2 dead tangs

[DaveK]

So if my "lack" of filtration is what killed my fish why were there big wounds on my fish? I'm also not sure why I'm being told my tank couldn't handle the bio load when my ammonia and nitrite have been at zero since I first cycled the tank and my nitrates rarely came above 20ppm.
So far all this "advice" I've been given has been of no help no one has given me any reasonable answers to why my fish died. They didn't die from lack of oxygen or poor water quality, they weren't bullied to death I just want opinions about what might cause a fish to die in 24hrs time and end up with big wounds and pale color.

Your not getting it.

You created a poor environment for your tangs, too many tangs, in too small a tank, and the tanks filtration system was way below what you need for a tank that size. You almost can't help but have poor water quality, in spite of what your test kits read.

Most likely, you didn't quarantine them either, and tangs are notorious disease carriers, especially SW ich.

The dead fish show some obvious wounds, and possible parasites. It's quite possible the fish fought because they felt too confined. Each tang has a pair of scalpel-like spines at the base of the tail that can really do a number on anything they don't like. It's also possible they got all those wounds from flashing against the LR and corals because of parasites.

In my opinion that is why your tangs died. With those kind of conditions and stress on the fish, what other results would you expect?

I can't help but think that your unhappy because you are not getting the answers you want to hear. Just about everyone that replied to you gave you good advice as to why your tangs died. You don't need to believe it. If your still in doubt, and you really think you got bad advice, post those same questions on another reef forum, and see what sort of answers you get.

 

[josh10]

No I'm unhappy because I'm being told my tanks to small and my water quality isn't good enough I have the recommended 6' tank that so many people swear you need and what's the point of test kits then if the results don't mean anything apparently? I think I know my tank and my fish better than anyone and when I say my tangs don't fight I mean they don't fight also they aren't big enough to inflict that big of a wound. They weren't flashing.
I'm expecting something other than "despite your test results your water still isn't good" "you can't keep tangs together" but whatever have a nice day Dave thanks for all your "help". I'll go elsewhere to find someone who knows why they died instead of lobbing accusations and telling me I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[sirrealism]

The people on this site are the nicest of any forum I have been on!!! I have been a member of just about every large site on the net. If you know your tank and fish better then anyone why are you asking? I hope you find what your looking for some where else!

 

[Kongor]

I wonder if he has any algae that might be skewing test kit results. My NO3 and PO4 read zero as well but I know thats not true haha.

On the other hand he had 4 tangs so I'm sure any GHA would be consumed fast. Pale fish in MY experience are usually stressed and died from that stress.

But who knows sometimes fish just die also, maybe it had a heart attack? I've had a completely healthy wrasse go from pinnicale of health to dead in two days while all the other fish were fine along with corals inverts etc.

 

[shadibm]

Sorry for your loss, hippo tangs anchille are a bit sensitive to deal with, any thing could be a trigger to stress small area, nitrate level, re designing live rock....etc now the problem is that stress allow parasites to dominate in small period of time and it is a bit hard to find a system without parasites, strong fish will be protected by there immune system
, stressed fish will not be,
What im trying to say, is that it maybe difficult to determine the specific reason as for the hit marks could they have happened after death by any worms or crabs that you might have in ur tank?

I once found out Very late that i was overfeeding mysis food in late hors which caused a white bacteria explode during my sleeping time which suffocated my fish at night and all was gone by morning
Even recently i added a sailfin and a powder blue fish to my yellow tang and purple tang
And my tank is only 65 gallon, powder fish died on me while all other 3 are perfectly fine together, old 2 tangs are about a year old now
Just keep trying and keep an eye on any stress marks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Johnson]

To me the hippo shows obvious signs of ich. When a fish is dying they lose their equilibrium and sink to the bottom and get pushed around by the current. Then in their last minutes they dart into things and this is where the wounds could have come from.

Also, I agree that this is the nicest saltwater forum on the internet.

 

[cracker]

So josh, One day they were swimming around and doing fine,next day they are gone? That is a mystery . Sorry I think my query may bw a little late!