Mysterious disease

[michika]

The skimmer does run 24/7, except for when its off for feedings. cleaning, etc.

What causes O2 to drop in the evening? Just the lack of water circulation?

[Jason McK]

How are your inverts doing?

With all your corals doing great it really doesn't sound like a Water problem. I like the O2 theory.
You say everything looks normal and all fish are behaving normally before lights out?

One would think that inverts and corals would feel the effects of poor water or even water contamination before the fish.


J

[KrazyKuch]

Originally Posted by Jason McK

How are your inverts doing?

One would think that inverts and corals would feel the effects of poor water or even water contamination before the fish.


J

Thats what I think......I run the Skimmer 24/7 and it's a big beckett skimmer so I don't really think it's an oxygen issue as nothing has changed really in the last 5 months, why would oxygen be a problem now...

My inverts are doing fine my anenome's(sp?) are both open and out, hermits seem to be really active(more so at night) my starfish are doing their thing, and the snails are doing a great job at keeping the glass clean!!!

We feed mysis, Nori, Formula 1 pellets, spirulina, Krill(for the anenome's)
all of which aren't that old!

If their was a power failure I would notice that all my clocks would have reset!!

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by michika

What causes O2 to drop in the evening? Just the lack of water circulation?

Lots of algae/macroalgae will add lots of CO2 at night and O2 during the day.

Also, was doing some reading on isopods today related to an incident that happened to me last night.

Here are two articles on parasitic and scavenger isopods .....

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

[Murminator]

How bout the nori? could it be treated with something? soy? salt? preservatives?

[michika]

The two kinds of nori are, your standard green from BAs and the Julian Sprung red nori.

Has there ever been an issue with these foods before.

Thank you Bev for the readings. I'll take a look at the readings next chance I get.

[mr_alberta]

At night your Corals and algeas produce CO2 and use up O2 from I respiration (I think that is what its called). This is when they convert sugar to ATP I think....

[J.Lloy]

If it is and o2 problem at night wouldn't it effect the larger fish first for them using more air. My parents pond froze one winter when the pump died, so with no gas exchange all the fish died except one...The smallest. just a thought

[Beverly]

The problem is either one that has built up over time and is just now catching up to your livestock, or one that has been recently introduced.

If the problem is one that has built up over time, I can think of poor tank maintenance, dirty (and not performing optimally) skimmer and/or powerheads, chemistry out of whack. That said, I would suspect if it was poor tank maintenance, both fish and corals would be suffering, but it's something else to look at.

Any new additions to the tank lately, either fish, corals, LR, sandbed, new food, or anything else that could have introduced disease or parasites?

If the problem is parasitic isopods, my understanding is that some species burrow right into the fish and may not be obvious when examining the dead fish other than an initial hole and a deflated area under the skin where the isopod has eaten the fish. One article says isopods are most active an hour or two just after lights out and before lights on. These times, especially after lights out, would be a good time to look at your fish using the red light as described in one of the links. If the problem is other types of parasites, I would imagine the same methods of looking for them would also apply.

BTW, any new fish deaths over the last day or so?