can you id this problem
- Thread starter cal1tech
- Start date
cal1tech
New Member
Thank for the help. I hope you got a minute. I inherited a 75 gal tank when I bought the house in July. It came with a adult 3 spot damsel(the bully), blue damsel, clown, and a 3 stripe damsel(who died last week) using a wet dry filter. The kids wanted more fish so I went to LFS and asked his advice and he had good priced fish. I came home with Coral Beauty and a squirell fish. I wasn't told that i should qt the fish before into to my tank, well the bully damsel took out his fustration out on the squirell and constantly picked on him. A friend told me to keep the tank covered in darkness to give the squirell a chance. It worked. Approx 3-4 weeks later I bought a lunar wrasse(my fav)and a butterfly fish. 5 days later the squirell fish was attacked by the wrasse, then he took out the coral beauty. I was so pissed that I took the wrasse back to the LFS and asked for a refund or return. I didn't know he needed more meat in his diet. Well he took him back gave me a free bag of salt and sold me a nice butterfly fish for $20. Everybody was doing fine, then all of sudden the butterfly was starting to swim sideways, rubbing, and swimming in the stream of the water return. 2 days later, He was dead. I removed 25 gallons of water, cleaned the tank and replaced the water with the proper salt added. I checked my water for ph, am, nits and all was in good conditions. I usually changed the filter in the w/d every 10 days or so because it got clogged and send air into the tank and clouded it. My friend suggested that I add more filtration because my tank was not as clear( and still not), ---- here I come. I bought a new Fluval 303 and it installed it with act char and blue filter pad I couldn't help it I bought a yellow tang for $20.. The temp dropped in jax but my tank stayed between 75-80. Then the 3 spot started acting like jaws, swimming with his fin out of the tank, swimming up in the stream, like he was tring to cool off. The clown started to develop a fuzziness around his face. Then it really got cold. the tank temp went to 70. 3 spot was really in trouble he was breathing faster, he would go to the bottom and fan the sand with his body, swim sideways then jet around like he was ok. when he would slow down the clown, 3 stripe would swim right next to him really strange like they knew he was dying. The next morning he was face down. I bought a heater at a bigger LFS. I told the owner everything I am telling you and he says that a fish could have had a disease of ick or velvet and it didn't make it self known unil the temp went down. he says that the fuzziness soulds like velvet and suggesteted I by cfx(copper) and treat the tank with it every 72 hours and heat the tank to 82 l. ok. I went back to my first LFS and he sold me some more blue stuff called quick cure(formalin)to treat the tank daily and lower the temp to 78. I removed 25 gallons of water, cleaned the tank and replaced the water with the proper salt added. I checked my water for ph, am, nits and all was in good conditions. The fish seemed happier that the temp is ok and the fuzziness on the clown, 3 stripe started to go away. Then I see a the growth on the clown and I wonder is that a zit? Update: 3 stripe damsel did the same thing the 3 spot did before he perished so I was going to take him out the next day.... didn't make it. Last night Yellow tang same M O . Died today... Who next? I think clown or blue damsel.... What is going on? I realize I killed the fish by going to fast but how can I stop the deaths
cal1tech
New Member
Thsanks for the info. You are right about reading up on the hobbie first. I took your advice and read a lot of articles on maintaining fish and I am looking into buying a QT tank, will a 10-20 gal work? I don't know what you are talking about as far as the med to dip the clown in. I only have 2 fish left, blue damsel and the clown who is hanging on but seems to head heavy in one spot like he fighting to stay afloat. What should I do because I do not have a extra tank to qt and treat him? If he dies, does it make sense to keep the tank up in its present condition just for one fish?
cal1tech
New Member
Since my last post on my tank problem, I have lost the blue damsel the next day after the clown died. The tank has been empty for almost 3 weeks. I turned off the wet dry filter and just using a the fluval. A freind of mine who has a tank suggested that I drain the tank clean everything with bleach and baking power. Get new undergravel filtering, powerheads, new gravel and sand and start over. My question is that necessary after losing all your fish? I have to admit I am much wiser to this hobby now that I have 187th my fish...
jlem
Active Member
Originally posted by cal1tech
. A freind of mine who has a tank suggested that I drain the tank clean everything with bleach and baking power. Get new undergravel filtering, powerheads, new gravel and sand and start over. My question is that necessary after losing all your fish? I have to admit I am much wiser to this hobby now that I have 187th my fish...
Don't listen to your friend or local fish store. Nothing against your friend but his is only one opinion and your LFS obiously could care less about your tank. Get your friend on this site and then both of you read post after post after post and you will be much the wiser and probably spend alot less money with alot less problems.
cal1tech
New Member
Beth...My tank now consist of 75 gals of water... I have a Fluval 303 and a wet/ dry with the blue bio balls. I have sand/gravel on the bottom and some coral rocks, sea shells that were bought from LFS, I also have a huge rock that I found in the water off the shore of miami(it was sitting idle for a year in attic before I put it in with the fish). I don't plan on anything special just fish for now. I do plan on getting a uv and a qt tank before I stock the tank. I haven't checked the tank for nitrates or ph since the last damsel died. I like those damsels and will probaly start with those again. Do I have to cycle the tank before I restock it? Why not use undergravels? My friend tank is cystral clear(fresh water). Which is a better filter wet dry or going with the canister type?....
I would strongly suggest using sand for substrate and getting around 30lbs of LR. Both the canister filter and the wet/dry with bioballs is a nitrate trap. Not that the filters produce nitrates, but because hobbyist rely on them, instead of other forms of filtration, tanks that have them commonly have nitrates.
I would suggest using the search feather here for various topics on setting up a tank before proceeding.
I would suggest using the search feather here for various topics on setting up a tank before proceeding.
cal1tech
New Member
Are nitrate traps a good thing in reference to what you were saying about my filitration? So you would/wouldn't recommend undergravel? You have been most helpful and I feel better I am not the only one who kills their fish. I only wish I would have found this site before I got all slap happy buying fish.
Well, the common popular term for canisters or wet-drys is nitrate factory, but, of course some people get upset when I say that, so I changed the wording....obviously ineffectively. :thinking:
What I meant was that these filters only go so far in processing your bioload. They do not eliminate nitrates. A good, balanced tank should have little or no nitrates.
Do you currently have fish in your tank?? What happened to the sick clown? I would strongly suggest that you establish a tank that has live sand and live rock in it. How much reading and studying have you done? Do you have hobby books?
What I meant was that these filters only go so far in processing your bioload. They do not eliminate nitrates. A good, balanced tank should have little or no nitrates.
Do you currently have fish in your tank?? What happened to the sick clown? I would strongly suggest that you establish a tank that has live sand and live rock in it. How much reading and studying have you done? Do you have hobby books?
cal1tech
New Member
Thanks for the explanation. Please see my eariler post(sorry its kinda long)and see the attached pic on the clown. He left us December 17 and my blue damsel was dead the next day. The tank has been running empty since with just a cansister filter going. It's strange that I know more now since the fish died then I do when they were zipping around. You and Terry have been more helpful then books. So I am ready to do it right. In your experiance based on the info, should I drain the tank and start over or just add live rock to the excisting water and add some fish(after I qt and hypo right). What about undergravels? and wet/dry systems. I personally rather have the can type because of the low maintenance and if my ups goes dead after a power lost, i am afraid I will have some serious spillage. I guess I need to read more about them, but i want to SEE SOME FISH.....