PROBLEMS WITH FISH

[whiirly]

I recently set up a 110 gal salt and im having no luck
with my fish ive put 4 differnt angles and they have
all died within just a few weeks. ive had my water checked
at my lfs and they say the water is fine. im at a loss
as to what to do SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP
THANKS IN ADVANCE
JOE

 

[MarkO1]

Need more info. The more you can provide, the better we can answer.
What are your parameters, readings?
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Macumba Forum

 

[Reefguide]

Are there any other fish in there that have survived?? Throw a bit more info this way as far as setup, ect...

 

[Anonymous]

You need to check the following yourself (not by the LFS):

Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
PH
Salinity

Also, what are you using for a substrate, and what kind of filtration system are you using, and what kind of protein skimmmer. If the tank is too new, it could be the cause of your problem, but then you should get some readings from the above tests.

There are other tests and problems, but these are the first and give us the readings. Then we can maybe help you. If not, then we can maybe give you a few other things to try.

 

[SPC]

Whirrly, I remember from another thread that you were just starting to cycle your tank on May 20. You now say that you have tried 4 different angels in the last 3 weeks. Please slow down and allow us to help you at this point.
Steve

 

[Reefguide]

May 20th is less than a month old if in fact that was your set-up date. If so thats your problem right there... Don't rush the Cycle. You'll do more harm than good...

 

[Anonymous]

May 20th? Yeesh! I got my tank in February and I still haven't put any fish in it. Although it is ready now, (readings are all 0 now with live rock 1-1/2 months in) but I'm waiting until after my vacation.

 

[whiirly]

may 20th is my 30 gal this one has been up since the end of march
i have 9 damsels 40 lbs of live rock a fire shrimp and 3 anemonies
(sorry if its spelled wrong)all of witch seem to be doing fine. is it im going to fast possibly
thanks in adavance
joe

 

[whiirly]

ive had my lfs do the water check they say my
reading are fine. i have a wet/dry filter with a protien scimmer built into it
i also put a uv filter on because i heard it would help clear my water up
witch it did nicely

 

[MarkO1]

What kind of angels are you trying to keep? Angels are much more sensitive than damsels. Do your own testing. If you have a 110 gal. tank. I hope you spent $50 on test kits.
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hash honey oil

 

[Anemone]

may 20th is my 30 gal this one has been up since the end of march
i have 9 damsels 40 lbs of live rock a fire shrimp and 3 anemonies
(sorry if its spelled wrong)all of witch seem to be doing fine. is it im going to fast possibly
thanks in adavance
joe

Okay, your tank has been set up for 2 1/2 months, and is filled with hellspawn (damsels). Yes, you're going too fast. Angels can be hardy fish if they survive the first month or two. Angels really need a pretty stable tank, and your tank won't be there for at least another 3 months.

My advice - remove half the damsels (take them back to the LFS), stock with some other hardy fish while slowly building your stocking levels (check here for opinions on the fish before you buy them), and don't add an angel until your tank has another 3-4 months behind it.

FWIW,

Kevin

 

[npaden]

Ditto on the above comments. You are going WAY to fast! Slow down, buy some books and do some research before buying anything else. You might start asking questions about how to care for some of the other inhabitants you have in your tanks (the anenomes for instance) so they don't end up dead like the angelfish did before to long.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[whiirly]

what kind of fish do you recomend besides
damsels?my anenomes seem to be doing
fine i feed them frozen crill a couple times a
week plus some liquid stuff my lfs recommend

 

[Cruzan277]

SCARRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYY

You have got an anemone in a tank that has been up for only 2 1/2 months. What kind of lighting do you have? Man take it easy. Where do you buy your fish from? Dont go there anymore. They should have asked how old your tank was before they sold you one Angel

 

[danmhippo]

Besides taking your water to test at LFS, do you have a test kit sets of your own? I don't trust my LFS' test kits as they always use the cheapest inacurate ones on the shelf, let alone expired regent. For as much as you have already invested into the 110G, you should get reputable test kits of your own, such as salifert, or hach.

If you already own your test kits, can you tell us what are the readings of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, alkalinity, temp, salinity? Do the test also for both morning and at night. Tanks in the first 6 months are rather unstable and wide swings in the above readings are not uncommon. Wide chemistry swings can stress out most critters you put into the tank.

If you intend on keeping more inverts down the road, you may want to stock up on your liverocks and gradually removing bioballs from your Wet Dry in quarters. But, let's solve your fish death mysteries first.

 

[Rich-n-poor]

Whirly:

what kind of fish do you recomend besides
damsels?my anenomes seem to be doing
fine i feed them frozen crill a couple times a
week plus some liquid stuff my lfs recommend

Ok. here is a progression of fish you can try based on their heartiness in my personal opinion:

Damsels
Green chromis
Tank Raised Clowns
Dottybacks (1 per tank no matter how big)
Pygmy angels ( 1 per Tank no matter how big)

that is basically what is in my 37 gallon (minus the damsels) which is about 1 year old now. The Coral Beauty angel wasn't added until the tank was 6 months old.

rich
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Honda Nighthawk

 

[whiirly]

i bought my tank from my lfs so they know how old it was.
i have dip strips to test my water now but it sonds like im lookin for a test kit this weekend.as for my anenomes they seem to be doing very well colors good on all and they are full and open up all the way only moving once and awhile
thanks for all the advise and help
joe

 

[MarkO1]

Whirrly, anemones need lots of light. If they are moving around.... it probably means they are looking for a better spot.
YES, spend a few $$$ and BUY a NICE test kit.
Test for the following:
pH,
Alkalinity (hardness),
calcium,
Ammonia,
nitrite,
nitrate,
phosphate,
and also purchase a hydrometer... an accurate glass one, and have them calibrate it at the store. Most reputable stores will do this for you free of charge.
_________________
Mercedes A Class

 

[Anemone]

We really need more info about your system - if you have anemones, we really need to know about your lighting. Also, what type of anemones, and are you feeding them? Water is "fine," really tells us nothing - let us know what your readings are when you get your test kit.

As to hardy fish - there are lots: wrasses, grammas, cardinals, hawkfish, clowns, puffers, tangs, gobies, dottybacks to name a few. Some in each of these categories are hardy, some aren't. Some won't get along. Some will be fine with certain inverts, others won't. You need to decide what you really want to keep (fish and invert-wise), then see if they're compatible and begin to adjust your list.

I suggest you get Scott Michaels' book, 500+ Marine Aquarium Fish, and check here with your ideas. Don't trust your LFS!!!

Kevin