Hey Gang,
I am new to the talking reef, just got an ipod. I have a problem with my tank. It is regards to fish.
A little history first:
I had a 12 gallon JBJ nano setup for 1.5 years. I then decided to upgrade to a 29 Gallon. So I picked one up, moved all my stuff to the 29 gal. The 29 gallon has been up and running for about 6 months. I moved all my fish, rock, filtration to the new tank. In addition I added a refugium and extra LR and LS. My filtration is as follows:
AquaC Remora, and HOT refuguim in addition to the 30# LR and LS. All my measurements are crystal clean. zero's for nitrate and nitrite and amonia.
Well everything I moved to the new tank survivied. In addition I added a GBTA and a gold stripe clown. I moved a dot dash goby into the 29 gal along with a cleaner shrimp from the nano. The GBTA, Clown, Goby, and cleaner shrimp have been thriving for about 6 months now and are still alive and doing well.
Having said all that here is the problem. Everybody is doing well but when I buy new fish they all die. I have purchased two flame angels, a damsel, couple fire fish, and a few others. They were all added at different times and aclimated well. Usually each fish was added one at a time, a week or two after the prior fish died. What I mean is I would buy one and then it would die within 2 weeks to 2 days. Nothing seemed abnormal, i bought the fish from 3 different LFS in town. So I can't seem to nail down this problem. None of the fish displayed any kind of sickness or deisease.
I use salifert test kits to ensure my readings are perfect. The only thing I can think to do now is setup the nano again and see if the same thing happens in that tank. I also bought all different kinds of food and tried feeding them various things, flack, brine, mysis shimp. This is just killing me. However all the corals I buy do really well.
The only other thing I have noticed is there are some small green types of bubbles forming on some LR I purchased online. The bubbles seem to get larger over time and then disappear. I can take a picture and post it online if your interested. I have almost no algee in the tank the refuguim does a great job. These bubble are weriod see through bubbles that get about .5 inch in size and then eventually disappear.
I am just not sure what else to do to trouble shoot this problem.
Thanks,
Tony
Sorry about your fish. I'm not sure what the deal is- maybe the clown is bullying them? Do u see the fish eat at the LFS before you take them home?
Sounds like you have bubble algae- something u want to get rid of!! Don't pop the bubbles whatever u do- the spores will spread... I think the best way to get rid of it is to take the individual rock out of the tank and treat it... then I'm not sure after that?? ROB HELP!! ha ha... maybe u need to cook the rock?? I've *think* emerald crabs eat bubble algae, but emerald crabs can be mean though. Others can help u far better than I can...
man...
i wrote a whole response to this, i must have not have actaully posted it...
im sorry. i have to get tongihts show done, but will make sure i get you my answer right after i get that done.
sry for the delay.
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It's not bubble algee i can promise that, i will take a pick and post it. It's large and shinny and fairly large. Look at it against the mushroom behind it, you can get a sence of the size of it.
ok, yes i agree.. that totally looks like bubble agae....
now regarding the fish issue..
my recomemdation was (that i typed but lost coase i didnt hit the submit button) is that you shoudl setup a QT tank.. foam filter and a heater and such
when you get your next fish, get as much water as you can with it, and add it all to the QT. then continue to add some RO saltwater regulary until the tank is full..
keep the fish in there, and follow normal QT procedures, change soem water everyday and feed normally...
i cant really pinpoint anything that would cause a loss of all new fish like that unless of course its getting attacked by another fish..
if the fish makes it to about 4 weeks (6 to be safe) then attempt to add it. this will help reduce the possibility that the problem came with the fish, as in it wass sick, or something
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Thanks for the feedback Rob, thats kinda the course I was thinking on taking. I was surprised you mentioned using the LFS water. Usually everyone tells you NEVER USE ANY FLS WATER. But I guess in this case it is different. I have to save enough money up to buy a second skimmer for my JBJ since it was moved to my 29 gallon before I setup a QT tank in the JBJ.
yes, normally you would never use LFS water, but in this case i would be more concerned with maintaining an extended stable enviroment. then as the days progress and you get the tank topped off, you can start doing regular water changes.
towards the last week of QT, you can start replaceing water in the QT tank with water from your display tank to start the acclimation proccess.
just rememebr, when you do introduce the fish to your tank, use normal prcedures, as in move just the fish and not water.
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If any of you read aquarium fish magazine, i happened across an article in the march 2005 (page 8)with a pic of the exact green algee i posted above. So you guys and (gals) were correct. It is algree.
__________________ Tony K.
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75 Gallon Reef Tank
Livestock: 6 Chromis, Atlantic Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, Flame Angel, Pair Maroon Clowns, Bristal Star
Corals: Bubble Coral, Toadstool Leather, Star Polyp, Zoo's, Mushrooms, Clam
I too use LFS water in my QT tank ONLY. Rob's right...adding that water with yours will help the acclimation for the immediate situation. AGAIN..ONLY in the QT with bare bottom, no LR or anything else in there.
Then, over a period of a few days, remove some water and add new water, discarding the older water. Within a week's time (and you should really QT for as long as you possibly can to study the fish and assure that it doesn't introduce any 'nasties' in your tank) you will have water that is extremely close to that in your display tank. If you see no problems with your fish, then you can put him in the display.
Watch the clown too. I had a cow of a false perc that would bully and harrass any and all new fish in my tank. Some jumped. Others grew weak and died from lack of food and the constant chase. I'm not saying it is your clown, but keep an eye out for any 'stressful' indicators.
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