This is wierd :(

[Reefer333]

No changes before manderine died, I didn't adjust or do anything to tank so the BSJF could get acclimated. All I do is 5 gallon water change every week. Unfortunatly I could not remove manderine because he was behind my 90lbs of live rock, my brittle star took care of him tho. My clean up crew includes some(20+) hermit crabs, sand sniffting snails, brittle star, and some glass cleaning snails, no mantis tho. How do I get a hold of Leebeca? I'm still learning my way around this forum.

Stefan

[lcstorc]

Send her a pm with a link to the thread and a brief description of what happened. She usually responds the next time she is on-line.
She knows more about fish nutrition and disease than I could ever know.

[Reefer333]

I tried to PM her but it said Leebeca wasnt a name. Is there another name she is under?

[goldenmean]

Leebca

[lcstorc]

Sorry I forgot the right spelling. My bad.

[Dentoid]

Apparently Lee doesn't have time for our PMs.

PMs May Go Unanswered

[Reefer333]

Guess I'll just leave her alone...haha

[goldenmean]

from Leebca's post that is linked above:

...The exception to the above is to PM me to look at a post in another Forum on RS...

From my experience Lee keeps a close eye on the Fish Diseases & Treatments forum which is a sub forum of Saltwater fish. Since this thread is in the BS Club forum you should PM Lee with a link to and an invitation to look in on this thread. She has been a tremendous help with my QT set up and problems.

[Reefer333]

I'll give it a try!! Thanks for the heads up, I would love to see what she thinks.

[leebca]

Sorry to hear of your losses. It is often frustrating when the cause of multiple losses is not evident. But, we can only guess using our best investigative skills and knowledge.

I don't find in this thread any information regarding the size or type of system you are running. I may have missed it in this long thread, though. However, they may not be of direct significance.

From what I've been able to observe so far:
1. The fish are not being fed with the proper nutrition;
2. The sudden loses are often related to poisons or
3. The introduction of a devastating disease/pathogen.

With respect to 1., this of course does not cause a sudden loss. However, if it is coupled with 2. and/or 3., can further precipitate sudden losses (read on). Still, it is something you want to correct in the long run. Garlic does not compensate for lack of nutrients in the diet.

With respect to 2., fishes have different tolerances for poisons. Your losses indicate the possibility that those fishes have a low threshold to the particular poison.

With respect to 3., this is likely if there has been an introduction of any marine life or decorations or ? from another marine system, that hasn't been properly quarantined. HOWEVER, there are many diseases which 'lurk about' (a scientific term ). One of which is brooklynellosis, which Anemonefish are often the victim and which, when infected can easily spread to other fishes. When a fish is malnourished (item 1.) it sometimes allows a lurking pathogen to get a foothold. Once reproducing, that pathogen can spread quickly. Brooklynellosis is one disease that can kill as fast as you've seen your current losses. So is Marine Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum). The symptoms of both of these diseases are what you have reported you observed. Maybe as a point of interest, brooklynellosis used to be referred often to as, 'the old age disease' because it could show up quite a bit later in the captive fish's life.

The final determination is usually done by postmortem -- not something that is going to happen here. The best course is to investigate all avenues yourself and list the greatest likelihood for the cause.

I will add that you cannot rule out poison too quickly. You did not rinse out or 'break in' the skimmer and usually, a new skimmer is broken in on a new system where it can 'work itself into the day-to-day load.' A previously uncleaned piece of any kind of equipment is easily a source of a contaminate that can affect certain fishes.

As others have pointed out, another source of poison is dead, decaying matter (fish, invert, etc.), and/or the disturbance of long settled and detritus ridden substrates.

Also, with respect to poison, many invertebrates, corals, etc. use chemical warfare to maintain territory or to beat out competitive marine life. Our reef aquariums are nothing like real reefs. In a real setting a specific kind of coral may occupy up to several square meters of space before another coral or invertebrate has a chance to do the same. We pack these marine lifeforms into a small area and hope they get along, when the reality is that they don't. A very real source of poison, unknown to you the owner and totally unseen, is some of these releases into a marine system by corals and invertebrates. This has a high likelihood in your case -- your water quality is reported to be good and the tank is maturing and your inverts are now poised or 'wanting' to expand their territory. Conditions would seem to be good for procreation.

The volume and type of system quite often can cope with such poisons from this 'chemical warfare' activity. The use of a skimmer and activated carbon (I did not read where you use this) does much to remove such organic poisons. I always recommend the use of both in reef aquariums, along with the phosphate remover you did mention.

But, in all the above, a healthy fish, properly nourished, in a proper marine system, has the best chance to resist/repel such chemical attacks. But, there are no guarantees and like in this case, there may never be a validated cause for the losses.

The above is all I could offer for consideration in your investigation.

[Reefer333]

Great Info Lee!! Tank size is 34gallons. What kind of proper nutrition should I be feeding?

[goldenmean]

Check out this skicky thread from Lee
feeding-marine-fish-marine-fish-nutrition.html

There are a lot of most useful stickeys in the fish disease and treatment forum

[Reefer333]

Thanks Goldenmean!! you have been very helpful

Stefan

[lcstorc]

Great info as always Lee. I always learn something when you post.

[Reefer333]

The LEE has spoken , Oh yeah Lynn, I was checking out your tank last night, Looks great!!