Fish won't live!

[seriousdude5]

Heres my problem, I've had my tank up for a year and a half, and I still have not had sucess with fish. I've tried many different types and always the same result. The longest I've had sucess with was a clown fish that lived for 3 months. Out of frustration I bought a dozen damsales figuring they're like the hardiest fish, I did this about two months ago and I have 4 left! The fish appear healthy then either disapear or I find them dead, not knowing what the heck happened. I feed them once a day with giant mysis shrimp (cut up smaller) and brine shrimp. However, I also have corals (figi leather, elegance coral, zoos, mushrooms, trumpet coral) all doing fine. I also have a cleaner shrimp, small brittle star (4") and pepermint shrimp all doing fine. Which I dont understand, how come everything is fine, but the fish won't live! My water parameters are stable. Someone suggest a predator in the live rock, I've checked the tank with the flashlight at night numerous times never seen anything. Also, I buy the fish from All Pets Club, I'm not sure if this matters. But like I said how come inverts, and corals are fine, but fish won't live?!

[Curious George]

Whoa! There is not enough info to make a diagnosis, but if I were to guess I think that your predator is probably along the lines of ich. It will just keep continuing its cycle as you keep fueling the fire by adding new hosts (More fish). It is probably in such large numbers by this point that fish don't have a chance, aside from the few hardy damsels that may have built an immunity.

But that is just a guess if you are tossing more fish at the problem without having a better understanding of what's going on. Might want to read Snorvich's Sticky in Disease.

[AquaReeferMan]

If you know you are doing everything right and you know you're not having issues with your water quality or any illnesses, I would look at getting your fish from a different vendor.

[michaelr]

i was having a similar problem. I had ich. i let the tank ,lay fallow for 70 days. during that time i got the tank recollected and did many improvements. maybe this is your best option just in case?

[iwishtofish]

Not really enough info, as George said, but my guess would also be disease and/or parasites in a perpetual cycle. How big is your tank, btw? You mentioned that you added a dozen damsels at once - that alone could cause a sudden ammonia spike in certain setups.

I think you ought to leave your tank fallow (fishless) for 6-8 weeks. This will give adequate time to allow any cycle of disease (ich, for example) to die-off from the lack of a fish host. During this time, I'd research, set up, and cycle a 20g-long quarantine tank. I'd avoid using a sponge (or any filter or rock) from your display tank to set up or cycle the QT tank, as you might transfer parasites on over. Once your QT is ready, buy a fish from a good source (or maybe two compatible fish), and get them through QT disease-free. When your display tank is again ready for fish, transfer them over.

I think fish are a difficult aspect of the hobby. They can have so many different diseases and parasites, have major compatibility issues with other fish, have specialized dietary needs, need to be trained to eat, be collected poorly and die 6 months later as a result... But it is really rewarding to make them healthy and thrive.

Now, I know QT sounds like a major hassle, but I think you'll find the extra trouble to be worth it. I recently put my first QT'd fish (an injured tang) through the process, and it is doing great. Best of luck!