HELP!!! Zebra loinfish problem.

camfish

camfish

Active Member
I am new to sw and I thought that it was similar to fw, so when my nitrates were 30, i thought that it was okay, well I guess not. Now my lionfish has a spot on its back that is all messed up and he is on his side at the bottom of the tank breathing rapidly. He was fine until today...eating normally and everything...what can I do?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Do a water change with water that has been mixed for at least 24 hours. I don't think that nitrates of thirty would have done this. What are your other water readings? Have you added anything else to the tank or is he still by himself? Do you have a picture of the mark on his back?
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
I can get a picture and I will mix some saltwater today for him...he is still the only fish in the tank.
pH...8.4-8.5 (not positive, but looks like 8.4
nitrite...0
ammonia...0
S.G. (as tested by hydrometer)...1.025
temp...76 F
alkalinity...really high...not positive on that.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Do you have a power head in the tank? How much live rock is in there? Just so that you know, with a lion in a tank that isn't very large, you will have to be on top of testing and doing water changes. The nitrates can build up quickly. Please post that picture as soon as you can.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
It is really hard to see the marks on him. Can you describe it? Did this tank just finish cycling? It seems odd that you would have a nitrate reading of 30 when you have only had the fish for a few days.
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
Yeah, it got done cycling on Friday (not yesterday) and I added the fish on Tuesday after doing a water change (not big enough I guess).
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
The mark is hard to see in the picture. it is basically like a bright red circular spot where there is no flesh.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by camfish
http:///forum/post/2612024
The mark is hard to see in the picture. it is basically like a bright red circular spot where there is no flesh.
He may have gotten burned on the heater. Get the water quality under control and his immune system up. Do you have a spare tank? If that gets infected he will need medication. The medication cannot be used in the display. Just as a note, this was not the best fish to add a few days after your cycle. What is done is done though.
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
I do not have a spair tank, i sold it to get the display tank, oops. What should I do? How big of a waterchange and what medications should I get?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by camfish
http:///forum/post/2612029
I do not have a spair tank, i sold it to get the display tank, oops. What should I do? How big of a waterchange and what medications should I get?
If it does become infected then Maracyn 2 for saltwater fish is the medication to use. You may want to treat him with that anyway. You cannot use that in the display though. You have to use a powerhead with the medication as well.
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
Well, I have some bad news...I was in there watching him and he got up and opened his mouth really big, began shaking violently and then...died
It was a horrible first saltwater experience, but I won't give up. I really appreciate your help. I would however like to know what I did wrong. I mean, here I thought I was doijng everything right and when he ate the day after I got him and yesterday, I thought that I was doing a good job, but something happened. Do you have any idea what may have happened? His mouth is still open.
I think that I will swap the substrate and then go for some false perc. clowns...maybe in a few months I will be able to get a fuzzy dwarf lion...
Again, thanks for the help.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by camfish
http:///forum/post/2612130
Well, I have some bad news...I was in there watching him and he got up and opened his mouth really big, began shaking violently and then...died
It was a horrible first saltwater experience, but I won't give up. I really appreciate your help. I would however like to know what I did wrong. I mean, here I thought I was doijng everything right and when he ate the day after I got him and yesterday, I thought that I was doing a good job, but something happened. Do you have any idea what may have happened? His mouth is still open.
I think that I will swap the substrate and then go for some false perc. clowns...maybe in a few months I will be able to get a fuzzy dwarf lion...
Again, thanks for the help.
Well, you moved too quickly. After the cycle you should wait for the nitrate spike, do a water change, and then add your cleanup crew. After that, wait a few weeks before getting your first fish. The first fish should be something hardy. New tanks have a lot of fluctuations. A fuzzy wouldn't have handled it any better. Do your water change and get your cleanup crew. In a few weeks you can get your pair of clowns. Then wait a month or more before getting the lion. I understand that it is frustrating when something like this happens. We have all made our share of mistakes. It is important that we learn from them. I am sorry for your loss.
 
camfish

camfish

Active Member
I guess it is a learning experience...being good at keeping large freshwater tanks isn't enough for saltwater, I still have a lot to learn. I am going to take your advice and go extra slow from now on with saltwater. Had I gotten the fish immediately after the cycle for a fw tank, everything would've been fine...but this isn't freshwater. I really appreciate your help and I am going to practice patients from now on. Thank you.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by camfish
http:///forum/post/2612192
I guess it is a learning experience...being good at keeping large freshwater tanks isn't enough for saltwater, I still have a lot to learn. I am going to take your advice and go extra slow from now on with saltwater. Had I gotten the fish immediately after the cycle for a fw tank, everything would've been fine...but this isn't freshwater. I really appreciate your help and I am going to practice patients from now on. Thank you.
I too came from years of fresh experience when I started salt. Everything goes MUCH slower in salt tanks. The animals are more sensitive to changes as well. You will see different algae blooms soon. There will also be fluctuations, then the tank will stabilize. It is a completely different adventure from FW tank keeping. It is very rewarding though.
 
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