What's Wrong With My Tank?!

[gotteeguy]

This is a situation that has happened multiple times in the last few months-

I have nothing in my 30 gallon tank except LR, LS, one small slippery dick wrasse, and some hermit crabs.
I test the tank daily for a week. It reads
0 mg/L of ammonia
0 mg/L of nitrite
pH is 8.4
and nitrate is 25 mg/L.

So I decide to add a fish or two since everything is fine and I've tested it for a week.
Well over the next couple days (2-5 days) after the fish are added the ammonia rises to .25 mg/L. Nitrite rises to .20 mg/L. Nitrate rises to 40 mg/L. And at day 4 or 5, all the fish just suddenly die overnight, except the one wrasse.

This exact situation has happened to me at least 4 times in the last few months. And it may be happening again. 4 days ago I added in 2 surgeonfish, 5 small anemones and 2 blennies. The nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia have all gone up. And the fish are acting more lethargic and stressed.

Is there any explanation and what can I do?

 

[jtnova13]

This is a situation that has happened multiple times in the last few months-

I have nothing in my 30 gallon tank except LR, LS, one small slippery dick wrasse, and some hermit crabs.
I test the tank daily for a week. It reads
0 mg/L of ammonia
0 mg/L of nitrite
pH is 8.4
and nitrate is 25 mg/L.

So I decide to add a fish or two since everything is fine and I've tested it for a week.
Well over the next couple days (2-5 days) after the fish are added the ammonia rises to .25 mg/L. Nitrite rises to .20 mg/L. Nitrate rises to 40 mg/L. And at day 4 or 5, all the fish just suddenly die overnight, except the one wrasse.

This exact situation has happened to me at least 4 times in the last few months. And it may be happening again. 4 days ago I added in 2 surgeonfish, 5 small anemones and 2 blennies. The nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia have all gone up. And the fish are acting more lethargic and stressed.

Is there any explanation and what can I do?

Add 1 fish at a time on a tank that small... how much LR do you have in the tank? If not 30lbs, you don't have enough to be adding 4 fish and 5 anemone (which 5 anemone shouldn't be added to a tank this young or this small anyway).

The excess ammonia and nitrite come from too much livestock being added at one time and your filtration not being able to keep up. I'd add one fish at a time and only a new fish every couple of weeks to give your system time to keep up.

How much flow do you have in your tank? Skimmer? external filtration?

Need to know more info to say for sure, but answer these questions and we'll be able to help out!

Most of all, research! It'll save lots of money and headaches in the long run

 

[milkton]

This is a situation that has happened multiple times in the last few months-

I have nothing in my 30 gallon tank except LR, LS, one small slippery dick wrasse, and some hermit crabs.
I test the tank daily for a week. It reads
0 mg/L of ammonia
0 mg/L of nitrite
pH is 8.4
and nitrate is 25 mg/L.

So I decide to add a fish or two since everything is fine and I've tested it for a week.
Well over the next couple days (2-5 days) after the fish are added the ammonia rises to .25 mg/L. Nitrite rises to .20 mg/L. Nitrate rises to 40 mg/L. And at day 4 or 5, all the fish just suddenly die overnight, except the one wrasse.

This exact situation has happened to me at least 4 times in the last few months. And it may be happening again. 4 days ago I added in 2 surgeonfish, 5 small anemones and 2 blennies. The nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia have all gone up. And the fish are acting more lethargic and stressed.

Is there any explanation and what can I do?

its because u add wayy too much inhabitants at once.. 2 surgeonfish, 5 anemones and 2 blennies = 9 inhabitants in 4 days.. thats crazy!! your only supposed to add 1-2 fish every 1-2 weeks so u dont upset the balance of the beneficial bacteria.

next time add 1 fish at a time and see how that works. if its still like that then im outa ideas haha.

hope this helps and GL

 

[Twizted Nibbz]

all these are correct but whats actually happening if the nems are dying due to not good enough water conditions (cuz you added too many fish all at once) and they are nuking your tank. Really mate they are best left in the sea, get yourself a hammer coral or something of that variety and youlle have a much beter time and they look just as nice if not better!