Paul B
NJRC Member
The general opinion is if something dies, there is something wrong. That is not always the case. Things can die for a few reasons not directly related to anything under our control and there is not always a need to add something or remove something. Fish die of old age as many of mine did. Some fish such as pipefish and seahorses only live a few years and if the thing is 2 years old when you get it, it is ready to croak. Some fish such as clowns live over 20 years but small gobies may only live 5 or 6 years. So no matter what you do, that's their lifespan. Corals "can" live forever but rarely do in a tank. 4 or 5 years doesn't mean much in the life of a coral. 4 or 5 years don't mean much in the life of a tank as that is not even half the age of a hermit crab. Success with a Moorish Idol is not 5 years or even 10 years even though no one has kept one for that length of time. If you keep a tank long enough you will notice cycles. Some cycles last for a few years so if your tank is 5 years old, you may not notice these. My tank has had cycles of hair algae, bristle worms, macro algae, flatworms, cyano, carpal tunnel syndrome etc. These things could last a year or two then disappear. For years my tank had majano anemones all over the place. My wife eliminated them and annoyed them every day with a Majano Wand then one day, they all disappeared. Why? I have no Idea and neither does anyone else. I just lost a few torch corals. Why? I also have no idea but I think it is just normal coral wars as the poisons they exude at certain times of the year can kill other corals. In the sea it corresponds with phases of the moon but in a tank it could be what time I watch TV to as corals don't seem to know the difference between TV light, moon light or the shine off my bald head. Lighting cycles mean everything to corals and we have absolutely no idea what they are thinking or how it affects them. If a few corals die and you tested the water, changed the water and offered up tea leaves to the moon while waving chicken bones over the tank and you can't figure out why they died, you just have to get over it as we don't know everything. I generally pour myself a nice glass of merlot and go our and buy more corals. Of course if all our corals start to die, something we missed is probably the cause because generally the corals exuding poisons don't kill themselves. Most of my corals are growing very well so I can "assume" all is well. If metal poisoning, low salinity, disease, paint fumes, or rap music is the culprit, all or at least most of the corals will be affected. But above all else we must remember that this is a "hobby". It is an expensive hobby but there is no end game, no goal, no prizes, it is the journey that matters, like sailing, you don't need to actually get anywhere, the trip is the adventure. If all my corals turned into snot tomorrow, I would clean out the tank and get excited that I would have the opportunity to re aquascape. It is what it is. 
