Help - Fish Died

[Jodie]

We have a 33 gallon tank and have had for 2 months, I have been pestering my husband now for the last 5 weeks to do a water change and he has never 'got round to it'. We have 2 clwon fish, one high hat sweet lips, 7 turbos snails a shrimp and 5 hermit crabs. Over the last few days I have noticed white patches not on the fish but on the glass and rock, also on the black filter box. Last night when we fed them the high hat literally jumped out of the water and seemed ok - but landed with a big splash - this morning we have woken up and he has died. We also topped up the tank with 2 litres of RO water last night. Could this death be due to last night, the fact a water change hasnt been done or something different? My husband seems adamant that if it was the water the fish wouldnt just die over night but I am really cross he hasnt changed the water since setting it up so have a gut feel it could be...any help appreciated as I could be totally wrong. -Hubby is really defensive and not happy!

 

[phyto]

We have a 33 gallon tank and have had for 2 months, I have been pestering my husband now for the last 5 weeks to do a water change and he has never 'got round to it'. We have 2 clwon fish, one high hat sweet lips, 7 turbos snails a shrimp and 5 hermit crabs. Over the last few days I have noticed white patches not on the fish but on the glass and rock, also on the black filter box. Last night when we fed them the high hat literally jumped out of the water and seemed ok - but landed with a big splash - this morning we have woken up and he has died. We also topped up the tank with 2 litres of RO water last night. Could this death be due to last night, the fact a water change hasnt been done or something different? My husband seems adamant that if it was the water the fish wouldnt just die over night but I am really cross he hasnt changed the water since setting it up so have a gut feel it could be...any help appreciated as I could be totally wrong. -Hubby is really defensive and not happy!

Hi Jodie,sorry about your loss, i'd learn to do the water changes yourself as apart from salt i'd say they are the next important step in keeping marine. How long was the tank setup for before you added the fish?

I've heard of high hats ( equetus acuminatus) and also sweetlips but not a high hat sweetlips, do you mean you had a sweetlips and a high hat? For a 33g tank either fish is too big really as i think the smallest grows to a foot long

Not much help but all i'll add is water changes water changes water changes

 

[Jodie]

sorry he was just a high hat then.

 

[phyto]

sorry he was just a high hat then.

i've not long been home from my not so lfs and they had a high hat sweetlips for sale
Sorry Jodie I didnt realise they was in the sweet lips family, i'd still be concerned of the size these guys could have grown

 

[jen20147]

Your husband is definately not prepared for this hobby so Id say return the fish and hang up your saltwater hat or learn to do the water changes yourself. Thats pretty sad.

 

[phyto]

Hey Jodie, have a look at Chromis or maybe even a royal gramma as a replacement fish, nice colouration and only grow up to 3 " long, far more nicer than a high hat

Keep your head up, we all make mistakes, just get the hubby to get his finger out and do at least 10% water changes a week, in a 33 g tank thats only 15 ltrs, bout a jug full

Good Luck

EDIT - Not sure what lights you have or what kind of evaporation your tank has? but i must admit it did sound like you topping off the other day was something that you do not do every day!?! my 50g tank evaporates 2 ltrs a day, i have a 150w metal halide light above, the evaporated water makes quite a bit of difference over a day of the salinity of the water, i guess your 33 would have more of a effect. The best way i found of checking how much evaporation is to regularly check sg/ppt of the water