[Nikki]

I have a newly set up tank that I have been going very slowly with stocking. It is probably about 4 months young now. I added LR and substrate first, then three cleaner shrimp and a CUC. Then I added two green chromis ...

One died and I had no indication whatsoever that something was wrong so I blamed it on a mantis shrimp that I had seen once way back when (poor guy gets all the blame). But now I am not so sure. Although I still have not found this ones body!

This fish started losing color (I thought) a couple of days ago and almost looked like it was turning gray or black in some areas. Not splotchy or protruding or anything, just losing its sheen. He has been eating all along, but probably misses his tankmate. He seemed fine earlier today and then when I returned home I thought he was gone. After some looking I found him alive, but low in the tank behind a rock in a tight spot just hanging out. One hour later I glanced at the tank and he was upside down :-(

I just checked my PH and it seems to be on the rise .... It was 8.25 yesterday and is now 8.29-8.3. I did a water change this morning.
Anyway ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all at 0, salinity 1.025 and temp at 80F. Hmm, any ideas? He was a juvenile (about 1 inch), I guess it was just stress, but I hate to not understand it, especially since now I think it was 2 of them.

I did not quarantine as these were the first fish in the tank?

[dougc]

Green chromis are prone to high initial losses. About 8 months ago, I purchased a group of 10 chromises. Within about 4 days, all but 2 had died. I bought 10 more, but lost only one out of this group. After moving them from quarantine to the display tank, I lost two more over the following few weeks. Since then, the remaining 9 have thrived.

There are some fish that just don't ship well. Many cardinals are the same way. Some batches do fine and others suffer tremendous losses. It may not be anything that you did or didn't do. The difference between success and failure may be the treatment that the fish receive during shipment.

All that being said, it is still a good idea to quarantine even the first fish. If you need to treat them for any problem that arises, you will then have to try to remove them from the display tank first. No fun in that.

[Nikki]

Doug, thank you very much, I do feel a bit better .... I hate mysteries! That must have been rough to lose so many for you. I will set up my quarantine tank and use that for my next 'first' fish :-)

[leebca]

I understand the approach of not quarantining your first fishes, but that is exactly the time to start the quarantine process. You don't want to 'infect' your aquarium for all time in the future.

These fishes are even more a 'commodity fish' in the eyes of the system. They are just considered a 'so what if they die' fish. They are usually in a group of fishes that attention isn't given to during acclimation, shipment and handling, much like dougc mentioned.

Their losses can be higher.

Quarantine in the future and take an effort to get them eating proper foods. They like 'small' foods and can manage to eat what we (humans) might find hard to see. In the QT they need moderate lighting to see these fine particles of food. They, when new, tend to hide a lot. In the QT process, they will get more comfortable with you and humans easier and hopefully when in the main display will stay in the open more often. Also, in the QT feed throughout the day until the fish is looking healthy (about 5 or more times a day, smaller feedings).

[Nikki]

Lee,

Thanks for the advice, I certainly wasn't feeding them anywhere near that much as everyone says to never overfeed your tank, all this stuff can get confusing when not given in context.

It looks like I am also losing a damsel this night in my nanocube which really surprises me as these are such feisty little buggers. He has been healthy as a horse and just tonight I noticed he started hiding and when I found him he was gasping for oxygen, I fed him and he seemed to be doing a bit better when I checked, but I don't have much hope for him. I feel terrible and think it will be quite some time before I try fish again although the kids really like them.