First Fish in QT-What to expect?

[estein02]

I've got my first fish in QT...a lawnmower blenny. I wanted a midas, but none of the LFS had them...well one does but they are large and I didn't want one that big so I went with the LMB. What types of things should I look for? I put an algea sheet in there, but it didn't touch it. Should I offer other food or just be patient?

Thanks for the help

 

[renogaw]

be patient, and remove excess food after a while. you don't want it rotting in there and causing ammonia, it will be hard enough to keep in check without much, if any, biological filtration.
after a couple days, try adding something else. some people say pellets work. i found something called sea veggies that my tang and CB love, so keep an eye out for that as well.
good to see you're qt'ing, keep us informed

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by renogaw
be patient, and remove excess food after a while. you don't want it rotting in there and causing ammonia, it will be hard enough to keep in check without much, if any, biological filtration.
after a couple days, try adding something else. some people say pellets work. i found something called sea veggies that my tang and CB love, so keep an eye out for that as well.
good to see you're qt'ing, keep us informed
Thanks...I put another algea sheet in there this morning. Hopefully it will start picking at it. If it doesn't touch this should I wait a couple of days before trying more food? I don't want it to starve.
When I checked on it last he was hanging out in the corner and when I checked this morning he was still there. Seemed to be breathing normal and color looks good. Yeah...I know...patience...

 

[renogaw]

by sheet, how are you adding it? if you cut it into strips and fasten it to a pvc fitting, it may sway in the current looking like true algae. also, try cutting a piece of garlic and rubbing it onto the sheet before putting in the water.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by renogaw
by sheet, how are you adding it? if you cut it into strips and fasten it to a pvc fitting, it may sway in the current looking like true algae. also, try cutting a piece of garlic and rubbing it onto the sheet before putting in the water.
I've cut it and put it in one of those clips with a suction cup and put it on the bottom of the tank near the corner where the LMB is hanging out. I'll have to try the garlic. What does that do?

 

[renogaw]

garlic helps them smell the food better, plus has medicinal value supposedly.
as for the clip, remember there aren't clips in the ocean...it may be afraid of it. try feeding it pellets and flake to get it to start eating as well. it may not know what the heck that sheet of algae is.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by renogaw
garlic helps them smell the food better, plus has medicinal value supposedly.
as for the clip, remember there aren't clips in the ocean...it may be afraid of it. try feeding it pellets and flake to get it to start eating as well. it may not know what the heck that sheet of algae is.
Ok...thanks.
I'll try the pellets and flake today. I need to get some PVC...forgot about that before I added the fish. I'm going to Home Depot today anyway so I will get it then. Right now in the QT I have a couple of small pieces of LR from the DT and about a cup of LS in a dish also from the DT. I'll keep you posted.

 

[earlybird]

Good idea to have some make up water ready to go for small water changes after you feed. I feed every other day in qt and change 1/2g every day just to be safe.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Good idea to have some make up water ready to go for small water changes after you feed. I feed every other day in qt and change 1/2g every day just to be safe.
Always have make up water ready...just in case! How many times do you offer food on the days that you feed in your QT? If I remeber correctly, you were having issues with the ammonia in your QT...do those water changes help keep that in check?
I through some pellets in there today, and i think the LMB might have eaten a couple but I am not certain. Most of them, by chance, feel in the cup of LS that I put in there from my DT. I was hoping that the LMB would jump in the sand but hasn't done so yet, at least that I have seen. I guess that I will try again on Tuesday to see if it will eat. I will try the garlic and Sea Veggies that renogaw recommended.
Renogaw...what type of food are sea veggies...dry, frozen? thanks again for all of the help.

 

[sepulatian]

Was the qt cycled? Don't allow food to rot in the tank. Offer foods that your fish will eat. Formula foods are best.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Was the qt cycled? Don't allow food to rot in the tank. Offer foods that your fish will eat. Formula foods are best.
Yes, the QT was cycled. So far I've offered algea sheets and pellet food (Formula Two). The only other food I've got is the Formula One Flake. So I should remove any leftover pellets from the tank? I thought that the LMB would have been all over the algea sheet, but no luck. I am open for suggestions.

 

[lsu]

My LMB destroys thawed out mysid.

 

[huskychasrs]

Our LMB loves to pick at the LR and devours algae flake. Good luck with him/her they are comical to sit and watch!

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by estein02
Always have make up water ready...just in case! How many times do you offer food on the days that you feed in your QT? If I remeber correctly, you were having issues with the ammonia in your QT...do those water changes help keep that in check?
I through some pellets in there today, and i think the LMB might have eaten a couple but I am not certain. Most of them, by chance, feel in the cup of LS that I put in there from my DT. I was hoping that the LMB would jump in the sand but hasn't done so yet, at least that I have seen. I guess that I will try again on Tuesday to see if it will eat. I will try the garlic and Sea Veggies that renogaw recommended.
Renogaw...what type of food are sea veggies...dry, frozen? thanks again for all of the help.
I had ammonia in the beginning and never since. I feed every other day and I switch between homemade, mysis, cyclops, krill, formula 2, and spirulana brine shrimp. All are frozen and I'm pretty sure I'm under feeding or feeding right amounts b/c I never have to siphon anything out really. I turn off my filters and ph during feeding and use a syringe to feed little amounts over 15 minutes or so.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by LSU
My LMB destroys thawed out mysid.
I'll have to try that...I've heard that they will eat brine too. Thanks
Originally Posted by huskychasrs
Our LMB loves to pick at the LR and devours algae flake. Good luck with him/her they are comical to sit and watch!
I found the SeaVeggies and tried some of that tonight. The LMB didn't immediately devour it but when I checked a little later I only noticed 1 or 2 flakes left. Either they were eaten or sucked up by the filter. I'll have to try and turn the filters off when I feed like earlybird does.
Also, when I went down to check on him it was swimming around like a mad man and when it calmed down it was breathing heavier then it was the past 2 days. I am hoping that it was breathing heavy from swimming around like crazy and that it wasn't swimming around like crazy because something is wrong. Is that normal behavior or should I look for some things that could be causing the little guy some stress? Sometimes I feel like it would be better off in the DT because of the LS and LR...more like home.

 

[renogaw]

breathing heavy is sometimes a PH problem, have you checked that?

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by renogaw
breathing heavy is sometimes a PH problem, have you checked that?
I checked that prior to adding the LMB and it was in the 8.2 - 8.4 range, same as the DT. When I went back to check on the LMB later he was hanging out in the corner again and the breathing seemed normal. I did a small water change and was planning on checking the pH, amm, trites and trates tonight. Was also going to get some frozen mysis and see if he will eat that. Not sure what else I can do except wait and hope that he starts eating.

 

[renogaw]

does your lfs or anyone you know have hair algae? may want to look for some as well that's mainly what they are purchased for.

 

[estein02]

Might be able to get some from my DT.
I have another question, but I'm sure I already know the answer. Because I have no fish in my DT yet, would it be that bad to transfer the LMB to it sooner then 3 weeks? Everything in there now...inverts and zoos...is thriving. Plus from what I've read the LMBs aren't one of the fishes that are prone to diseases. Thanks.

 

[renogaw]

the only fish that i've heard is not prone to ich are mandarins.
i'd try putting some hair algae into the tank, and keep the fish in the QT. reason being: if the fish does come down with ich, then you'll have it in your tank. not to mention, ich isn't the only disease available.