Newbie Mistake Over stocked my tank way too quickly!

[southeastfishaddict]

Hello everyone, so I made a mistake and added about 30 fish in a 140 gallon tank in about a six week time period. I put in 100 pounds of rock, the micro bacteria quick start and bio filter media block so I thought I was good to go. Everything seemed to be going well, but suddenly the fish started to die. They were breathing heavily and some seemed to have small black spots on them. I was under the impression that it was an ich outbreak, so I was trying to leave my tank fallow for the ten week duration. I haven’t been able to catch one of the chromis though. So I’m wondering if what occurred was an amonia or an ich issue?

Any feedback wouldn’t greatly appreciated..

Thank you!’

 

[Jekyl]

Aggression was probably a factor. Beyond that it's hard to pinpoint. Most likely illness

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone, so I made a mistake and added about 30 fish in a 140 gallon tank in about a six week time period. I put in 100 pounds of rock, the micro bacteria quick start and bio filter media block so I thought I was good to go. Everything seemed to be going well, but suddenly the fish started to die. They were breathing heavily and some seemed to have small black spots on them. I was under the impression that it was an ich outbreak, so I was trying to leave my tank fallow for the ten week duration. I haven’t been able to catch one of the chromis though. So I’m wondering if what occurred was an amonia or an ich issue?

Any feedback wouldn’t greatly appreciated..

Thank you!’

This is even too many for freshwater. the likely issue was ammonia spike as the denitrifying bacteria was not able to keep up with new bio-load as tank is still maturing

 

[southeastfishaddict]

This is even too many for freshwater. the likely issue was ammonia spike as the denitrifying bacteria was not able to keep up with new bio-load as tank is still maturing

Thank you Vetteguy, it has been a couple of months now and I still have a chromi in there with a few cleaner shrimp and coral. Do you think it would be safe to add fish in now, or do you think I should try to get the chromi out and wait the ten weeks + just in case it was ich ?

 

[southeastfishaddict]

It has been a couple of months now and I still have a chromi in there with a few cleaner shrimp and coral. Do you think it would be safe to add fish in now, or do you think I should try to get the chromi out and wait the ten weeks + just in case it was ich ?

 

[JC1977]

It has been a couple of months now and I still have a chromi in there with a few cleaner shrimp and coral. Do you think it would be safe to add fish in now, or do you think I should try to get the chromi out and wait the ten weeks + just in case it was ich ?

If you indeed had ich then you would still have ich as long as there is a fish to serve as a host. So yeah unfortunately the only way to be rid of the ich is move the chromis to a separate tank and run the tank fallow.

 

[ReefingDreams]

Did all 29 other fish die?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you Vetteguy, it has been a couple of months now and I still have a chromi in there with a few cleaner shrimp and coral. Do you think it would be safe to add fish in now, or do you think I should try to get the chromi out and wait the ten weeks + just in case it was ich ?

Go fishless and focus on both coral and water quality before fish addition and consider quarantine in the future

 

[Cell]

No way you add 30 fish these days sans QT and avoid disease. If it wasn't ammonia first, it would have been something else soon.

 

[twentyleagues]

Devils advocate here, If these were say all 1" chromis it wouldnt be that much of an issue ammonia or stock wise. As for disease thats a different story, and future issues as well.

 

[southeastfishaddict]

This is even too many for freshwater. the likely issue was ammonia spike as the denitrifying bacteria was not able to keep up with new bio-load as tank is still maturing

You mean like this pic here

 

[Spare time]

You mean like this pic here

You aren't being serious, right? They probably have a massive filter on a tank that size.

 

[littlefoxx]

You aren't being serious, right? They probably have a massive filter on a tank that size.

 

[southeastfishaddict]

You aren't being serious, right? They probably have a massive filter on a tank that size.

If I was being serious I wouldn’t be hear asking for your advise losing time… I mean spare time.

 

[SheldonC]

I’m not asking for your permission to own fish… if you have no serious input don’t respond you waste of time… lol

Don't take your frustrations out on people, it doesn't help anything. You made a mistake, you owned it, great.

Now a few things you could do. First, test for ammonia. In your OP you asked if it was ammonia or ich. Ammonia can be tested for to rule out that out. Have you done a test to get a baseline?

 

[southeastfishaddict]

Don't take your frustrations out on people, it doesn't help anything. You made a mistake, you owned it, great.

Now a few things you could do. First, test for ammonia. In your OP you asked if it was ammonia or ich. Ammonia can be tested for to rule out that out. Have you done a test to get a baseline?

Well, I’m not on here to be criticized with short responses that serve no purpose. It’s my understanding that this is a thread for new to saltwater & reefsquariums and that no question is too dumb. With that being said, yes, I was testing consistently at my LFS and amonia was zero and nitrates were close to zero, that’s why I kept adding fish.

 

[SheldonC]

Well, I’m not on here to be criticized with short responses that serve no purpose. It’s my understanding that this is a thread for new to saltwater & reefsquariums and that no question is too dumb. With that being said, yes, I was testing consistently at my LFS and amonia was zero and nitrates were close to zero, that’s why I kept adding fish.

You said you added 30 fish - what species of fish did you add? That will also help give the thread more context.

 

[southeastfishaddict]

1 Watchman goby

1 Flame angel

1 six line wrasse p

2 Clownfish

2 fire fish

4 cleaner shrimp

2 cardinal fish

1 dotty back

1 swallow tail angel

1 blue trigger (small)

1 regal tang (small)

1 scopa tang (small)

1 naso tang

5 blue damsels

1 coral beauty

1 Fox face

1 yellow wrasse

 

[Cell]

Is this the same die off that you posted about several times already or a different occurrence? I'm fairly certain most questions have already been previously addressed in one or more of your previous threads.

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Hello everyone, so I made a mistake and added about 30 fish in a 140 gallon tank in about a six week time period. I put in 100 pounds of rock, the micro bacteria quick start and bio filter media block so I thought I was good to go. Everything seemed to be going well, but suddenly the fish...

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[southeastfishaddict]

Yes, it’s the same. Now my question is was it ich or amonia that made the fish die. I know it’s impossible to answer that question, so not even sure why I’m asking.