# 60 gallon wth



## pdq914 (Jul 5, 2012)

hi guys

i have been working with the lfs and other friends to figure out an issue with my tank. first what i know. 
salinty 1.022
ammonia .010
i have very low nitrate and nitrites .05 and below, good protein skimmer
420 calcium
ph 8.2
most of the other are minimal according to the lfs, this is a good fish store also not a cheap shack.
i have 2 anemone's a curley Q (10" across), and a Condylactis Anemone(10" across)
several snails, several crabs one big one the size of a golf ball.
50lbs of live rock. 
and countless copepods they are everywhere.

Now the problem, every fish i buy dies in a few days. so far 2 damsels and one bicolor but not the dottyback.

so whats your opinions ask anything you want. my only question is are the anemones killing my fish


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

It seems like you're still cycling with ammonia(any) and nitrItes.The fish really should be able to survive those levels but the anenomes really don't like those levels much at all.Nems really should have perfect water and a mature tank.
What kind of crabs?I'd lean towards them killing your fish or a hidden hitchhiker in your live rock(mantis shrimp)?
Damsels may be killing each other also as they are pretty brutal fish(especially towards each other).


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## pdq914 (Jul 5, 2012)

well these are the things that are confusing to me, i have upgraded this tank from a 30 gallon nano to this 60 gallon. it has been more than two months. I used 30gallons of RO premix and the 30 gallon from the established tank. when i transferred i had 1 coral beauty, 2 glowns, 1 damsel. and these two anem's. since changing they have more than doubled in size they are huge, however all the fish have died. My snails have lived and my crabs lived as well. i tried to add another damsel two weeks ago and it died within 24 hours. then just the other day after having my water tested at the lfs i added a bicolor and it stressed out for a few days then started eating and its color came back up. I thought it was doing good then bamm, dead and half eaten. i only have one crab capable of eating the fish but i don't think it was him, how would he catch the fish to start with. all the indications (healthy nems, copepods, clean water and good ph and other stuff) suggest my tank should be running good and fish should be thriving. 

The hermit crab ( i only have one big one golf ball size shell) I have watched him try and eat my turbo snails. i also think he killed my coral banded shrimp. but i don't know what type he is to know if he could kill my fish.









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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Most crabs,even hermits are true pest.If everything else checks out ok then I would remove the crab.I don't keep any crabs or hermits as I witnessed they are of no use to anyrhing but themselves.


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## tike (Nov 10, 2008)

You meantioned a purple dottyback? These basletts can be come very territorial, I have had them kill much larger fish. Have you seen it chasing any of the fish that died?


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## pdq914 (Jul 5, 2012)

no he was the last fish i put in and the tank was empty of fish. It had been empty for 3 weeks since my clowns and damsel died. After the clowns and damsel died weeks ago, i added another 20lbs of live rock and did a 25% water change and just letting it run. this is when the numbers of the copepods began to really populate without anyone to eat them.


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## rift lake (Nov 8, 2012)

that tube anemone is not real fish friendly and in some cases will kill and eat small fish


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