clown died after 2 days

[big_rich]

I recently picked up the first fish for my tank Thursday a clown. I woke up this morning to see it dead. I bought my tank used and saved 90% of the water had it up and running about a month with a few corals snails and hermits, everything has ben doing great heres the recent tests I ran this morning
I have the api master test kit wjich im not fond of at all so the results can vary a little
ph looked to be 0.25 a lil tough to differentiate between o and 0.25 color change looked a lil more like 0.25
nitrate 0
calcium 480 mg/l
kh 107.4 ppm could be a lil less again color change makes it a lil tough between drops
salinity 1.024
temp around 176 fluxuates a lil from night to day

I bought the fish from the new coral and frag shack in applevaley which I am not very fond of but was in the area and decided to pick em up once put in the tank he immediately shot to the bottom and hid behind the rocks after half a day he came out and stayed at the top next to the powerheads from the start he was breathing heavily I figured it was just from stress but as the day and the next day came he was still breathing heavy last night he was doing the same but I though he was up top getting food and thios morning I woke up to him dead on the bottom. o yea and I acclimated him in the bag placed in the tank for 20 mins then oened the bag added tank water and let float again for 15 repeated the process 3 times before taking him out of the bag and into the aquarium nexgt time I will use the drip method and probably not buy from that store again.

anyone see anything that may be the problems as far as my levels go or how I acclimated him im gana wait a few weeks before introducing any new fish into the tank

 

[big_rich]

forgot to add im running 3 powerheads a skimmer in the sump and have a refuge in the loop so im pretty sure there is enough oxygen

 

[big_rich]

sorry placed this in the wrong forum not to sure how to move it to the fish forum

 

[djam]

How is your PH 0.25? And not sure I understand how your temp can be 176.

My first guess is Ammonia, can you post your readings for that?

 

[Reefcube29]

yea ur numbers are all over the place.. n u started off bad by buying from that dude. Do not re buy from him he has no clue what hes doing.

 

[big_rich]

I have the stick on temp strips on my refuge but it seems a lil off so im picking up a digital one and ill be check with a thermometer also I have the api master reef test kit it only has the 4 tests I don't live anywere near any fish stores to have it checked by

 

[big_rich]

what do you recommend I do

 

[djam]

In a new tank, especially when moved from an existing tank one of the biggest early events is an ammonia spike, which will kill the fish quickly. From your description that might have happened. Order the tests from Amazon if you don't have a local store, they will get there in a reasonable amount of time. Until you can test that and know your temp hold off on any fish. I might also recommend a 20% water change, which is almost never a bad idea. Getting fish from a LFS is always an unknown, how long have they had it? was it acclimated correctly, etc. And sometimes you just get a fish that can't make the switch.

 

[big_rich]

honestly the guy from the frag store really surprised me with how little he knew so I will no longer be getting anything from there again I am heading to another town where there is a petco and petsmart so ill purchase the test and a new thermometer today

 

[big_rich]

Where do you reccomend buying fish djam

 

[jbaeza83]

What city do you live in?

 

[big_rich]

Barstow

 

[djam]

That is a tough one because you are so far out there, all of the fish I get are local to me. I have had success with the following:

Ellis Aquatics
Coral Collection
Vivid

I've purchased fish / inverts from others but have not had good luck with them.

 

[jbaeza83]

wow you are a bit out there. Maybe try some of the LFS in the IE. Tropical Reef Fish store in Rancho, Mystic Reef in Riverside

 

[big_rich]

Thanks guys

 

[jbaeza83]

Before you buy any other fish though make sure your tank parameters are good.

Here is a suggestion table.

 

[big_rich]

Awesome thanks alot bro wut about buying online anyone have experience with that

 

[djam]

Good point.

 

[Emac909]

Rich your best bet to buy dry goods like text kits, salt, filter media would b on line.

Also this hobby is expensive. Just like the expression when u own a boat "whip out another $1000". I couldn't tell u how much I've lost just in live things that died. In the last 15 years I'd put it some where in 10k range and that's at minimum.

 

[big_rich]

Yea all my hobbies seem to b like that haha