Why did my archer and orange chromide die?

[JoeKnowsBaseball]

I have a 55g brackish tank that has been set up for probably 6-8 months now with no problems or deaths. Almost a week ago, I decided that I was tired of fighting algae, so I bought some API Algaefix. I put it in the tank and within 2 hours my archer died. I couldn't believe it. My 2 green spotted puffers, figure 8 puffer and 2 Mono Sabaes were still alive and seemed to be in perfect health.

A couple days later, I decided to change my tank setup and fill the tank to the rim (instead of 4 inches from the top for the archer feeding) and wanted to get a tank ready for a FW moray eel. Till I was ready to buy an eel, I went to the LFS and bought an orange chromide to fill that gap in my aquarium heart.

It was great and 2.5 days later, it was belly up at the bottom of the tank.

The Algaefix I used for my tank is for Marine fish. And I have the tank at a specific gravity of 1.012. I don't know all the other measurments cause I'm out of my test kit.

Can anyone help me out? I can't figure out what killed the 2 fish....

[JRC3]

What SG did the lfs keep the orange chromide and how did you acclimate it to your tank?

Your F8 is being kept in the wrong SG.

Your tank is way overstocked.

And, "FW moray eel". What?

Is this a prank?

[Pufferpunk]

I bought some API Algaefix. I put it in the tank and within 2 hours my archer died.

You have answered your own question. The weakest will perish 1st.

"FW moray eel". What?

J-P, It's the G. tile, sold as a "FW moray".

[JoeKnowsBaseball]

I don't know the scientific name for the eel. I always heard it called FW moray eel. They originate in a river in Thailand I believe. Same river as the giant prawns and the FW stingrays.

I don't understand what you're saying about the weakest will perish first...

PRC3.

I know the tank is overstocked. They're all still very small. I plan to sell them as they get larger. I adopted the 2 GSPs from a FW tank. I think the F8 is at an appropriate SG @1.012.

I think the store said they had it at 1.015. I acclimated it with 15 min of the bag sitting in the tank for temp difference. Then added some water from the tank to the bag, waited 5 minutes and repeated 3 times, till the bag was full. Same way that and every store I've been to has recommended. And please don't tell me I acclimated wrong because brackish fish are used to currents of fresh and salt water. They can handle "sudden" changes of SG.

[jus85411]

F8's do best at 1.008 i believe. they are a low end brackish fish. they can survive higher SGs but long term around 1.008 is best. acclimation is debated over and over with fish keepers. most will say that floating the bag is useless other than temp compensation. a drip acclimation over a 2 or 3 hour period is best. its not hard if your unsure how to do it. just set up a container with the fish on the floor or a lower level than the tank water height, rig a length of air tubing to stay under water in the main tank and start a siphon like you would be using the gravel vac. once the siphon starts tie a knot in the end that your dripping water out of so that there is a drip per every two seconds. im not sure of the exact drips per second you want to shoot for cause i havent added any new fish recently but when i acclimate that is what i do. but let this be a learning experience that you should not buy any chemicals to try and solve a problem in the tank. algaefix is a known problem causer not a solution. also archers are schooling fish from what i know, and schooling fish need to be kept in groups of more than 4. him being alone could cause stress whether you see it or not and the algaefix may have done enough to push him over

[Pufferpunk]

Correction: 1.005. 1 drip/second.

[JoeKnowsBaseball]

I might try drip acclimation on the next fish then. Still seems a bit excessive for a brackish fish considering it's natural habitat. I could understand with saltwater and possibly even freshwater tropical fish that need very specific water.

I would have bought 4 or more archers, but I bought the only one in Ft. Worth, and that store didn't even get another one for like 6 months.

I'll go ahead and throw out my algaefix then. I've never read bad reviews on it. The tank has cleared up pretty well already, so I guess I'll just keep fighting it the hard way. I know this is a stupid question, but I can't remember... Do live plants help control algae? I only have fake plants right now. It's so confusing to me to figure out which plants can live in BW. Every plant has like 2 or 3 common names and most places don't write down the scientific names.

Can anyone give me a link for some good info on the FW moray eel? And anyone in DFW know of an LFS that has one?

[Pufferpunk]

One of our Mentors here, Corvus, is a top expert on morays.

I'll go ahead and throw out my algaefix then. I've never read bad reviews on it.

http://forum.aquascapeinc.com/archive/i ... -7191.html
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/fresh ... aefix.html
http://www.fishtankforums.com/3-freshwa ... aefix.html

[Iliveinazoo]

I have a 55g brackish tank that has been set up for probably 6-8 months now with no problems or deaths. Almost a week ago, I decided that I was tired of fighting algae, so I bought some API Algaefix. I put it in the tank and within 2 hours my archer died. I couldn't believe it. My 2 green spotted puffers, figure 8 puffer and 2 Mono Sabaes were still alive and seemed to be in perfect health.

A couple days later, I decided to change my tank setup and fill the tank to the rim (instead of 4 inches from the top for the archer feeding) and wanted to get a tank ready for a FW moray eel. Till I was ready to buy an eel, I went to the LFS and bought an orange chromide to fill that gap in my aquarium heart.

It was great and 2.5 days later, it was belly up at the bottom of the tank.

The Algaefix I used for my tank is for Marine fish. And I have the tank at a specific gravity of 1.012. I don't know all the other measurments cause I'm out of my test kit.

Can anyone help me out? I can't figure out what killed the 2 fish....

Are you sure that you have identified the Archer species correctly? Because it was your most weakened fish it is easy to jump to the conclusion that you have a brackish tolerant species as opposed to a true brackish species, see this link for info: http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/FAQ/3c.html

Your current SG is a little high for Archers, Orange Chromides and Figure 8's which will all do perfectly well at SG1.005 at 25DegC. If you wish to add live plants then you will have to lower your SG, many plants as well as the 3 species listed will do well between SG1.003 and 1.005 at 25DegC - though fewer plants will survive at SG1.005 compared to SG1.003.

Mono's and GSP's prefer the higher end of the scale, i.e SG1.012+ and can do well in a marine system when adult.

You should really research the temperment and salinity compatiblity of your current fish and any future fish that you are thinking about owning. The algae problem that you are sufering could be to do with your stocking level and/or water quality, light intensity and photoperiod will also have an influence.

[RTR]

Nobody has asked for the water parameters on this tank.

Lesson to be learned: Quick fixes do not work and are quite dangerous.

Another lesson to be learned: It is extremely difficult to mix fishes successfully.

IMHO & IME, F-8s do best at 1.0033-5.

Orange Chromides do best at or below 1.003