Never ever get too comfortable!

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I noticed for a few days my black tang was hiding a lot. He quit going for the nori stick but still ate everything else. I figured mayyyybe he feels a little crowded, mayyyybe my LT tang pushes him off the nori so he feels intimidated... let's take him out along with two other tangs. Well that didn't fix the problem. Then i thought, I've been meaning to test my water, haven't done that in a long time. Thought to myself can't possibly be something wrong with my water though, otherwise my more delicate fish would show signs of discomfort as well. Whyyyyyy whyyyyy didn't I test my water sooner. I've lagged it a bit with my water changes on my main tank and turned out my ph over time dropped lower than my kit could possibly go and then some. I added a ph buffer and not sure how long it took but by morning I tested again and it was roughly 8. Left for vegas Saturday morning just got back a few minutes ago and found him. Have to start saving for another one[emoji27] . Never get too comfortable guys because this is what happens when you do!
f77d4cd271b4ad1b9bc8e2eaf82ec7d4.jpg
 

Triggreef

Zoa Addict
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
4,928
Reaction score
2,808
Location
East Hampton, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sorry for your loss. I'm kind of doubting that is was the ph that did him in though. Especially if that was the only loss.

Do you quarantine? I would assume so if your keeping such expensive fish.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sorry for your loss. I'm kind of doubting that is was the ph that did him in though. Especially if that was the only loss.

Do you quarantine? I would assume so if your keeping such expensive fish.
Thank you, but why the doubt? The tiny spots is sand btw. I do qt. I got him about the size of a half dollar back early November, from then to now he grew to be 5" and died with a fat belly.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maybe you raised your pH too quickly?

Sucks man :(
You're right, maybe. I kind of went into panic though. I should have kept my cool and raised it a little slower. Maybe he would have made it if I did it slower, maybe I shocked him. Hope ppl reading this take it to heart though and really don't get too comfy and stay on top of things regardless if everything and everyone looks good.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Agree; most likely not the cause.
I think it played a major role and me bringing the ph back up too quickly and him being weak may have just thrown him over the top. I actually have noticed too though that since I stabilized my ph my royal gramma and my blue face angel swim more and hide less.
 

Triggreef

Zoa Addict
View Badges
Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
4,928
Reaction score
2,808
Location
East Hampton, CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just being that there is a blue face in the same tank would make me doubt that it was pH since at least ime angels are much more fragile than tangs. Also pH fluctuates quite a bit in most systems and fish should be able to handle that. Tangs in general, especially zebrasoma family are just extremely hardy, with exception to ich, flukes, velvet, etc.

That said, I would think that the pH simply being very low (acidic) would be much worse than even a fast spike to the alkaline side. But I have nothing scientific to back that up. ;)

All the same, I would keep a very close eye on the remaining fish, for signs of flukes.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just being that there is a blue face in the same tank would make me doubt that it was pH since at least ime angels are much more fragile than tangs. Also pH fluctuates quite a bit in most systems and fish should be able to handle that. Tangs in general, especially zebrasoma family are just extremely hardy, with exception to ich, flukes, velvet, etc.

That said, I would think that the pH simply being very low (acidic) would be much worse than even a fast spike to the alkaline side. But I have nothing scientific to back that up. ;)

All the same, I would keep a very close eye on the remaining fish, for signs of flukes.
Thank you for the input. Will keep an eye on them more than usual. Doubt it's flukes though because I've been through it and have administered two doses of prazipro quite some time ago and have qt all new comers 4 to 6 weeks with copper and prazipro. I do find it very odd though but can't think of anything else.
 

Myka

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
1,041
Reaction score
676
Location
SK, Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've lagged it a bit with my water changes on my main tank and turned out my ph over time dropped lower than my kit could possibly go and then some. I added a ph buffer and not sure how long it took but by morning I tested again and it was roughly 8.

Sorry for your loss. I also doubt that it was pH that caused the fish's demise.

On the other hand, I would strongly recommend that if you're going to directly mess with pH like that (which should be left to advanced aquarists imo) then you should at least buy a digital pH meter instead of using a crappy drop test kit which is not particularly accurate. Also, directly messing with pH by using buffers will usually cause nothing but pH spike and drop as pH is controlled by many factors and will have a strong tendency to go back to where it was unless you improve conditions so pH can rise naturally. You need to find the root of the problem.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sorry for your loss. I also doubt that it was pH that caused the fish's demise.

On the other hand, I would strongly recommend that if you're going to directly mess with pH like that (which should be left to advanced aquarists imo) then you should at least buy a digital pH meter instead of using a crappy drop test kit which is not particularly accurate. Also, directly messing with pH by using buffers will usually cause nothing but pH spike and drop as pH is controlled by many factors and will have a strong tendency to go back to where it was unless you improve conditions so pH can rise naturally. You need to find the root of the problem.
Thank you for your input. I tested my water around 8pm, I was out of salt but had this buffer laying around. Was a quick bandaid while I got my salt and back to water changes. As far as the crappy dropper tester I'm looking into an apex now. Giving into the tech, had a tank crash due to a heater gone bad once now this with my ph, would like that piece of mind of a text alert.
 

MUSBFRANK

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 17, 2011
Messages
227
Reaction score
157
Location
LOS ANGELES
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Of course it was your ph, particularly your alk, it's the common situation of everything looks good so everything must be good. All the while your alk or other parameters are slowly dropping over time because (as you said) you're not testing and all the fish tolerate the gradual change for as long as they can. Never rely on the weakest fish to show signs of distress, almost never hits the weakest or least expensive fish first. Anyhow my guess is that the Tang had all he could take of the depleted levels and the end result being death. Lastly never a good idea to raise parameters as such over night, whatever your levels dropped down to, the fish were introduced to them slowly and you should've raised them just the same, slowly. Sorry for your loss and thanks for reminding us all to never take things for granted.
 
OP
OP
M

mmarro99

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 10, 2015
Messages
221
Reaction score
68
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Of course it was your ph, particularly your alk, it's the common situation of everything looks good so everything must be good. All the while your alk or other parameters are slowly dropping over time because (as you said) you're not testing and all the fish tolerate the gradual change for as long as they can. Never rely on the weakest fish to show signs of distress, almost never hits the weakest or least expensive fish first. Anyhow my guess is that the Tang had all he could take of the depleted levels and the end result being death. Lastly never a good idea to raise parameters as such over night, whatever your levels dropped down to, the fish were introduced to them slowly and you should've raised them just the same, slowly. Sorry for your loss and thanks for reminding us all to never take things for granted.
I really feel that's what it was. I panicked too and made a noob mistake and raised it too quickly. I just want it to be a lesson learned it could happen to anyone.
 

Myka

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
1,041
Reaction score
676
Location
SK, Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Is this a FOWLR or reef tank?

I just have a hard time believing the pH was less than 7.5 ish and ime fish won't get pH shock moving from 7.5 to 8.0 ish. What kind of buffer did you use? How low does your drop check test kit go anyway?
 
Back
Top