Mystery Deaths!

Can some one please shed some light on my mystery deaths

I have just lost a blue chromis...he was fine an hour ago...then boom....lost all mobility, and floats around in the waves

The same happened to two pyjama cardinals...on a cycle of one a week...this is now week three

will i loose all livestock :'(

There are no outward signs...they did not even have labored or erratic breathing..they just keel over

pH 8.2
normal alk (weird test kit!)
ca 400
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 10-20 (dsb still cycling?)

the only additive is a 5-10% weekly water change with RO/DI

Tank is 50 gal with 20 gal sump/refugium

30 kg of fuji live rock...livestock left is one chromis, humbug damsel, algae blenny and maroon clown (all 1-1.5 inch) 3 hermits, snails, finger coral, pulse xenia and bubble tip....and lastly i have noticed a yellow cucumber (homegrown).

Could the latter be the cause?


HELP!

Levi

 

Do you have a grounding probe in your tank? John

 

Yes i do, but could stray electric be selective of what it kills? all inverts semm healthy.

Levi

 

Could they have gotten in a fight? I had 3 blue green chromis and sometimes they would go absolutely nuts chasing each other and running into the glass. They chased some of the other fish as well and they were hitting the glass hard. This was about the time they were spawning. Anyway, one blue green chromis ended up floating in the water and one of the other chromis didn't look to good and about a third of his tail was gone but he pulled through it. The other fish involved were o.k. It was mostly the chromis that went goofie.

Cindy

 

Thanks cindy, but it literally happened in a second, i was watching them and all was fine, went for a cup of tea and then when i come back it was on its side..all i can think was it must be some sort of swimbladder problem or (and i hope not) a vitamin deficiency!... but every thing else seems fine and i hope it stays that way!

Levi

 

Geologeek- What kind of crabs do you have in your tank? I had 2 firefish that were killed by some crabs I had in my tank and it was kind of the same thing, One minute they were fine and the next they were swimming sideways all over the tank and then it died. There was a small chunk taken out of them and it ruptured it's swim bladder. Just another thought. ......................... john

 

thanks for the info...and sorry to hear! i dont have any crabs in the main tank (well none that i can see) all have been bannished to the refugium.

The fish had no injuries at all....i have discouted lack of oxygen as the cause as i have two skimmers in action....one thought is it may be due to the cucumber and eggs (read a while back that they are toxic) but i just dont know!

i think ill just put it down to bad luck untill ( and i hope it doesnt) something else takes ill....

levi

 

How about an anemone do you have one in the tank? Or anything else that could sting the fish? :-/

 

That may have it the nail on the head..... I do have a BTA... but just assumed my gold stipped maroon would keep everything away!

 

I'd bet that is what happened. ................ John