Why My Fishes Die w/o Any Apparent Reason?

[marcvelous]

Hi All,

Please offer your expertise on this problem of mine.

My tank is about 3 months old and I only have fishes in my tank for the last month or so.

My problem started when my yellow watchman goby suddenly died due to unknown reasons. Just like to add that it's colour actually freshen up and became brighter and more attractive after I put it into my tank. I thought it was doing rather well when.... IT SUDDENLY DIED!!!?!?

I thought it was a one-off incident and didn't think much of it. Until today, my clown sweetlips also died!!! It was swimming amongst the rocks normally when I noticed something amiss as it started to stay in one spot instead of actively moving around. Then a few hours later, I saw it's carcass floating around in the water!!!

My NH4, NO2 and NO3 all zero. Salinity is okay. Temp is steady at 29 degrees.

It's tank mates are:

2 x Common Clown

1 x Green Chromis

1 x Potters Angel

4 x Cleaner Shrimp

2 x Brown Tubeworm

Can anyone help shed light on what can possibly be killing my fishes?

Please!

Thanks!!!

[marcvelous]

Can anyone help me?!

Don't want to lose any of my other fishes!!! Thanks!!!

[arcanehacker]

have you been dosing anything? Additives? Medications? .. checked pH levels?

Ok level for salinity is? 1.021? 1.029?

[marcvelous]

Finally... someone replied.

Salinity is around 1.022

Am dosing AZ-NO3 and been using it for more than a month already. In fact, started dosing it before I got the fishes. The clown sweetlips that I had was doing fine with it.

Like I said, one moment swimming happily and the next, dead!!!

As for my yellow watchman goby, its colour from dull to bright yellow after intro to my tank. One minute chasing food in the tank and the next minute dead on the sandbed!!!

Not dosing anything else.

Measured pH at 8.5 and did an approx 35% water change but not seem to help much (still pH8.5). How to bring down pH?

[shiraz]

hmm wierd.... maybe u have a mantis? i can't think of any other possible reason for the sudden extermination of fishes...

[arcanehacker]

why do you keep dosing AZ-NO3? ... you may wanna stop and monitor.

Your 8.5pH is during the day? If its is then should be ok.. pH fluctuates. Highest during the day.

[jc85]

Read in another thread that AZ-NO3 will decrease ORP. Use with care. Maybe the drop in the oxygen level affected the fish?

[marcvelous]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies!!!

As mentioned, I do not have any mantis shrimp or predators in my tank.

My tank consist mainly of peaceful fishes:

02 x Common Clown

01 x Green Blue Chromis

01 x Potters Angel

04 x Cleaner Shrimp

01 x (tiny) Red Starfish, dunno what kind

Have been dosing AZ-NO3 for more than a month already without any side effects. Only dose minute quantities to maintain 0 for NO3, so I doubt that is the cause.

In fact, the fishes seemed to be doing very well prior to their untimely deaths. The colours freshened and were swimming and feeding actively.

Since we are at it, might as well someone help ID this starfish of mine?

Thanks again!

[arcanehacker]

You might have mistaken our question when we ask if there is any mantis shrimp.. .. we know you did not add any mantis shrimps but have you been checking on your tank if there is any mantis shrimp..

have you been changing water BTW?

[marcvelous]

I'd like to think that I did a pretty thorough job of clearing my LR of any unwanted liveforms.

Careful observation also does not turn up any livestock other than what was added by me.

I do 10~20% water change every month or so.

After my Agogo died yesterday, I freaked out and did a 30+% water change yesterday.

Fishes are swimming actively and normally. Still clueless as to what happened...

[arcanehacker]

ok..

but have it occured to you that it may be the accumulated additives that is in your tank that caused all those problems? Dosing so much of that AZ-NO3 and doing only 10% - 20%/month would say something.

I'm not putting down what ever product you are using now. Just a suggestion. Touchwood but I just wouldn't be suprised we hear from you again in the next 2 or 3 months time.