Having a saltwater aquarium is exciting for any hobbyist! You have finally made the transition to go from a freshwater aquarium to a saltwater aquarium. The only problem with the change is that you have no idea which fish can live with one another. You have mastered the freshwater aquarium, and you have a handful of knowledge on freshwater fish. However, saltwater is a whole different beast. You have to always keep up with saltwater fish trends and data. If you select the wrong fish, your whole tank can be destroyed in days.
Many saltwater home aquarium owners experience saltwater fish dying. Having a saltwater aquarium can be challenging at times. Nobody wants to spend a bunch of money and have their fish die quickly. The first question that comes to mind is, why do these fish die? There may be many reasons such as starvation, predation by other fish, etc. The truth is, there may be several reasons resulting in the death of a saltwater fish. In this article, we will discuss possible reasons and help you solve the mystery of why your saltwater fish died!
Why do Saltwater Aquarium Fish die?
Saltwater fish can be insanely expensive when purchasing them from your local fish store. Therefore, it is crucial to understand why your saltwater fish are dying. There can be a handful of reasons why this disaster is occurring. On this list, we will be going over why aquarium fish die! Go from topic to topic and diagnose what is causing the deaths in your aquarium. To fully understand the situation, we recommend going to your local fish store for a proper diagnosis. Most local fish stores offer a free water sample. Bring in a sample of your aquarium water, and they can help diagnose the issue if you are unable to! However, here is our list of possible solutions:
Parasite and Disease
Most aquarium fish carry some disease, and it isn’t all that uncommon to find them in your aquarium. However, the key is to reduce any parasite or bacteria until it is completely gone. These diseases may not be present when first introduced to an aquarium. But over time, these diseases become more apparent. One must catch it in their saltwater aquarium before the fish dies. An interesting case is that the parasites are mostly not the cause of death. Suffocation kills them in the long process. Once the parasites and diseases are killed, you must focus on the health of the fish to make sure they are healing properly! After using any chemical, make sure to complete a water change to remove the chemical. To improve your current condition, water changes are crucial to any aquarium. This act will reduce the chances of parasites and diseases coming back.
Poor Acclimation
When first buying a saltwater fish, the introduction to your home saltwater aquarium is the most crucial aspect. The introduction is the main reason that saltwater fish die in an aquarium. Just floating the aquarium bag on top isn’t good enough for a saltwater fish to live. To prevent the saltwater fish from dying, you must do the drip technique to accumulate the fish properly. When you purchase a fish from the local fish store, the aquarium water may not be healthy. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the local fish store water doesn’t flow into your home aquarium. With the mix of these acclimation techniques, your fish should live much longer. The biggest culprit to acclimation deaths is the inverts such as clams and shrimp. These fish are terrible at adapting to changes in the water that the shrimps are being shipped to.
Incompatibility
Beginner aquarium hobbyists often struggle with selecting the correct fish for an aquarium. Beginner errors are the main reason why fish are dying in your aquarium. For example, you can’t put a lionfish with a small fish that might be eaten. Make sure to study the compatibility chart before going to your local fish store and trusting the aquarium specialists there. I have personally seen newbies purchase a Triggerfish for an aquarium with Peppermint Shrimp. If you have no idea what you’re purchasing, DO NOT BUY IT. Take a drive to your local fish store and ask them as many questions as possible. Local fish stores have been known to have rookies work for them, so always use the internet to back up their opinions. If you visit places like Petco, use their advice sparingly. The employees there are not experts. The employees are just rookie hobbyists.
Poor Water Quality
Another reason why saltwater aquarium fish die is improper water quality being present in your saltwater aquarium. To survive, fish need proper water parameters so that they can stay healthy. Water quality that is low results in fish having weak immune systems to fight off death and other diseases. When experiencing improper water quality, one must conduct many water changes to obtain the correct parameters for nitrates, nitrites, salinity, and alkalinity!
In an honest response, beginner aquarium hobbyists lose much more fish than expert ones. Saltwater aquariums are much harder to mast compared to freshwater aquariums. Therefore, leading to more saltwater fish dying in your home aquarium.
Know what to look for when purchasing saltwater fish at your local fish store. Many local fish store specialists will lie to you to get a sale and benefit their business.
Excessive Water Flow
When you have water flow in your aquarium, the rate should be adjusted to your fish’s preferences. For example, seahorses require minimum water flow, while larger saltwater fish need a ton of water flow. If you have water flow that is excessive for smaller fish, they will become stressed and die. Make sure to do your research before purchasing any fish!! In the ocean, different fish are in various parts of the water. Various fish are on coral reefs, while bigger fish are by the waves crashing. Your home aquarium should mimic the natural habitat for the fish to reduce the stress. Purchase fish that are bred in an aquarium instead of the ocean results in longer life. Fish that are caught in the ocean aren’t used to being trapped in a box. Therefore, you should make sure your fish are captive bred!
In Conclusion
Fish die in an aquarium for a handful of reasons. Your task as the aquarium owner is to identify why these deaths occurred. Before purchasing a fish, check the compatibility chart to see if they can go with your current aquarium. Talk to your local fish store as if they are your best friend. You need all the information you can get to ensure why your saltwater fish died. Utilize their services to test your saltwater aquarium water for free of charge. If none of these options listed above is the solution, you may need to identify why it occurred. Just like human death, you need to identify the why factor before doing anything.
