Parasitic Tank?

[haha2982]

I have a 20 gallon saltwater tank with a chocolate chip starfish, and a sixline wrasse. I had a cardinal fish and a blue-green chromis. Yesterday morning when I woke up the chromis was swimming vertically, fighting to stay afloat. He seemed to be gasping for air. I scooped him up in a net and propped it so he was contained, but still in the water. He was panting, like a dog would. I thought he was hurt, or might have had swim bladder. I checked all nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH levels, all was good. I checked the salinity and it was @ 1.022. the Chromis died shortly after. The cardinal fish(I lost him a few weeks ago) Had appeared to be gasping for air as well and died 2 days after I put him in the tank.

My tank was a hand-me-down from a friend. it has crushed coral at the bottom. when she moved it to my house, she left about 8" of the original water in the bottom. She was never able to keep any fish alive in the tank. So I then thought the tank may have a parasite of some kind.. How do you know? I have been told to remove the live rock and lower the salinity to kill the parasite; and i have been told to strip the tank, bleach it, clean it; throwing away the original substrate and starting fresh. the second suggestion makes more sense, but what about the wrasse and the CC starfish? if they have the parasite as well, wouldnt that contaminate the tank again? how do I know what to do??? I dont want to kill anymore fish!!! Help me!!! :HP

[tjigger]

It may have Ammonia Poisoning and a swim bladder problem.

start by using RODI water for water changes, it will have no ammonia in it.

the swim bladder can be helped by skipping a day or two of feedings.

[Leon]

Well to get to your last question, from my experience, you must resolve to the fact that for now you will have a tank with just those two fish that are left. If they have survived then they may be fine. I would remove 1/3 of the crushed coral and replace with washed new substate and do a 1/3 water change, wait a week or so and do the same and so on until all your substate is new. You will be able to tell the diff. if you divide your tank in thirds, like take the left side 1/3 of the substrate out, then the middle etc. If the other fish die than you will have the oppotunity to clean the tank completely. You can wait before you do as I suggested to see if the fish live and if not redo the tank, if they live you may want to do as I suggest. Good fortune to you. P.S. I am assuming you are detoxing your water.