Almost a year into my first reef tank, keep having trouble with fish.

[mberry495]

I have a 24 gallon mixed reef and my corals do great, I test all the time and keep up with water changes.

However in this last year I have been through a lot of different fish. I had my first pair of clowns die of brooklynella. I had a watchman goby that tried to live in the filter compartment but when I put him back in the display he looked stressed and vanished, same thing happened with a lawnmower blenny. I had a lantern bass that munched on my copepods (which I had a good population of) but it started showing some fin nips (not sure from what) and disappeared. And finally most recently, I had replaced my original pair of clowns with a pair of black oscellaris which were paired and hosting with a BTA, and the male vanished without any sign of illness or stress that I am aware of. I want to re pair the female because having a clown pair is something I want to experience but now I am scared of buying anymore fish because none of them last more than a few months. The female looks okay for now, and I am keeping a good eye on her for signs of stress.

Is this just bad luck? I honestly don't know where to start, as its not like a parasite is wiping out all my fish immediately it seems that fish disappear in 2/3 month stages. Thanks for reading and any potential advice.

 

[Gabridge83]

How long did you wait to introduce new fish between the deaths?

 

[mberry495]

How long did you wait to introduce new fish between the deaths?

Generally around 3 weeks, although at least one fish has been alive in the tank the entire time

 

[sharis100]

Did you go fallow for 6+ weeks? Do you have any hidden critters- crabs, hitchhikers in your rocks? Have you addressed the openings to your filter compartment? - there are plenty of after market teeth coverings to prevent escapes and use of covers etc helps.

 

[Gabridge83]

Generally around 3 weeks, although at least one fish has been alive in the tank the entire time

Normally when you have a parasite outbreak such as ich, velvet, brook and so on you need to let the tank go fallow for 8 weeks to starve out the parasite. Other wise the parasite is still living off any fish still in the tank. The one fish that’s still alive might just have a strong immune system to fend it off. To truly get rid of it you’ll need to take the fish out treat them in a quarantine tank and let the main tank go fallow.

 

[Gabridge83]

To address the filter compartment issue a picture of the lid and how that area is set up would be helpful

 

[sharis100]

Generally around 3 weeks, although at least one fish has been alive in the tank the entire time

Then you have an issue right there. Clowns are most susceptible and this disease comes in on anything wet- lr, corals, fish, invertebrates. And once in a system you can have a host fish carrying it and infecting new residents. Check humble fish for proper QT and methods to irradiate.

 

[mberry495]

Then you have an issue right there. Clowns are most susceptible and this disease comes in on anything wet- lr, corals, fish, invertebrates. And once in a system you can have a host fish carrying it and infecting new residents. Check humble fish for proper QT and methods to irradiate.

Should I just assume its a parasite hanging around? I am a little nervous to treat with copper and other meds and introduce that stress if it doesn't turn out to be the issue.

 

[Gabridge83]

Should I just assume its a parasite hanging around? I am a little nervous to treat with copper and other meds and introduce that stress if it doesn't turn out to be the issue.

I haven’t used copper I’m not comfortable with it but I know others that use it all the time. Odds are it is a parasite if your parameters are good. I used humble fish tank transfer method when I had a severe outbreak of ich and their method to treat Brook when we think that’s what hit our other tank. Now we use their quarantine method.

 

[sharis100]

Follow instructions on Humble to treat your fish. That will not of course solve your overflow issue and if there is some predator in your tank- crab etc.

 

[Gabridge83]

Follow instructions on Humble to treat your fish. That will not of course solve your overflow issue and if there is some predator in your tank- crab etc.

Exactly what @sharis100 said too! Lots of different factors without seeing the tank and what’s all in it

 

[Adam]

Here's a link.

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