Why do my fish keep dying?

aandfsoccr04 · Jul 31, 2017

I have kept multiple tanks over my prior 7 years of reef keeping. I've never had a problem keeping fish alive until this tank. Tank is 80 gallons with 40 gallon sump. Mp40 power head that provides plenty of flow. Vertex alpha 130 skimmer. Zoas, LPS, and SPS are all thriving as well as inverts.

Tank has been up and running for a year. I have a bangaii, Chromis, and melanarus that have been in there for 8+ months no problem. I have tried three different sources for three different species of fish and each time the fish end up dying and I don't know why. I've added fish to the 57 (plumbed separately) right next to it and have no problems.

25%-30% water changes twice a month.

Tank parameters:
Salinity- 1.025
Alk-7
Calcium-400
Mg-1300
Nitrates-3ppm
Phosphates- almost undectable

The tank has all new equipment so I've ruled out stray electrical current as a possibility. I don't burn candles or use Lysol or air born cleaners in my house. Shrimp, hermits, and snails are alive and well so copper, although I've never used it, seems an impossible culprit. I've attached images of some fish that were added 7-27 and were eating over the weekend mysis, NLS pellets, nori, and fish eggs. I have an aiptasia filefish (acreichthys tomentosus) and copperband butterfly alive from this same order. Every fish added into the other tank from the same order last week is alive and eating and doing extremely well. Can anyone add some insight?

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aykwm · Jul 31, 2017

the pictures are not working for me.
I think its probably some sort of parasite infection that the current fish have developed immunity to.
Did you quarantine the fish and coral that went to the tank?
What are the species of fish you tried keeping? Did you notice any symptoms before they die? like rapid breathing, white spots, lethargy, etc..
If its parasite it will not effect inverts like corals or shrimps ,etc.. and your current fish stock are hardy and might have developed some immunity against parasites, but new comers dont have the immunity yet, so the parasite might overwhelm them and kill them within days or weeks.

aandfsoccr04 · Jul 31, 2017

What type of internal parasite are you referring to? Do you have a link that could point me to some reading material of the specific disease you are suggesting?

aykwm · Jul 31, 2017

not internal parasite, parasite in general like ich, velvet, brook, flukes, etc.
here are some of marine parasites
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-disease-index-pictorial-guide.285708/

prsnlty · Jul 31, 2017

aykwm said:
the pictures are not working for me.
I think its probably some sort of parasite infection that the current fish have developed immunity to.
Did you quarantine the fish and coral that went to the tank?
What are the species of fish you tried keeping? Did you notice any symptoms before they die? like rapid breathing, white spots, lethargy, etc..
If its parasite it will not effect inverts like corals or shrimps ,etc.. and your current fish stock are hardy and might have developed some immunity against parasites, but new comers dont have the immunity yet, so the parasite might overwhelm them and kill them within days or weeks.

+1 Have you tried a freshwater dip to look for parasites before adding them to your tank or after they began to get sick?

aandfsoccr04 · Jul 31, 2017

It's not ich as the fish aren't displaying the rapid breathing, spots on the fish, Etc. I sincerely doubt it would be brook of velvet as that would more than likely wipe every fish out in the tank. Two of the places I bought from dipped in furan and used prazi and went through a 14 day QT. I don't think flukes or worms are at play here either.

I have not done a freshwater dip on a fish ever.

Heather w · Jul 31, 2017

I probably dont need to but i have a list of meds i dose with every new arrival. Organic ich attack. I use a teaspoon a week for preventing purposes.

Heather w · Jul 31, 2017

I probably dont need to but i have a list of meds i dose with every new arrival. Organic ich attack. I use a teaspoon a week for preventing purposes.

And finally...

Hether w said:
I probably dont need to but i have a list of meds i dose with every new arrival. Organic ich attack. I use a teaspoon a week for preventing purposes.

Heather w · Jul 31, 2017

I have a pre mixed " prep" so with every new arrival is easily dosed and ready to go.

aykwm · Jul 31, 2017

did you perform the QT or did the LFS perform it?
Never heard of furan dip, I think you mean formalin dip which isn't sufficient against some parasites, and prazi is mainly for flukes. I believe its a parasite that slipped through quarantine and is now in the tank. Some fish will develop immunity and will show no symptoms, so its better to observe to comers for symptoms as they are most likely to show it.

aandfsoccr04 · Jul 31, 2017

How do you post photos in this thread?

Scarybo · Jul 31, 2017

Very few, if any, LFS perform proper QT. Not that they dont have the knowledge, but it is financially not feasible. The cost to treat and hold inventory for 30 days and not mix with new livestock is tremendous while the profit for fish is low. I would agree this sounds like a parasite and that your older inhabitants have developed some immunity.

prsnlty · Jul 31, 2017

aandfsoccr04 said:
How do you post photos in this thread?

What are you using to view the thread? Pc or phone app?

aandfsoccr04 · Jul 31, 2017

I have never bought a fish from a local fish store. All of my fish purchases have been online. I understand what a proper quarantine is and I'm insinuating two of the vendors do a 2-4 week quarantine period.