Loosing fish dont know why

[michika]

Nothing in your set up description sounds off, or the cause.

What about the SG of your system?

Was your rock dry or live when you put it into your system? Are all these fish from the same source? Right now I'm thinking; another unknown pred. you haven't seen yet, possibly infection/disease, or even residual cyanide effects that are just unfortunately hitting you all at once.

[gkersten]

Spec gravity is 1.025 . I cant figure it out either . Not all of the fish are bought from same store. My last addition was a yellow tang which is doing great 3 weeks strong eating well etc . What do you think of the crab idea .. ?? B.s or any validity . Do you think the dotty backs could be that aggressive when the lights go out . I dont see any aggression during the day

[michika]

I'm leaning towards a larger crab. Something you haven't seen yet. I'm thinking probably at least 2-3". Doubtful its the dottybacks if you aren't seeing any of this behavior when the lights are on. Since they are all from different sources, they have to be sharing something to make the virus/infection angel plausible, which doesn't seem so.

[Red Coral Aquariums]

Sorry to hear of your losses.

1) Your water parameters look good but just because your corals thrive it does not mean it is a healthy environment for fish. But your readings do indicate the acceptance for fish. Also they survived well in the same water for 3 weeks but in a different tank.

2) Losing 10 fish over a 3 week period ( if I am correct) could mean a few predators and an efficient clean up crew.

3) Could you list what inhabitants you have and what you have lost and when?

4) At what time during the 3.5 months were the first fish added and inverts added etc.

Here is a few known points and a few questions. I have a feeling it is a mantis or a few bad crabs. Keep us posted and consider a trap in the meantime.

Good Luck
Kevin

[gkersten]

I think my best option at this point since I am not going to change the water conditions is to set a trap and see what I catch

Ill keep you posted

[Keri]

You'd be suprised what you can find hiding in 200lbs of LR....even months and months later. It could be a larger crab or even a mantis.


You should try spotlighting a bit late at night with a flashlight, see if you can see anything funny.

[Whatigot]

I picked up a blue led flashlight that is ultrabright but does not seem to scare my tankt he way a white light does.
it works really well for having a look at my pistols and crabs at night, I caugt one crab that way.

[Myka]

I'm thinking it's a mantis or pistol shrimp. Do you hear any "clicking" at night particularly when the lights first go out? I had a mantis in a 33g tank for 8 months before I found it. There was a 3" crab in a friend's 180g tank for over a year before he found it. So, sometimes things hide VERY well for a LONG time!!

[Bryan]

Used to have the same problem, until I came home one day and noticed a Mantis shrimp scrurrying across the sand. He had been there for years and I had no clue, every once in a while I would hear a click but attributed it to a snail falling off the glass. Took me a long time to find his lair.