Dead Fish :(

[NewFishGirl]

Yesterday our sandsifting goby died. He's been in the tank over a year. The other fish look bad, too, just lethargic and hiding. Oh yeah, a shrimp shpwed up dead this morning.

We did a water change last night and we're going to do another one tonight.

I am thinking it's one of two things.

1) We had to do a fish rescue on Friday night and unplugged the heater. Well, we forgot to plug it back in so it was unplugged all weekend (plugged it back in last night). Could a drop in temperature killed the fish? We live in Southern California and it's not that cold in the house, but I would imagine it gets down to 68 at night.

2) We've been trying to raise our magnesium and we've been dosing for the past week and a half. It's slowly been coming up. The last test was Friday and it was at 1280. Well, last night we tested it and it was at 1400! Not sure how it jumped like that, we've been following the online calculator and doing it slowly. Could the sudden change have killed the fish?

All other levels are fine: ammonia, nitrates, nitrites at 0. pH is 8.2, salinity--that is a problem. Our hydrometer has been reading 1.022, but I am pretty that is wrong. We're going to buy a refractometer soon. Whatever the salinity truly is, it's been consistent for many months, I know that.

The other things that have happened lately are we bought three coral frags and put them in the tank on Sunday. They seem fine. We also bought and added one small live rock that was cured. Could this have caused a problem?

I'm so scared the other fishies aren't going to make it! Is there anything else we can do other than the water changes?

[Doug1]

What size tank? What do you have for circulation, etc

[NewFishGirl]

45 gallon, about 50 lbs live rock, SSB, not sure what brand of powerheads--gives us medium flow, no sump, in-tank refugium, MH lights, hang-on Bak Pak skimmer.

[Doug1]

Originally Posted by NewFishGirl

45 gallon, about 50 lbs live rock, SSB, not sure what brand of powerheads--gives us medium flow, no sump, in-tank refugium, MH lights, hang-on Bak Pak skimmer.

When the heater was off, how about the other pumps?
Are you still running ammonia and nitrite tests to make sure the sand bed isn't going bad from the change in temp or whatever?

[NewFishGirl]

Everything else was on--just the heater was left unplugged.

Well, we tested the params last night after finding the dead goby and other fish looking poorly. So, we should keep testing for ammonia, etc., every day? Could we have killed our sand bed??? OMG, I had no idea that could have happened!

BTW, we have no QT, so we couldn't even quarantine if we had to.

Waaah!!!! I am so sad to think all our fish may die. Things have been going so well...

[NewFishGirl]

Anyone? I am at a loss here...

[depitch]

Not sure why SpG would be a problem for the fish.
LFS usually keep SpG from 1.018-1.020 to keep parasites down.

Since Mg level is up check Ca ans PO4 levels.

BTW... what type of water are you using for changes??

Is it store bought, home filtered RO / DI or both??

Could there be a contaminent in the water your using for the water changes??

What is the temp of yout tank now is it still too cold or maybe too warm??

HTH

Doug

[NewFishGirl]

I will retest all levels tonight to be sure. We have been working on our ca/Alk balance (and magnesium), but it was weird for the mag to just shoot up like that... we've been raising it slowly and haven't changed anything.

I supposed the water could have been contaminated, although I hope not because it's what we're using for emergency water changes right now. It is premixed saltwater from the LFS--we always go to the same place, no problems for the past year. Maybe I should call them up to see if they have heard of any probs yet?

An now the tank is 77-- that is what it was last night, too, when we came home to find our poor goby dead. It the temp dropped it would have been overnight. It can't get too hot because we have a chiller.

[Wolfenbuttel]

Well if you have a chiller on the tank and keeps it at 77, does the heater plug into the chiller? What kind of water do u use? A drop that far prob would kill some fish but what are your readings now?

[NewFishGirl]

It's premixed saltwater from the LFS. RO/DI for topoffs. I think the heater is plugged into the chiller. The temp is now 77, which is normal for our tank (usually77-78).

If it was the temp issue, does that mean the fish who have not yet died might make it? I hope so!

[NewFishGirl]

well, got home from work and the six line wrasse is dead. Just fed the tank and only one fish came out to eat--the clown. The damsel and royal gramma are no where to be found.

Did another water change and checking the params right now.

[NewFishGirl]

Could it have been the magnesium spike? (Still not sure how that happened???) The ca is 400 (normal) and alk at 2 meq (normal, but we've been trying to raise it).

Last night the magnesium was 1400 and tonight it's back down to 1200 after two water changes in two days.

[NewFishGirl]

Now the damsel is just about dead.

What do I DO?????

[dobejazz]

So sorry for your losses
Could you have stray voltage in your tank maybe???

[NewFishGirl]

Originally Posted by dobejazz

So sorry for your losses
Could you have stray voltage in your tank maybe???

could this do it? I don't know, I don't feel anything when my hand is in the tank. All the corals look fine and dandy, it's just the fish.

I think the royal gramma is dead, too, which leave the clown (the largest fish) and he seems to be hanging in there. I just don't know what to do!