Did Something Stupid

[jonathanw]

I live in Tokyo and don't get out to the fish store very often, so I have a bad habit of trying to do everything at once when I am there.

Two weeks ago I noticed that hair algae was starting to be a problem in the display tank -- hexagonal (16 gallons). I happened to be going that way so I came home with a skimmer to hang on the side, and (the stupid) a powder blue tang to eat the algae.

The tang went to work on the algae, the skimmer skims like crazy down in the refugium -- horizontal (16 gallons) All was well.

Noticed that the tang spent a lot of time swimming by the powerhead -- and then this morning I found him dead. Today I drove into town again and happened to listen to the live podcast where they talked about Tangs! Wish I would have heard that before. My stupid! Poor guy didn't have any room to move. And now the algae is starting to grow back again.

So today I once again dropped by the fish store and wanted to beef up my cleaning crew and pick up some macroalgae for the refugium. Got some snails, hermit crabs and a camel shrimp.
However, not two seconds after dropping the camel shrimp into the tank, the red scooter blennie grabs him and bites off his head. Never saw that coming. Is that normal? I have had shrimp in the tank before but not since we got the scooter.

Main Tank
Three small percula clowns
1 larger tomato clown
1 blue damsel
1 Bangii cardinal
1 Red scooter blennie
Green star polyp coral
Clean up crew

Refugium
one starfish
cleanup crew
lots and lots of copepods

[Amphibious]

Jonathan,

I'm very happy you admit up front "the stupid" part. That way we don't have to point that out. It's sad that you had to learn that lesson the hard way. The real lesson here should be to research every decision before implementing it. Doesn't matter if it's equipment or livestock. Research and ask questions here before the purchase. You will save money and the Powder Blue Tang could still be alive happily swimming in a larger tank, much larger.

Can you post a picture of the Scooter Blenny? SBs usually have such a small mouth, I can't imagine one taking the head off a Camel shrimp.

Dick

Originally Posted by jonathanw

I live in Tokyo and don't get out to the fish store very often, so I have a bad habit of trying to do everything at once when I am there.

Two weeks ago I noticed that hair algae was starting to be a problem in the display tank -- hexagonal (16 gallons). I happened to be going that way so I came home with a skimmer to hang on the side, and (the stupid) a powder blue tang to eat the algae.

The tang went to work on the algae, the skimmer skims like crazy down in the refugium -- horizontal (16 gallons) All was well.

Noticed that the tang spent a lot of time swimming by the powerhead -- and then this morning I found him dead. Today I drove into town again and happened to listen to the live podcast where they talked about Tangs! Wish I would have heard that before. My stupid! Poor guy didn't have any room to move. And now the algae is starting to grow back again.

So today I once again dropped by the fish store and wanted to beef up my cleaning crew and pick up some macroalgae for the refugium. Got some snails, hermit crabs and a camel shrimp.
However, not two seconds after dropping the camel shrimp into the tank, the red scooter blennie grabs him and bites off his head. Never saw that coming. Is that normal? I have had shrimp in the tank before but not since we got the scooter.

Main Tank
Three small percula clowns
1 larger tomato clown
1 blue damsel
1 Bangii cardinal
1 Red scooter blennie
Green star polyp coral
Clean up crew

Refugium
one starfish
cleanup crew
lots and lots of copepods

[jonathanw]

Turns out I don't have a red scooter blennie after all!
Part of my problem is that all the fish are named at the store in Japanese. The common names are all different, and I do my best to try to match up pictures, but missed this one.

Seems that I have a dwarf hawkfish - Cirrhitichthys falco
He absolutely loves picking copepods off the rock, and now I know that he likes shrimp pretty well too

[lReef lKeeper]

i would also like to add that, IMHO, you tank is at or beyond its fish load. with only 16 gallons of water and 4 clowns, a DAMNsel, hawkfish, and a cardinal ... you will end up with water quality issues.

if it were my tank i would only keep 2 of the smaller clowns and get them something to host in. NOT an anemone unless you have the lighting requirements and a mature tank. they will host in a whole bunch of things.

[Amphibious]

jonathanw,

Yes, that's not a scooter blenny and quite capable of eating camel shrimp as you now know. I meant to comment on the population of your tank as did lReef lKeeper. You are maxed out in my humble opinion.

Dick

[Sheol]

Originally Posted by lReef lKeeper

[clowns] will host in a whole bunch of things.

Just curious - like what?

[PhotoJohn]

Be happy the camel shrimp was killed, they have the nasty habit of eating coral.

[Skurvey Dog]

Originally Posted by Sheol

Just curious - like what?

Here is an excellent article written from GARF about clownfish hosting w/o use of anenomes.

SARCOPHYTONS AS A CLOWNFISH HOST

[Sheol]

Interesting - I bet my lights aren't even enough to sustain one of those, though.

[CarmieJo]

Before I got my BTA my maroon hosted a cleft in the rock!

[jonathanw]

Well guys, unfortunately disaster has struck. After the Tang died, the tomato clown got very lethargic and developed white spots. Next morning he was dead. I tried my best to change water and clean everything out but lost two more clowns as well. The last clown has been doing fine the last couple of days so I think he might survive. Everything else doesn't seem to be affected. Bad things do happen fast!

[jonathanw]

by the way, it is 32 gallons, altogether with both tanks. But I won't try to add anything back for a while. I did notice that one of the new clean up turbo snails seems to have a hitchhiker. It is a soft anemone looking thing -- but doesn't have the long snaky tentacles of the apaistia. lots of little ones in the center. It stays right on the snail and I keep it in the bottom tank where it is easy to take it back out.

[Reefbaby]

Another thing to keep in mind Jonathan.....QUARANTINE QUARANTINE QUARANTINE!! As you've noticed...disasters happen fast. You can avoid so many of these kinds of disasters by quarantining the livestock that you buy.

[Skurvey Dog]

Gosh Jonathan, sorry to hear that. I hope your remaining clown hangs in there. Are the white spots ich? If so, you might want to pull your clown out (I'm assuming he is the only remaining fish you have) and put him in a QT and wait at least 6 weeks until the ich cycles. If there is nothing in your DT to support them, they will cycle out and die. I can't remember exactly the cycle span time frame as it could possibly be a much longer time than I am stating. I'm sure someone else can chime in on it as this has been discussed before somewhere else in a post. But as long as you have something in your tank, you run a high risk of keeping an ich parasite at some growth stage in there. Sort of reminds me of the life stages of a flea. They live in the water column. One day you see one spot on a fish and then the next they're covered and a blink of an eye, Game Over. It happens that quick.

But always remember..... "You have to go through the bad to get to all the GOOD and it makes it all the more special. Chin up, we're cheering for you!

[Sheol]

Originally Posted by Phurst

at least 6 weeks, 8 is better

in a recent ich-related thread.

Originally Posted by poppin_fresh

This article here- Aquarium Fish says to treat for 3 weeks, so I would think you are good to go.

in another recent ich-related thread.