Need opinions- one of my tanks is going haywaire

[kcstrad]

Tank Info
90G Corner running for 3 years
50lb sand
60lb LR
Amonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Phospahte 0 or to close to it to tell (tested Monday afternoon and each day since)

Inhabitants:
Porcupine Puffer (2 inches)
Niger Trigger (was 3.5 inches)
Green Wolf (11-12 inches)
Snowflake Eel (8 inches)
Small Domino Damsel (1 inch)

Last Sunday evening I fed the tank 4-5 silversides at around 1130pm. Monday Morning (630am)the crew was swimming around, with the puffer begging for more food as usual (did not feed again, usualy wait until I am home in evening). WHen I came home around 7pm, the tank was slightly cloudy, trigger was deceased with a small bite mising from its rectum. The Puffer was at the bottom, heavily breathing. Green Wolf wa vertically elevated, heavily breathing, Snowfalke and Damsel could not be found.

I quickly caught the puffer and put him into the ER tank. I removed the trigger and bagged him up. Could not get the Green wof as he would dart into the live rock. I tested the water and nothing came up to be of any warning (Amonia, Phosphate, Nitrate/Nitrite). I proceeded to to a 30% water change and turned on a carbon filter.

Tuiesday - water seems to get more cloudy white. Snowflake ell is spotted, seems to be fine. Green Wolf is no longer beathing heavily and swimming about fine. Damsel is spotted and swimmign around fine. Puffer int he ER Tank is breathing nomally but bouncing off the glass and rock, cant see.I'm assuming he is now blind.

Wednesday - Another 30% water change, water continues to get very milky white, Inhabvitants are fine, eatin, water parameters tested, nothign shows up of concern. Puffer in the ER tank continues to bounce around, looking for food. I try to feed, but he cant see the food or my fingers.

Thursday - Still cloudy, no warning indicators from water tests, perform another water change (15%) Inhabitants swimming, eating but water isnt clearing up. Change the Carbon (marineland) and add an additional old canister filter with just carbon in it. Puffer in ER tank seems extremly Hungry, still cannot see (BLIND) I try to force feed him (hold him in one hand, try to insert food with a turky baster and/hands), but since he cant see what I am putting in his mouth, he rejects everything and spits it out

Friday (today) 6am, Water is extremly cloudy, cannot see anything, except for the inhabitants on occasion as they swim close to the glass. Looks fine, no heavy breathing, normal eating. Puffer in ER tank still swimming around, bouncing off objects, not eating (blind I am assuming as he doesnt react to anything in front of his face) and he get extremly tired and settles at the bottom breathing heavily until he is rested and then swims again.

I cant figure out what is going on with the tank that woudl make it so milky cloudy white, without any readings/spikes inamonnia/nitrate/nitrites.

Any suggestions? its very fustrating. Has never happened in any of my other tanks. Also any advice on the puffer. I'm assuming he is just going to eventualy perish as he cant/wont eat and cant see.

 

[jent46bow]

Could we get a little more info...How much are you feeding, what is your photo period and what is your ph at. Without knowing that there is little I can suggest but atm my best guess is one of these:
a) you are feeding to much
b) something has gone sexual
c) algae bloom

I would stop feeding and drop your photo period to maybe around 6 hours for a while and see if that helps. Keep the carbon running and maybe throw in a poly filtter if you got it. I would resume feeding every other day after maybe 3 or 4 days. Personally I don't think fish should be fed more than every other day anyways (also sorta dependent on the fish)....test your ph and if it not between 8.0 and 8.3 get some kent buffer and add just a LITTLE, so you don't shock the system. Do you have a skimmer? If not this might be a good time to add one. I could be on a very wrong track here but without more info thats my best guess.

 

[Anonymous]

What are your alk/calcium parameters? Are you precipitating calcium?

 

[cwrenge]

Gggggggggggggggeee, sad to hear of your struggle.....i was wondering my self and i wonder if...? the silversides you fed them ......? might have something Adverse in Them , that contributed to tthe bad effects you described....? can you check-out the food origion...? wish i could help you more... cw.

 

[Anonymous]

I would take a sample of the cloudy water to the closest fish store and have them test the water for everything they are willing to test it for. Take around a quart or so, so they can get a good idea of the cloudiness. Most stores normally will test for ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate, and PH for free.

that will give you an idea if the test kits you are using are any good. (that does happen)

If they will also test for Magnesium, calsium, and Alkalinity that would be good to.


That is the best place to start I am afraid, until you know for sure what your test results are you can only guess at causes.


Hope that helps...

 

[Anonymous]

A trigger dying in a 90g can cause a small spike, but a mature tank and the water changes should have handled that. The cloudy water has me scratching my head. If something went sexual, you should have noticed the caulerpa or whatever going white and dying. Plus, those are usually one time events, not going 3 or 4 straight days, ime. In any event, continue running carbon. A poly filter, as jent suggested, is also a good idea.

How do you make your water change water? Do you use RO/DI? Do you add any supplements to the water before adding it to the tank? I wonder if there's something funky about the water you are adding.

The idea of alk/calcium being out of whack is also worth pursuing, although it should have got better with two 30% water changes, ime. Please keep us informed!

 

[Anonymous]

It could be micro bubbles. The blind fish is a clue. Take a sample of the h2o and see if it clears up after a bit. Check all the filters and pumps and make sure no air is being forced into the system. Good luck.