My Terrible Weekend!

[Wolverine57]

This weekend I lost my mystery wrasse, radiant wrasse, hippo, harlequin shrimp and the week before a pair of wrasse I purchase last week. All dead!
I check my water parameters all checked good.
Prior to purchasing my first 2 wrasse from Aquatic Express, forgot the names of the wrasse. I had a Sohal Tang, Purple Tang, Purple Fire Fish and a pair of True perculas purchase from WWOF, several weeks ago.

Last Saturday, I had purchase a Blue Hippo Tang in NJ, and pair of wrasse & 1 athia from Aquatics Express. The following day, my wife notice that one wrasse was mangle and the other we could not find.

Hippo was doing fine eating and dodging the other tangs. This past week, I went to WWOF, and purchase a Mystery Wrasse, Radiant Wrasse and a 1 harlequin shrimp. After acclimating, the fish move around the tank doing well and in the morning I saw my mystery wrasse swimming around with no problems.

But, have not seen my radiant wrasse, harlequin shrimp and not even the Blue Hippo. I thought maybe they were sleeping or hiding, so I threw in some food to see if these guys come out, usually the blue hippo would be one of the first to eat, no sign of him or them.

After a couple of hours I saw my Purple tang eating on my mystery chop off head. I was piss! Very Piss!

What do you make of this! I knew that the Sohal tang are quite aggressive towards are tangs, maybe I should have research there characteristics towards others, maybe a LFS should have LMK. Truthfully, I would have not know that they would be aggressive towards smaller fishes.
My smaller fish (trues percs, athia and purple fire fish) are doing fine. All I know, I just piss $340 within a week down the toilet! If this was the doing of the Sohal and Purple Tang, there is a lesson to be learn, ask question or research before you buy other fish.
I guess I'm going to take out the Purple and Sohal Tang out of my main tank and put them in my frag tank system and buy 1-2 small fish and see how they do without these 2 tangs.

Appreciate your input

 

[fernandokng]

Sorry about your loss. Even though Sohals is one of the most beautiful fish out there in the hobby, it is also one of the most aggressive. They should always be added last.

What size is your tank?

Here's an excerpt from Liveaquaria

"Sohal Tangs are very aggressive. They should not be kept with other Tangs or Wrasse species. They tend to be well-behaved with old tank mates, but try to kill any new additions. They are only suited for large aquariums with other aggressive fish. They do fairly well in very large reef systems with no other Tangs, and plenty of swimming room. "

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+43+383&pcatid=383

 

[Pinkheine]

Sorry to hear about your losses. Honestly we lost three fish in the past three weeks as well. All new fish. All gone from one day being fine, eating well then to the next gone.

I went back to the LFS and spoke to them. I brought one of the fish with me. Their guess is that it is parasites of some sort. IDK if there is any correlation but a friend of mine also lost a few fish that he bought in the past three weeks as well, out of nowhere.

All of our established fish are fine. The new fish are the ones that were not doing well and didn't make it. IDK what it is but we are holding off on adding any new fish for at least a month if not more. We lost just about $300 in fish over the past few weeks with no explanation.

Happily I can say that when we are ready for new fish the LFS is going to give us a good break on price. Though it is very upsetting to lose fish so rapidly and not know why.

For now we will still use garlic and vitamins in food and hope for the best for our other two new additions that they can survive long enough to battle whatever plagued the other three.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Sorry Johnny. Hope everything turns around for you and your tank.

 

[nycmat]

This weekend I lost my mystery wrasse, radiant wrasse, hippo, harlequin shrimp and the week before a pair of wrasse I purchase last week. All dead!
I check my water parameters all checked good.
Prior to purchasing my first 2 wrasse from Aquatic Express, forgot the names of the wrasse. I had a Sohal Tang, Purple Tang, Purple Fire Fish and a pair of True perculas purchase from WWOF, several weeks ago.

Last Saturday, I had purchase a Blue Hippo Tang in NJ, and pair of wrasse & 1 athia from Aquatics Express. The following day, my wife notice that one wrasse was mangle and the other we could not find.

Hippo was doing fine eating and dodging the other tangs. This past week, I went to WWOF, and purchase a Mystery Wrasse, Radiant Wrasse and a 1 harlequin shrimp. After acclimating, the fish move around the tank doing well and in the morning I saw my mystery wrasse swimming around with no problems.

But, have not seen my radiant wrasse, harlequin shrimp and not even the Blue Hippo. I thought maybe they were sleeping or hiding, so I threw in some food to see if these guys come out, usually the blue hippo would be one of the first to eat, no sign of him or them.

After a couple of hours I saw my Purple tang eating on my mystery chop off head. I was piss! Very Piss!

What do you make of this! I knew that the Sohal tang are quite aggressive towards are tangs, maybe I should have research there characteristics towards others, maybe a LFS should have LMK. Truthfully, I would have not know that they would be aggressive towards smaller fishes.
My smaller fish (trues percs, athia and purple fire fish) are doing fine. All I know, I just piss $340 within a week down the toilet! If this was the doing of the Sohal and Purple Tang, there is a lesson to be learn, ask question or research before you buy other fish.
I guess I'm going to take out the Purple and Sohal Tang out of my main tank and put them in my frag tank system and buy 1-2 small fish and see how they do without these 2 tangs.

Appreciate your input

johnny sucks to hear that. sorry for your losses. 1st is this for the 140? if so im sad to say, should have done a little better research with that group of inhabitants.

you have been in the hobby a while now and should know that LFS have a business and are limited in what they know. just look up fishtown for example and all there crap here. that doesnt make them bad people. i doubt both wwof or aquatic express gave bad advice. it should also be known that just because you follow "the rules" doesnt mean it always pans out. sohals are gorgeous. but they are like a scorned woman. dont cross them cause theyll bite your head off. LOL

its always to better to go slow. if your sohal is taking over the tank which has what has been subscribed to me with what i read, then you can try this: change the aquascape if possible, punish him in a trap or sump so that he learns his lesson not to eat other fish. those help. its not a guarantee though. other then that i would look into finding a new home for the sohal. preferably another tank like a 180 or bigger. thats just my 2 cents. hope all is well in the pocanoes with the wife and the new home.

matt

 

[Wolverine57]

johnny sucks to hear that. sorry for your losses. 1st is this for the 140? if so im sad to say, should have done a little better research with that group of inhabitants.

you have been in the hobby a while now and should know that LFS have a business and are limited in what they know. just look up fishtown for example and all there crap here. that doesnt make them bad people. i doubt both wwof or aquatic express gave bad advice. it should also be known that just because you follow "the rules" doesnt mean it always pans out. sohals are gorgeous. but they are like a scorned woman. dont cross them cause theyll bite your head off. LOL

its always to better to go slow. if your sohal is taking over the tank which has what has been subscribed to me with what i read, then you can try this: change the aquascape if possible, punish him in a trap or sump so that he learns his lesson not to eat other fish. those help. its not a guarantee though. other then that i would look into finding a new home for the sohal. preferably another tank like a 180 or bigger. thats just my 2 cents. hope all is well in the pocanoes with the wife and the new home.

matt

Matt, Yes this was for my 140 Gallon. As for you mentioning that I should have researched, you are so right. I agree also that a LFS, will not have all the answer or information.

However, in a retail business a sale associate, should have ask question, not just be an order-taker. Example: A customer, in your store wants to buy a $50 item! What if the sales associate took it further, by asking few questions.

• What size is your tank, and the equipment you have to run it?
• What kind of live stock you have, fish, inverts, corals, LS & LR?
• Where do you live?
• How often do you do maintenance to your tank?

By asking question, the associates might have an opportunity to sell other items, drygood maybe a skimmer, additives, inverts...etc. Taking in consideration everyone in your store is a potential customer. This customer in your store, might not be just a looker!

A customer, will feel confidient and feel that the associate cares and is knowledgeable.

Mike, I did not spent $10-$20. I spent $320 in live stock in one store, in one day. Who knows, next week or next month $500 in live stock. But, not only because of the price, but because I felt good about the associate treating me like an important customer.

 

[lunner]

Man, that sux...

 

[nycmat]

Matt, Yes this was for my 140 Gallon. As for you mentioning that I should have researched, you are so right. I agree also that a LFS, will not have all the answer or information.



However, in a retail business a sale associate, should have ask question, not just be an order-taker. Example: A customer, in your store wants to buy a $50 item! What if the sales associate took it further, by asking few questions.

• What size is your tank, and the equipment you have to run it?
• What kind of live stock you have, fish, inverts, corals, LS & LR?
• Where do you live?
• How often do you do maintenance to your tank?

By asking question, the associates might have an opportunity to sell other items, drygood maybe a skimmer, additives, inverts...etc. Taking in consideration everyone in your store is a potential customer. This customer in your store, might not be just a looker!

A customer, will feel confidient and feel that the associate cares and is knowledgeable.

Mike, I did not spent $10-$20. I spent $320 in live stock in one store, in one day. Who knows, next week or next month $500 in live stock. But, not only because of the price, but because I felt good about the associate treating me like an important customer.

i hear ya mike. but please see the highlighted portion of your post. what we'd like and is, is are 2 different things. we all would love a LFS to be able to do all this for us, but is unlikely. i can remember walking into fishtown one day and one of the salewoman said to me, " we have copper in our water so our achillies is healing with it". never forget that as long as i live. she no longer works there but i almost laughed my arse off. understand my expmple? would a could a should.

another example would be, having a jeggerbomb and just sitting there sipping it and say that you are stuffed. what should be and is are 2 different things. your suppose to chug it by the way.

in the end dude sorry for your losses. also limit yourself with that 140 IMHO. the dimensions are high not long. limited on swim space. also find that sohal a new home dude. its a mean fish. also stay away from the clown tang. the 2 of them are #$%^!!

matt

 

[crox99]

Johnny,

sorry to hear about your loss. That sucks.

 

[cb747]

I have a sohal who used to be a terror. I adjusted his attitude chasing after him with a feeding stick LOL It worked and he has been a model citizen for quite awhile now. I have 8 different tangs in my tank and the occasional aggression with them starts on one side of the tank and ends at the other. Ive added quite a few fish after the sohal with no problems. Your experience may vary

 

[Awibrandy]

Very sorry to hear Johnny! I feel your pain! I added a trio of Sunburst Anthias and never saw them again since the minute they hit the water.
I do agree that you need to remember that your tank is only 4' in length. Really not a whole lot of swimming room for the likes of tangs, especially the most beautiful of them all. I also love this tang, but understand it's meaness, and the need of at the very least a 180 gallon 6' tank my friend.

I have a sohal who used to be a terror. I adjusted his attitude chasing after him with a feeding stick LOL It worked and he has been a model citizen for quite awhile now. I have 8 different tangs in my tank and the occasional aggression with them starts on one side of the tank and ends at the other. Ive added quite a few fish after the sohal with no problems. Your experience may vary

Yes Chris, but you have a 6' 180 gallon tank!

 

[Wolverine57]

JP, it sucks big-time! But for the rest here, it was not the Sohal Tang! It was my Purple tang, he is larger than the Sohal and occassionaly since day one has chase my Sohal. I had purchase the Purple & Sohal Tang the same day. I did not know, that there would be a problem btw both of them. I did not know, I could not put additional fish after having the Purple & Sohal tang in the tank. Just a friendly advise, to anyone new in the hobby, if you buy a purple or Sohal tang, they should be the last fish to be introduce into the tank. This is not a cheap hobby, research and ask question before you buy from anyone.