New additions can't survive

[ddrew78]

Ok, so I decided to make this a separate thread from misspool's since my 2 clowns, neon spot wrasse, flame angel, 2 shrimp, lobster, horseshoe crab and 2 anemones have been doing fine for about 6 months.  However, any new fish I add dies within two weeks. I've added two pacific blue tangs, they were happy for almost two weeks, one morning one was missing (I have to blame the lobster since I never found a body), the next morning the second was dead.  Added a sailfin tang, died after two days.  Tried a pink square anthias, died after about a week. I wouldn't be so confused if my other inhabitants were having issues, but the fact that they're fine makes me wonder. One more thing, I can't keep snails for more than a few weeks, but that's b/c the wrasse keeps eating them.  Also, I have yet to be able to keep an emerald crab for more than 4 months.  Any ideas?

SG - 0.123
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - slightly above 20 (gonna be doing a water change this week)
temp - varies between 80.1 and 81.2

[Coral Hind]

Your water parameters look fine for fish. It sounds like an aggression issue. Do the fins of the dead fish look torn like it was being picked on? I am not familiar with the "neon spot" wrasse but it sounds like a Coris aygula. The C. aygula can be very aggressive.

Do you have a night light over your tank. When ever you keep anemones it is best to have some kind of night light. When the lights go out the fish can not see where they are going and they can bump into an anemone and get stung pretty bad or even eaten. What type of anemones do you have?

Before buying any fish you should make sure it is eating. Always ask the staff to put a little food in the tank and watch. Anthias have a very fast metabolism and they do nest with several small meals a day instead of one large one. When you bring home new fish you should always bring home some live brine shrimp too. Some new fish don't adjust to dried foods well and starve. When adding a new fish it helps to rearrange the rocks so the existing fish have to find new homes and territories so they tend to leave the new fish alone some. If you have a sump or a place to quarantine the new fish it can help. Place them in there so they can get used to the tank water and you can observe them before adding them into the display area. That would rule out the chance that if one dies it was from a tankmate.

[ddrew78]

The Wrasse is not agressive at all (unless you're talking about snails, it likes eating them).  As for feedings, I usually do  at least two a day, preferrably three.  Also, I give brine shrimp at least four to five times a week.  I haven't looked at the fins of the dead fish, but I'll be sure to do  that if it happens again. The last time I added a new fish (sailfin tang), I completely rearranged the entire tank while he was getting acclimated to the water.  Also, I usually feed the tank within an hour of adding new fish, and they've always eaten rightaway.  I will have to look into adding some lighting for nighttime, even though there is some ambient light (from a digital picture frame) in the room at night.

Thanks for the quick response, as always.  I'll hopefully be trying a new addition within the next two or three weeks; I llike to wait at least four to five weeks after a fish dies before adding something else, just in case it was a parasite that killed the last one.

[Coral Hind]

I llike to wait at least four to five weeks after a fish dies before adding something else, just in case it was a parasite that killed the last one.

That is a very wise choice.

Do you have sump?

[ddrew78]

No, I don't, I have a CPR BakPak2, which has been doing a great job so far.  And it's fairly easy to maintain 

[Coral Hind]

Watch the tank good when you add the next new fish, after the lights go out too. Just to make sure no fighting is going on. Also make sure you acclimate the fish slowly to your tank water.

[ddrew78]

Thanks for the advise. I already moved some stuff around the room to give some ambient light to the tank at night.  As for acclimating the fish to the water, I usually take about an hour to do that.

[ddrew78]

Maybe, just maybe my luck is turning.  I purchased a pacific blue tang about 3 weeks ago (you probably noticed the big one no longer at the store).  He's doing fine, eating plenty, and barely hides any more (unless I'm doing a water change).

Thanks for all the advise you give on here, it's an increadible help for someone like myself.  New pictures should be up with the next week or so 

[Coral Hind]

That is awesome news and you are welcome.