HELP! I cant figure out whats wrong

armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
we just started a saltwater tank, all the levels are good, we have a coral banded shrimp and 2 anemones they are all great however when we put a fish in about 6 hours later they are dead. the ph is about 8.0 the salinity is perfect and the temp is 80 degrees we have a high output acatinic light, live sand and live rock. what is happening to my fish?
 
pastor b.

pastor b.

Member
Dear hobbyist, how long has your aquarium been up and running ? When you first begin a salt water aquarium,it has to cycle with a few fish in it for 6 to 8 weeks. By this time all of your levels should come down causing your water to become habitable for your fish. Then check your levels again,and if they're acceptable,then and only then may you slowly add a couple of fish .Keep an eye on your levels,the closer to 0'' the better .
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
What are the numbers for?
Temp 73-80
Specific Gravity 1.023-1.026
PH 8.1-8.4
Alk 8-10 dKH
Phosphate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
we just started it and the place where we got the stuff said to start off with a clown fish, that would be easiest and all we have is the shrimp and a clown fish. we had first got 1 clown and it didnt make it, he was really stressed when they were catching it and he died almost before we got home with it. and we got a bigger healthier clown fish and its a few hours later and hes acting funny, bouncing on the bottom and not really having too much control over his buoyancy.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
When you say you just started, when exactly was the water/LR/sand added to the tank? When was the shrimp and anemone's added to the tank? Also please give the specific water params as listed above.
PS Anemone is not suited for a beginner and for a new tank. Anemone needs a well established tank and good lighting.
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
im not concerned about the anemones, just my dying fish!!! everything is fine with the anemones and shrimp. i was reading someones posts and we were using test strips...argh. i sent my hubby on a run to get a test kit that would work right and the ph had dropped to 7.6, we put a buffer in and the clown seems like he may be getting better then he goes back to bottom bouncing. do you think he'll make it or is it just too late, or is there something, some secret that can save him??
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
thanks but it didnt really help, were we bought the stuff for the swa it is a small store and they know what they are talking about, problem is they are closed. we added bacteria to jump start everything and we already have started the algae growth phase.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
IMO I think you are adding living things too fast. Your anemone only has been there a day, that's not long enough to say that he is doing great. Do you have a refractometer to read the specific gravity? The level you stated looks like a hydrometer reading. SG doesnt' fluctuate like that when you read it. Your pH is definitely too low.
How did you acclimate the fish?
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
Originally Posted by armywife1314
http:///forum/post/2583653
i have a glass hydrometer i put the bag in for 20 minutes and then released him.
Hydrometer is not accurate enough to tell you what your SG is. Most likely the acclimation killed your fish. Acclimation of SW fish is more than floating the bag in the tank and then releasing it, they need to either be drip acclimated or acclimated by pouring in tank water little by little over a period of time.
Did you LFS tell you how to acclimate SW fish? Especially if they know everything, I would expect them to guide you in that as well.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
Just as an example as to what I think people are trying to get at. My tank sat with nothing except live rock and live sand for 3 weeks and 4 days before anything alive went in to the water. There is not too many ways around this. You have to let the tank cycle completely before adding anything alive. If you are just now getting your diatom bloom its pretty obvious why nothing is living very long. I give the anemone maybe 2 more days before its mush.
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
first off i didnt say that they knew EVERYTHING i just said they knew what they were talking about with adding things, they have a store and that is how they add fish also and all of their fish are obviously not dead since people buy them.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2583658
Hydrometer is not accurate enough to tell you what your SG is. Most likely the acclimation killed your fish. Acclimation of SW fish is more than floating the bag in the tank and then releasing it, they need to either be drip acclimated or acclimated by pouring in tank water little by little over a period of time.
Did you LFS tell you how to acclimate SW fish? Especially if they know everything, I would expect them to guide you in that as well.
Agreed, about the acclimating. Your water and the stores water are always going to be very different. Saltwater fish are way too delicate to be able to adjust to it quickly. They have to be slowly acclimated. Freshwater fish handle handle the float and dump method. Maybe 1 out of 10 saltwater fish can handle that method.
Most LFS know everything. Everything about getting you to let go of your cash.
 
armywife1314

armywife1314

Member
pretty much what i wanted to know if is it a lost cause to try to save the fish or to just let it go and let the tank sit a while, before adding anything. like waiting a month before putting anything in.
 
jaymz

jaymz

Member
We are not trying to belittle you. We are here to help. thats what this forum is about. Helping.
Just try to remember, what we tell you is not going to make us a penny.
We want to help you succeed. Another dead fish just raises the price of the next one and strips the ocean of life. There is a TON of stuff to learn when it comes to saltwater. If you have ever kept freshwater tanks you can thrown that knowledge right out because its not going to help you. Its a whole different game with the salt fish
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top