Tropical Fish Forums

nenapod2 · New Members Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Okay, I finally set up a slat water tank with 3 fish a week ago. The problem is, when I woke up today, one of the fish (a large red one with a bluish fin and and vertical glowing blue stripes) was laying on the bottom. I moved my ruler near him, and he got up and swam away. Then he sat on the bottom, so once again, I did my ruler. He seems okay now, but I just want to make sure he's not on the onset of something.

Also, the problem may be that I left the light and heater off at night and woke up late today (so the water was too cool).
Any suggestions?

Barby Girl · Regulars Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Location: Ohio

Fish hate temperature variations, so if your running it from warm to cool quickly (like overnight) it sounds like you stressed your fish out. Did you put the fish in right away without cycling your tank? You said you set the tank up with 3 fish a week ago. Did the tank mature/cycle before you added the 3 fish or did you just toss them in? I'm still in the cycle process of my first reef tank, lots of stuff to learn you might want to poke around the net and research setting up a new tank. One thing I have definitly learned is there is barely any margin of error with SW as compared to FW. Good luck with your fish, hope they are OK!
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Barby Girl

nenapod2 · New Members Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Well, I cycled for a week and a half (used water cleaner and cycle) while I was on vacation. I floated the fish for half an hour before putting them in. YOu're probobly right about temp. variation. However, now he's chasing his own tail rapidly and then sinking onto the bottom, getting up, and doing it again.

Pete Harcoff · Advisors Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Canada

What are your tank parameters (I.e. temp, salinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)? A week and a half doesn't sound like a very long cycle period. It took the better part of a month to cycle my 56 gallon reef.

nenapod2 · New Members Joined: 09 Jul 2006

0 gallons, I don't know about the rest. Now I think he's dead:(

Pete Harcoff · Advisors Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Canada

I'm sorry your fish died. But it does sound like you need to do more research and planning before you attempt any more fish in your tank.

Regarding cycling, Cycle is imho, not a good product. Instead, I would use either pure ammonia or something like a small piece of frozen shrimp to release ammonia into the tank so that it can properly cycle. A cycle should take about a month to complete, depending. If you have live rock or live sand, then that will help "seed" your tank with the beneficial bacteria needed for the cycle process.

You need to have the following test kits and know how to use them: pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. It would also be a good idea to have test kits for Phosphate and KH/GH, too. You will also need a hydrometer to measure you salinity and naturally a thermometer for temp.

Ideal saltwater conditions are:

temp: 74-80 F
salinity: 1.021 to 1.025
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: <20 ppm
phosphate: 0

You haven't stated the tank size nor what type of fish you tried to put in (from your description it might have been a Flame Angelfish?). You really need to research the individual species so that you will know if your tank is suitable.

Above all, the key to a successful tank is patience. Bad things happen quickly. Good things take time.

nenapod2 · New Members Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Well, it's a 30 Gallon tank. The guy at my LPS told me what to do and I followed his instructions to the letter. I dunno what could have happened.....

sirreal63 · Advisors Joined: 21 Feb 2004 Location: Meadowlakes, TX

What could have happened is called ammonia poisoning. You released 3 fish into a tank that couldn't convert the waste (ammonia) produced by the fish. As the levels of ammonia increased, the health of the fish declined until they couldn't handle living in their own waste and died. Sounds harsh, and it is.

Research how to properly cycle a tank before you buy any other fish please.
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110 Gallon DSA Pentagon

SoS · Advisors Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Location: PA, USA

What you should do is take that dead fish back to the LFS and slap him over the head with it Evil or Very Mad

Pet stores are evil!!!

research first tank second....never believe anything you told in a pet store.

do you have a test kit for you water?
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150 Gallon (567.811768 liters) community tank, 50 Gallon African Tank, 7 reef tanks, 6 FOLR, 28 freshwater tanks

FloridaBoy · Moderators Joined: 04 Jul 2004

"a large red one with a bluish fin..."
Hmmm, you don't even know the names of the fish you were keeping? My friend, please make your next purchase a good book before putting any more reef life at risk. Your knowledge will bring you success... Try THE CONSCIENTOUS MARINE AQUARIST by Fenner... dang, I need to get a percentage on this book from Bob...
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Keepin' marines happy for 25 years