Murder Mystery

JamesFocker · 04/24/2015, 01:15 PM

Hi All -

I am a fairly new saltwater hobbyist. I started with a well established 72 gallon FOWLR system. My step dad had the tank for 6 years and then we moved the whole system, fish, water, rock and all to my house. I enjoyed the tank so much I bought a 150 gallon tank so that I could get more fish. Again, I transferred the live rock and fish to the next tank along with new live sand and more live rock. I have 30 gallon sump with nice Reef Octopus protein skimmer, Empire Aquatics UV sterilizer and Little Giant pump. I also have two wavemakers that help circulate the water. The tank is generally beautiful. No algae, no nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH is always perfect, salinity is steady at 1.18; however I cannot seem to keep fish. Shortly after I got the new tank setup all of my fish died over a period of about 6 weeks. I suspected a parasite, so I added the UV steralizer and left the tank empty for 4 weeks. I actually managed to save one fish, a stars and stripes puffer, which I quarantined and dosed with copper and malachite green during this four week period. Since then the puffer has thrived, but most other fish die within a few days to a few weeks of being introduced to the system. I now have the stars and stripes puffer, a squirel fish, a sail fin tang and a bicolor angel. They have been okay for about 4 months, but about once a month I try to add more fish and they always die! I have the water tested and every time it's perfect. I have checked for stray voltage too and it is minimal. What is going on? Can anyone help me solve this murder mystery???? There is usually no sign of disease, no white spots, no pop-eye.... they just seem fine for a few days, eating, socializing normally, then boom, I wake up to dead fish or they suddenly seem sick for a period of 24 to 48 hours and die. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank You!!

CafeReef · 04/24/2015, 01:20 PM

Salinity of 1.18????? that is crazy high, do you mean 1.018? you want your salinity around 1.023-1.026 Sg

ucdcrew · 04/24/2015, 01:28 PM

Is the tank in the same spot in your house? Chemical contaminants, such as air fresheners (glade plug ins, ect) or the kind that spray?

JamesFocker · 04/24/2015, 02:05 PM

sorry, yes, 1.018 because it's a fish only system. I understand for coral systems you keep the salinity higher, but I was told for FOWLR system you get fewer parasites and happier fish with 1.018. That's also the salinity most of the acquarium shops I talked to keep their systems at for fish only.

JamesFocker · 04/24/2015, 02:08 PM

Yes, the tank is in the same spot. The temperature doesn't vary and I don't think it's getting any exposure that the previous tank didn't get. No air fresheners or chemicals nearby, but thank you for the head's up! I will tell my wife to be cautious with air fresheners and windex.

ReefsandGeeks · 04/24/2015, 02:19 PM

Although with FO you could get away with the low salinity, that's realy a myth fish stores have made to save money on salt mix for their FO tanks. There is some truth hidden in there, in that Hypo salinity can be used to treat some problems, but a constant 1.018 isn't going to do you any good as far as desese prevention. The fish all evolved to live in 1.024-1.027 salinity. Personaly, I'd keep my tank in that range even if I didn't have coral.
Do you realy have 0 Nitrates in a FO tank? you said your ammonia nitrite nitrate and pH are always perfect. What are the actual numbers? when have you last tested? Do you have any perameter fluctuations in your tank? temp? salinity?

04/24/2015, 01:15 PM	#1
JamesFocker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 3	Murder Mystery Hi All - I am a fairly new saltwater hobbyist. I started with a well established 72 gallon FOWLR system. My step dad had the tank for 6 years and then we moved the whole system, fish, water, rock and all to my house. I enjoyed the tank so much I bought a 150 gallon tank so that I could get more fish. Again, I transferred the live rock and fish to the next tank along with new live sand and more live rock. I have 30 gallon sump with nice Reef Octopus protein skimmer, Empire Aquatics UV sterilizer and Little Giant pump. I also have two wavemakers that help circulate the water. The tank is generally beautiful. No algae, no nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, pH is always perfect, salinity is steady at 1.18; however I cannot seem to keep fish. Shortly after I got the new tank setup all of my fish died over a period of about 6 weeks. I suspected a parasite, so I added the UV steralizer and left the tank empty for 4 weeks. I actually managed to save one fish, a stars and stripes puffer, which I quarantined and dosed with copper and malachite green during this four week period. Since then the puffer has thrived, but most other fish die within a few days to a few weeks of being introduced to the system. I now have the stars and stripes puffer, a squirel fish, a sail fin tang and a bicolor angel. They have been okay for about 4 months, but about once a month I try to add more fish and they always die! I have the water tested and every time it's perfect. I have checked for stray voltage too and it is minimal. What is going on? Can anyone help me solve this murder mystery???? There is usually no sign of disease, no white spots, no pop-eye.... they just seem fine for a few days, eating, socializing normally, then boom, I wake up to dead fish or they suddenly seem sick for a period of 24 to 48 hours and die. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank You!!

04/24/2015, 01:20 PM	#2
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	Salinity of 1.18????? that is crazy high, do you mean 1.018? you want your salinity around 1.023-1.026 Sg __________________ 50 Gallon cube

04/24/2015, 01:28 PM	#3
ucdcrew Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 563	Is the tank in the same spot in your house? Chemical contaminants, such as air fresheners (glade plug ins, ect) or the kind that spray? __________________ If it weren't for gravity and law enforcement, I'd be unstoppable! Current Tank Info: 25g nano, working on new 65g

04/24/2015, 02:05 PM	#4
JamesFocker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 3	sorry, yes, 1.018 because it's a fish only system. I understand for coral systems you keep the salinity higher, but I was told for FOWLR system you get fewer parasites and happier fish with 1.018. That's also the salinity most of the acquarium shops I talked to keep their systems at for fish only.

04/24/2015, 02:08 PM	#5
JamesFocker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 3	Yes, the tank is in the same spot. The temperature doesn't vary and I don't think it's getting any exposure that the previous tank didn't get. No air fresheners or chemicals nearby, but thank you for the head's up! I will tell my wife to be cautious with air fresheners and windex.

04/24/2015, 02:19 PM	#6
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	Although with FO you could get away with the low salinity, that's realy a myth fish stores have made to save money on salt mix for their FO tanks. There is some truth hidden in there, in that Hypo salinity can be used to treat some problems, but a constant 1.018 isn't going to do you any good as far as desese prevention. The fish all evolved to live in 1.024-1.027 salinity. Personaly, I'd keep my tank in that range even if I didn't have coral. Do you realy have 0 Nitrates in a FO tank? you said your ammonia nitrite nitrate and pH are always perfect. What are the actual numbers? when have you last tested? Do you have any perameter fluctuations in your tank? temp? salinity?