Added in some new animals today, as well as some rock. 5 hours later, everything is dead. Everything.

Sometimes, I wonder why I try to keep animals. I am totally non-plussed by this event.

wow. im sorry man. thats a bummer. did you run all your water quality tests and whatnot?

This is a long time reef tank, I added in the new stuff and everything died. Still kind of reeling...my favourite saltwater fish, Kosh, who I have had for years is in the freezer...all of the mollies, all of the shrimp. Dead.

This just sucks.

Obviously, there was a toxin of some sort in the new stock. It almost makes me want to completely quit keeping a salt tank. I breed a lot of freshwater fish species, and that makes me happy.

Still can't believe it.

well. im not an expert, but i'll throw my 2 cents in. my guess would be either a sick fish or there was somethin funky on the rock. either way, a saltwater tank is a big investment, and a big commitment. it would be pretty disappointing to lose it.

Hey Greg, I'm sorry to hear that. You've got more knowledge and experience at this than just about anyone, so I hope you don't give it up. But I can see how that would be a devastating discovery.

Very sorry. I know how discouraging a crash feels.

Was the new rock fully cured? Some people have had crashes after just re-organizing their aquascaping, because of sponges dying.

I pulled out the new rock, there had to have been a toxic substance on it, and it was supposed to be cured.
I'm not sure what I am going to do at the moment, I just feel terrible about the animals.

:sad: Sorry to hear it. That sucks.

sympathies

J

Awful, Greg! Sorry to hear it. I'm fighting something nasty in my tank (freshwater) at the moment too - no one at the fish store knows what it is and half the fish are now in a hospital tank. Hoping like hell it doesn't all crash - and I think it also came in on new stock. :sad: Condolences!!

Greg,
Where did you get the rock (LFS or direct from the ocean/ocean supplier?). What was it packed in? I agree there there had to have been something toxic and not likely natural on the rock because of the time frame. I don't think I have ever seen a report on new anything killing a tank that quickly. That is just plain spooky.

It was shipped in, and promptly pulled out and pitched. It didn't smell at all, and looked healthy.
Still pretty mad.

It didn't advertise brissle worm free or anything like that did it? I am thinking formalin or worm treatments that can be done (usually for seahorses) with some success but not for reef tanks.

I will be upgrading (someday :roll:) my 55 gallon. My live rock currently has no bristle worms or Aptasia. I have been considering using dead rock and letting my 60 pounds or so of live rock seed the dead rock - that way I won't get any surprises.

If you've got good coraline growth on your live rock, it should take over the base rock quickly...yeah, I think that is a good idea.

Kosh says: ...

That's BAD, Gregman :sad: At least you still have your trusted old Polypterus weeksii to keep reminding you of why it CAN be fun, right?

P. ornatus !

Yeah, Piglet still makes me smile. It was tough to lose Kosh though, I'd had cardinalfish for quite a while.

My bad, should have looked closer when I was over, but Piglet appeared quite happy amidst its algeal surroundings.

The darker the tank the happier she is! I saw photos of them in the wild, almost writhing around in mud. In fact, she regularily air gulps while she rests on the microsword plant bed on the right side of the tank.
Good old piglet.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/cthulhu77/animals/websitepiglet.jpg