Fish issues! Please help

[Jax1620]

My fish don’t care to live. Help!

my tank is well established 6 years old my neighbor lost interest and we did a gentle tear down and transfer. I took the fish a mandarin and a clown to the LFS. So I could let the tank cycle after we set it back up. Within a week I introduced CUC 5 here’s 5 snails 2 peppermint shrimp. One month later added a damsel. I did very well ate well and was very active. Three weeks later I added two small clowns. I put two frags in, a blasto, and a zoo rock. For about two weeks all was well, Parameters were perfect, and fish activity was normal. I thought I would add the last member of my ideal tank. A watchman goby. A week later I wake up, say hi to my fish, they said hi right back, and within 30 minutes of lights on I had lost both clowns, and my damsel. I am heartbroken. 

    I quickly took a water sample, then did a 30% water change, and added new carbon. I thought my goby was a goner never to be seen again. Then he surfaced. He survived somehow. 

  My water sample parameters before and after where near identical with the only difference a 1.023 to 1.024 salinity change. 

  With no explanation so far from any friends or LFS I have just let it ride, and watched the watchman for about two weeks while testing. I started to see a lot of algae as of late, and decided to give a lawnmower blenny a shot. It’s been 2 days. There is plenty of food for him but he seems so spend most of the day  just spazzing out, up and down back and forth like he can’t get comfortable. My parameters are still good. Just wondering? IS MY TANK ALERGIC  TO FISH?

 

30 gal all in on with refugium 

led lighting

temp 77- 78

no3 0ppm

no4 0ppm

ph 8

salinity 1.024

Ammonia 0ppm

[Clown79]

When you cycled the tank, did you see ammonia rise and fall to 0?

 

Did you reuse the old sand without washing it?

 

Do you have adequate flow in the tank? Lack of oxygen could be an issue.

 

If 1 of the first fish had a parasite, then there is a good chance that any new addition could be effected.

Quarantine for 4 weeks prevents this issue and a tank going fishless for 8 weeks kills the parasite.

 

 

Stray voltage is another issue.

[Jax1620]

Thanks for the reply. 

Yes to the washing/sifting of the sand

ammonia went almost to 10 ppm then everything was leveled. That was a few months ago. 

I tested the water for stray voltage with a multi meter, and could find nothing, but installed a ground anyway 

one of my heads is pointed toward the surface to create ripples, and the other towards the glass. 

No QT tank or time though. 

So far there has been no death sense that awful morning, but this lawnmower sure is all over the place. 

[Clown79]

If another fish dies, the only thing I can think of is allowing the tank to go fallow for 8 weeks.

 

Set up a qt and qt new additions.

[Jax1620]

Sadly I lost him. Water still tests fine so I am thinking they’ve all died from me neglecting to QT the tank 😞

i still have the watchman though, and  he has been with me for awhile. No change in behavior. 

In your opinion should I QT him?

And because the frags , BTA, peppermint shrimp, and CUC are seemingly well. Do they go quarantined while the tank goes fallow and dark?

[Clown79]

One thing that stands out that you wrote about, was that all the fish were fine until your last addition - the watchman goby.

 

Its possible that he may have a parasite that the others are getting or one that he is capable of fighting that the others can't. 

 

can you describe the behaviour of the fish before they died and physical appearance?

 

Are there any noticeable marks on the watchman? Most likely you haven't seen its poop to see if its white and stringy.

 

 

Is there any chance the watchman has been aggressive with the others(not common but anything can happen)

 

fish parasites do not effect corals, inverts, or cuc so they are fine to stay in the tank.

 

In order to 100% know if it is a parasite causing death is by qt  the watchman, possibly treating him for parasites and letting the tank go fishless for 8 weeks.

 

After that, any new additions should be qt'd to prevent any future heartaches and loss.

 

 

 

 

[Jax1620]

Thanks for your insight and troubleshooting. As a timeline goes. Yes you are right. It does seem like the watchman could have brought something into the tank. After reading your last reply Clown79 I observed him as well as I could. He has his hiding hole of course but he will always come out to eat. His appearance seems average. Could color, not spots, no blemishes, but I haven’t seen him poop so I can’t tell if he has the stringy worm stuff. 

 I have been wondering why the fish I was most worried about survived some VERY hearty species. So the possibility of him bringing something to the party seems like an answer to that question. 

 

If I can catch him. What should I look for while he is QT? should I dose with copper?or is it too late. Once again thanks for your help!