Dead material deep inside rocks!!!! Help

[criticle]

I had a royal Gramma that suddenly dissapered scince the 6th and apperntly he's dead but I cant get him out of this huge peice of live rock and he's rotting my tank. I already did a 20% water change on it but my softies are dieing! And dieng fast! Please If you have any sugestions please help!

[Myrddraal]

Are you sure that's what is causing your softies trouble? What does your ammonia test say? If your CUC can't get to him in the rock, I'd take the rock out and let it rot in a bucket.

[Mattmcf]

if it is only a 30 gallon tank i would remove the piece of rock and get the fish out of the hole it died in (try holding the rock upside down from the hole and using a turkey baster with tank water to blast the carcass out. If this is not a option, make your water changes larger and more frequent until your parameters come back down... What is your water testing at now? What kind of clean up crew do you have to help with these kind of situations?

[kar93]

do you have any bristleworms?, they should be able to get to it.

[criticle]

I have no bristle worms. I have one 40 lbs live rock. plenty flow. and it is a 30 gal

[criticle]

I just completed the water change, and I will return w/ test reults.

[naterealbig]

criticle,

I agree with myrddrall, definitely check your ammonia and nitrite. 30lbs of LR in your tank should be able to process the waste from a small decaying fish, especially if the lr has been curing for a long time. Look at any other changes in your tank, including new lighting or filtration as well, as it is easy to "shock" corals, even softies. Also check phosphate and nitrate levels. If everything is testing good (and by good I mean <1ppm phosphate, <10ppm nitrate, 0 NH3, and 0 NO2) then your dead fish is not the issue. When is the last time you have checked your salinity? If you are worried about detritus build-up in your rocks, simply take a powerhead and use it to "blow" any buildup in your rocks out, and promptly complete another thorough water change.

[naterealbig]

Oh, one more thing,

What are your pH, calcium, and alkalinity levels in your tank? I know many people would tell you that you don't really need supplimentation in a tank of softies, but your job as an aquarist is to recreate as closely as you can, the parameters of the ocean. You will find this is rarely less than 400ppm calcium, 9dKH, or a pH of anything too far from 8.2. Just having your calcium, pH, and alkalinity at ideal and steady levels will make up for other areas that are lacking.