Fishy problems! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,
So, I started keeping saltwater fish yesterday. I went to a store with a lot of fish in it and I talked to the guy there and he said it was really easy to keep everything.
I bought a 75 gallon aquarium, sump, pumps, sand and some live rock. I put the water from the sink in the aquarium and put the sand in. I did like that guy said and added a half cup of rock salt per two gallons. Grocery store people were lookin' at me weird. Anyways, after I couldn't see the salt anymore, I got out my 100lbs of live rock - smelly stuff. I paid a ton for it so I hope it does it's job. I then put that rock in my new aquarium! I'm so excited.
I went ahead and bought four nemo's and two nice sized dori's. I also bought a really neat grouper that was white with polka dots on him, so cute. He also threw in an white anemony for only $50! I was happy. I put the fish in the tank but the water is still cloudy from the sand and the salt, is that ok? They don't look too happy right now.
I just have a couple of questions, should I leave the lights on all the time or just some of the time? What do they mean when you all talk about ammonia. Isn't that stuff bad?
I have some extra salt, so I mixed up 20g of water. Man, did it take a long time to stir it with a wooden spoon. How are you supposed to get the water out of the tank? I got a 5g bucket I can use to try and dip it out.
My fish don't look too good, gasping, gills goin up and down real hard, are they gona be ok?
 

salt life

Active Member
I agree with mboswell, sounds like your off to a great start!
you should definetly stick with that fish store, they sound very helpful and will keep giving you some good guidance.
Personally id throw in a few more fish, 75g? LOTS of room to work with! maybe get a yellow tang maybe another grouper and atleast 3 triggers.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Awesome! I'm glad someone else thinks that I should add more fish, I just don't think that's enough. Maybe I should wait until these pull through?
Naa, I'll go to the store and buy that neat stingray... clearance too! How do you guys feel about horseshoe crabs and cuddlefish. They both look soo cooool
 

mboswell1982

Active Member
dude, those fish are cool, but, the coolest thing for you to buy for that tank has gotta be a shark, he'd be perfect for you tank, absolutely perfect
 

salt life

Active Member
WOW, me and mboswell are really on the same page tonight!
My next suggestion was a shark, if you have the dough id get the cool stingray you saw and the shark. Just keep up on your WC, id say 5g every other week would be sufficient.
 

mboswell1982

Active Member
nah, he might try an eat your hand, but im sure you could easily manage a baby tiger shark in there for a year at least
 

salt life

Active Member
only if you want 1 shark, then yeah for sure go for the great white, but IMO i'd go with 2 baby blacktips, they can thrive in a 75g for atleast 6 years.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Oh, ok thanks mboswell. I think I am going to try for the little tiger shart? What do they run, about $30?
By the way - I think my fish are dying... what do I do???
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Salt Life
http:///forum/post/2913328
only if you want 1 shark, then yeah for sure go for the great white, but IMO i'd go with 2 baby blacktips, they can thrive in a 75g for atleast 6 years.
will one tiger shark and one black tip be ok in the tank? I plan to upgrade to a 90 gallon in about five years or so.
 

salt life

Active Member
a 90g would be perfect for both for life! so you should get them fairly small now, grow 'em out in your 75g, and when you get your 90 you can just throw 'em in there.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I really like those colored sticks I think they're called somethin stony corals? I saw a really, really pretty one at the store. I think he called it acro somethin. I got shop lights over the top of mah aquarum. he said somethin' bout having some really expensive lights. I don't think he's right - just tryin' to sell somethin'
 

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2913358
exactly, see, he's on the same page as all of us are
good lookin out LK, that is a very true statement.
Have you thought about any eels? May i suggest a tesselata, one of my favorites and will look awesome in your tank along with your sharks, and tangs, and groupers, and stingray.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I just don't think I have enough rock salt in my water. I think he meant a half a cup of salt per gallon of water. Maybe thats why my fish are actin funny?
They're all sleeping on the bottom of the sand. I didn't know they did that. They're so cute.
 
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
http:///forum/post/2913373
I really like those colored sticks I think they're called somethin stony corals? I saw a really, really pretty one at the store. I think he called it acro somethin. I got shop lights over the top of mah aquarum. he said somethin' bout having some really expensive lights. I don't think he's right - just tryin' to sell somethin'
That's what they do, try to get you to buy stuff. Don't listen to that guy. Shop lights worked for another guy I know.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Salt Life
http:///forum/post/2913381
good lookin out LK, that is a very true statement.
Have you thought about any eels? May i suggest a tesselata, one of my favorites and will look awesome in your tank along with your sharks, and tangs, and groupers, and stingray.
I was lookin' at the internet on one of dem' websites I found an eel I really, really like. I think it was called a blue ribbon dragon eel - somethin' like that. You like those too?
 
Top