pests in rock???

[saltwaternewby]

I am asking this question for my mother who is also new to reefing. she has a 46 gallon bowfront tank she has about 30 pounds of live rock. 2 clownfish 1 sailfin tang, 1 royal gramma, snails, crabs and a cleaner shrimp. The gramma and shrimp died today dent know from what looking for insight. She has some worm looking things coming out of her rock. They aren't bristle worms. its kind of white iridescent with a round head and it is wound up in the rock. could this have killed them. The salinity and tests all read perfect. Just don't understand. Anyone has a clue let me know.

thanks

 

[jhnrb]

Not enough information to render a guess. Pic needed on the worms or better description. how long were the grama and shrimp in the system. what is the iodide level, salinity, temp, calcium, maganese, alkalinity, nitrates. what was added to the system within the preceeding week. any problems with the other inhabitants. what did the grama look like, frayed, etc. do you have a brittle star or anemone in the system. anything else you can think of. with more info will try and help.

 

[saltwaternewby]

I know that she keeps the temp between 78-80 and the salinity registers good but the only test kit she has is the ph, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. No other tests. I know that in the last week she has just added some snails. He tank has been up and running 2 months. She has no anemoies and no starfish. She is just adding one at a time till the tank is fully running. the only thing different about the gramma was the fact that he was just acting weird like he was hiding and swimming really slow. She didn't say that he looked that different. The shrimp was on his side and not moving. Can there be anything in the rock that could affect them like this or is it an underlying problem? thanks for the help.

 

[jhnrb]

Take a sample of water to the lfs and have a complete series of tests run. lets assume the water parameters are good. the tank is new and is not matured enough to support the bio load that you have indicated in my opinion. at this point i would not add any more new items except clean up crew and if the remaining fish live and there are no other losses for at least two months i would recommend adding at that time a six line wrasse. wait at least two weeks min. between additions and only add compatible animals. i think the system is just too new and the natural food bank has not had time to develope sufficiently enough to support the bio load. salinity should be kept between 1.023 and 1.025. this is about all the help i can give not knowing the system. good luck and keep us posted if anything else goes wrong. there is always a chance that the animals were not well when purchased also. with shrimp they molt/shed and iodine is very important for that process as well as calcium and alkalinity. the shrimp will shed what appears to be a complete skin intack, acturally looks like a dead shrimp. for the 1st week the shrimps new skin is somewhat soft and must harden and the shrimp is vulnerable during that time. make sure the shrimp is not just hiding behind rocks or else where. if so it will show up in a week or sooner. about all I can share with information given. happy fishin.