What the heck is going on?

I seem to be having problems keeping yellow tangs alive. I have had two die and I think the third is on his way. I have a 56 gallon fish only tank. Coral beauty, clown, flame angel, firefish, and a lawnmower blenny. Water temp is 78. I have two koralia 2's and an airstone. Specs are: salinity 1.023, pH 8.4, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite 0. All fish doing well except the tang. I got him four days ago. He started eating right away and got along with the other fish extremely well. When I turn the light on in the morning he comes out with the others. Yesterday, he didn't come out. He was hanging out under a rock. He did not eat. I come home from work today and he is on the bottom breathing fast. He'll then swim a little and float around wherever the current takes him and go back on the bottom. I give up with these fish. Anybody have any ideas?

 

Does your LFS run copper?

 

Perhaps an acclimation issue? how are you acclimating your new fish?

 

I don't know. Why? I have bought them from different stores. The tang has no signs of any disease either. The tank is cycled, also.

 

I don't use the drip method to acclimate. I float the bag for about 1/2 hr, then add about a cup of the tank water every ten mins.

 

If it is PH shock, it would kill them around four or so days (usually a little sooner, but four is within reason) after introduction. I was simply wondering how you were adjusting them to your new tank from the LFS.

 

if your getting all of these fish from the same place and their dying on the same timeline, it could be from collection / shipping problems or mishandling at the wholesalers.

~Will.