Something is going on and it makes no sense to me. I am about ready to tear the tank down and break it with a hammer!
I got a Yellow Watchman Goby and a Japanese Pistol Shrimp over a week ago. The YWG jumped into the overflow 3-4 times and spent 2 days in my fuge to relax. When I put him back in the tank he hid. I had egg crate over the top and rigged a mesh on the overflow so he could not jump in it again. He hid all night but the next morning I saw him when the Actinics came on. He has not been seen since and the rocks have all been removed to check. No fish, No body. No Carpet surfing either. The Shrimp is still fine.
Now, I started using R/O water for my water changes and top offs this week. I bought a Gold Headed Sleeper Goby. He was very active from the start and sifted my entire DSB in 4 days time. He never hid during the day but slept in his burrow he dug at night. This morning I found him darting about like he was having a seizure and acting like he was trying to jump out. He can't because of the eggcrate. This afternoon his body drifted to the front of the tank....He was dead with his mouth wide open like he had a heart attack. He was not picked on by anyone in the tank. I am sure of that. No marks on him either.
Also, Last night a Kenya Tree shriveled up and died. It's in the main tank. I have another small Kenya Tree in the fuge and it's fine.
My BTA Anemone has been shriveling up during the day everyday for the last week like he is pooping and opening in the evening. So far today, He has not opened up and I think he is dead too.
Lost 2 peppermint Shrimp that I had just bought and the Blue Linkia I bought for my wife also in the last 2 weeks. I have a Green Bubble Coral doing great! Kenya Tree in fuge is great, Xenia is fine, Clove Coral is outstanding, Mushrooms bigger than ever.
All the fish I have had from the start are perfectly fine! a Blue Damsel, A Neon Velvet Damsel and my Gold Striped Maroon Clown. 2 Cleaner Shrimp are fine as well as a Brittle star. No Snails or crabs have died.
I have struggled and pinched pennies since I got hurt to build this reef to help me get through the months of recovery that I may still be facing and all I get is money down the toilet on everything I do except for the things I started with. I can not afford to replace these animals again.
Now before you ask all the animals were Drip acclimated according to the species. The Blue Linkia for almost 3 hours.
My Tank shows the following test results:
Ammonia 0
Nirites 0
Nitrates 5
PH 8.2
Temp 81.5F
Recent changes are the addition of the Fuge with Chaeto & Caulpera & Coral Feeding with Liquid Life Bio Plankton & Marine Plankton. Also added 1 bottle of TiggerPods to the fuge.
No other changes. Not even food or feeding times. Lighting on timers at the same times as before.
So, Can someone tell me why I should stay in this blasted hobby when everything I want and spent my last dime on keeps dying? They are not even from the same LFS either. Before I will settle for a clown and 2 damsels I will tear the tank down and sell it. I have lost what amounts to alot of money for me being on Workman's Comp only to have it wasted.