tank?

 

[melypr1985]

Those are amphipods for sure. Not harmful and great food for the fish. It's cool that they all of a sudden swarmed the tank, but weird. The crab situation is weird too. Sorry, but I wont be any help. Hopefully somebody else can help better.

 

[Sharkz]

I was going to say a cleaner shrimp spawn, but appears that those are amphipods. Have you checked for stray voltage in the tank?

Not sure. I don't *feel* anything in the water. I have two heaters both appear to be working? All equipment was purchased new in Feb this year. Not saying it can't go bad just don't know how to really check. Should I pull the heaters, clean and check them?