Is my fish going to die? Help!

somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
Alright I have a wild percula clown. I had my water tested at one LFS and they said it was good to go. So I bought the clown. Went to another store to have it tested and they said the nitrite was a little high and that the fish could be fine, and most likely it would because they are hearty, but there is a chance he wouldnt make it.
I had the tank running a week and it is JUST at the end of the cycle aparently. I put in some bacteria supplement to speed up the end of the process.
The clown is really active, do you guys thing he'll be okay?
 
shyfish

shyfish

Member
If he isn't acting slugish I wouldn't worry. They are very hardy. Wild caugt makes them a little less so but if isn't acting sick he isn't sick.
I have used clowns as my first fish every time I start a new tank because they are so hardy. It just ain't a saltwater tank without a clown.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
You had your tank 1 week and the cycle was over? What are all of your readings? Size Tank? What did you cycle with?
 
somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
No, I know its not completely cycled. It has a little ways to go. But the first dudes who tested it said it was all good.
Ph-8.4
Nitrate-0
Nitrite-.5
Ammonia-barely any. (there was some before, so I know its cycling)
Alkalinity-was perfect.
Size tank-20 high. Clown will be the only thing in there.
I really hope he's okay, this wil be his first night in there. I've had him since this morning, so far so good.
Is it normal for them to swim close to the glass up and down?
 
shyfish

shyfish

Member
Originally Posted by SomethinFishy
http:///forum/post/2929086
Alright I have a wild percula clown. I had my water tested at one LFS and they said it was good to go. So I bought the clown. Went to another store to have it tested and they said the nitrite was a little high and that the fish could be fine, and most likely it would because they are hearty, but there is a chance he wouldnt make it.
I had the tank running a week and it is JUST at the end of the cycle aparently. I put in some bacteria supplement to speed up the end of the process.
The clown is really active, do you guys thing he'll be okay?
1 week is not enough time and I wanted to add that your fortunate your fish didn't die. With live rock and one little fishy he should Okay. Do not add anything else for a good while.
Never rush!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
doesn't sound like you're done...you should have NO ammonia, NO nitrite....As said above...don't put anything else in the tank...
 
somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
Originally Posted by Shyfish
http:///forum/post/2929124
1 week is not enough time and I wanted to add that your fortunate your fish didn't die. With live rock and one little fishy he should Okay. Do not add anything else for a good while.
Never rush!
What fish? The damsel? He lived.
I'm asking about the new clown I put in today. I'm just following the LFS advice. Guess i was wrong.
 
somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2929132
Is this damsel dead????
Nope damsel was as happy as can be. Very active and everything. I forgot to say that the water and live rock ran for about 3 days b4 I added anything at all, so total its been 10 days.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
So you have 2 fish then...DONT LISTEN TO LFS...They are trying to sell products.
Ask here first...FIRST..
 
somethinfishy

somethinfishy

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/2929144
So you have 2 fish then...DONT LISTEN TO LFS...They are trying to sell products.
Ask here first...FIRST..
Sorry I haven't told the whole story good. Had the damsel 7 days. Returned after they said my tank was fine, and got the clown. I only have the clown. I'm worried he wont be okay with the little bit of nitrite.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I'd bring the fish back, wait 3 weeks and then check your water, whan all ammonia and nitrites are gone then consider getting another fish
 
james2042

james2042

Member
Originally Posted by SomethinFishy
http:///forum/post/2929160
Can't take the fish back, they wont take it now!
Can I do a small water change?
You can do all the water changes you want but your bound to have a spike 7-10 days is not enough time if the lfs said your fine there liars this hobby is all about waiting
 
9supratt4

9supratt4

Active Member
Unfortunately....you are just going to have to wait it out!! About 2 years ago I was new at saltwater keeping too. I started with a used 55 that I knew nothing about with 4 fish in it. But reading and reading and reading on this board.....and asking tons of questions on here.....I have learned A LOT!! I am now up to a 180 with 30 gallon sump and now I am keeping very healthy fish...even cured HLLE (hopefully)...and now I house healthy and growing corals too!!
So just wait it out and cross your fingers that he won't die. And patience is a virtue in this hobby!! If you go about 3-4 weeks with no spikes of any kind, then that is the time to start thinking about adding more things to the tank.
Just remember.....ask all the questions you need on this board!! A lot of people are here with LOADS of experience and surprisingly they are nice people

Good luck and welcome to the most addicting hobby you could have gotten into!!
 
shyfish

shyfish

Member
Poor clown, The damsel will kill him. Damsels kill everything. If you want the clown or any other type of fish you get later to have any chance, get rid of the damsel.
When it gets big enough it will bite you, drawing blood. IMO they are the worse fish ever.
 
trouble93

trouble93

Member
I hope you get to read this before you ever go back to that fish store...As you can tell a LFS is after your money and will tell you anything to put your cash in there pocket. If you go into a store and tell them how long you have had your tank up and they sell you anything other then a test kit you should true around and leave. These fish are living things and we have there life in our hand. First of all IMO I don't think it's right to cycle a tank using damsels, clowns or anything else...Back in the day that's what they did, but this hobby has come so far that we should know better now. I went into a store once it was my first time there I didn't know this place was there so I just wanted to check it out. There was a young lady in front of me who wanted to set up a saltwater fish tank and I heard the man say we can set you up no problem. I heard her say she had a 30gal. tank at home that had been sitting since her goldfish died. First thing he handed her was a box of salt and a bag of sand. She went on to ask what to do with the gravel and he said take it out she said what about the under gravel filter oh you can leave it in, so by this point I'm all ears she asked could she leave the water in that is already in there because her bathroom was so far away from the tank. To make a long story short, she was about to walked out of the store with a bag of sand a box of salt a yellow tang because it went with her livingroom set and a clown triger because it looked odd...And I fell out, but I stoped her before she paid for it all and I was asked to leave. I said all this to say do not trust a LFS they will get you every time.
 
shyfish

shyfish

Member
OMG!!!
The LFS I go to . I was standing there looking at the fish a fellow came in and asked for a certian fish and its price. The owner told him to go kill somebody elses fish because he wouldn't be getting his.
He then went on to explain that he had told this guy three times what to do to keep a saltwater fish and all he wanted was rush, rush. That the guy took no warning or advice. He didn't want the guys business.
I try and get whatever I need from this place. The owner is 80 years old and talking about getting out because he can't compete with the big stores. He said he will continue to keep the doors open as long as the store paid its overhead. He lives on his pension money.
So not all LFS are in it for just for a buck.
The way I find a store I trust:
Most of them usualy have a show tank in the store. One they don't sell the fish and stuff out of, its just to show people how great a tank can look. I don't even deal with the ones that don't have one going.
Check it out and see how long its been up and running. Most, if you go back in 6 months the show tank is gone. Why? Because it crashed and it got too expensive to keep trying to fix.
If they can't run their own tank and keep it alive how can they help you?
These are not the guys to get advice from. I wouldn't trust them with a guppy.
Thats why message boards like this are so great. Years ago we had to find a fish guru that could be trusted to guide us. Now we have lots of them as close as a computer.
 
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