just bought an existing tank

[sanjoseca]

I just bought a condo with an existing salt water tank. I am having bad luck introducing new fish. The puffer sat in one corner for 5 days then puffed up and blew up. Very sad The blue tang was doing really well for 4 or 5 days, now the old yellow tang is beating him up. He seems to be on the way out too. Could someone tell me the best way to introduce new fish? Thanks..

 

[krunk]

Could you tell us your filteration? other fish in the tank? How is your water testing out? How long the tank has been set up?

 

[krunk]

ohh and WELCOME TOO SWF.COM!!!!!!!!!!! It's a great community

 

[sanjoseca]

The tank is at least 5 years old. I have a guy that comes out every 4 weeks to clean the tank and change the water. He is the same guy that has taken care of the tank for years, so he says. My problem is that I think the fish that have been in this tank for a long time may not want to see any new fish. Am I right or am I just having bad luck on my first purchase of new fish? The tank is a truvu 100 gal and I don't know what does the filtering. It all seems to be built in. I know the guy changes it when he comes out and I know he tests the water. The place were I bought the fish said he would replace the puffer. Should I try to return the blue tang for a bigger one? How long does it take for new fish to adjust to a new tank? Thank-you for your help.....sjca

 

[aarone]

do you buy your fish from this man???

 

[sanjoseca]

The guy that cleans the tank works one day a week at the store where I bought the fish. He works full time cleaning tanks. These people seem to know what they are doing. I may be just having bad luck.

 

[aarone]

could be

 

[birdy]

Welcome,
I have a couple questions.
1. What do you have in the bottom tank, is is crushed coral, or sand.
2. Do you have Live Rock or dead coral skeletons in the tank.
3. Please list all living things that are in the tank.
4. What was your acclimation procedure.
I would ask the guy who maintains your tank to write down all the results from when he test it for you (or better yet get your own test kits and do it yourself, the best part of this hobby is getting into all the aspects of keeping an ecosystem alive). It helps us answer questions when we know what the water perameters are.

 

[sanjoseca]

Answers to your questions
1. crushed coral
2. dead skeletons
3. powder blue tang (new and not doing well), large yellow tang,clown fish, 4 other small fish I don't know what they are.
4. they told me to float the bag 15 min then put the fish in. then trow the water from the bag away, don't put it in the tank.
Should I take the blue tang out of the tank or should I just see what happens? Thank-you for your help.

 

[daniel411]

A large yellow tang tends to be quite territorial towards other tangs, such as your purple tang.
That really isn't the preferred method of acclimation, especially on this site. Do a quick search on this forum for "acclimation" and you're see several opinions.
Best of luck

 

[imo]

The powder blue tang is a very delicate fish and is very hard to keep sucessfully. Chances of it surviving, especially with another tang already established is not very likely. Two things are probably going to happen:
1) The powder blue will become stressed, die and you will lose an expensive fish.
2) It will become stressed, contract ich and wipe out youy entire tank as well.
I would take the powder blue back as soon as possible and see about getting a "hardier" fish for your new addition that is compatable with your current fish.

 

[birdy]

Since we do not know the perameters on your tank we cannot really judge what the water quality is, but definitely read the acclimation procedure on this site, you started out okay but you need to add your tank water into the bag in slow increments so that the fish adjust to your tanks parameters, and yes you do not want to add any of the water in the bag to your tank. As was mentioned before Powder blue tangs are very delicate and stress easily.
You may want to look at some of the pictures of tanks that use LR, they are very natural looking (much better than dead coral skeletons) the rock aids in biological filtration, gives the fish something to feed off of and gives them natural hiding places.
And once again I would be sure to write down what your tank parameters are when your fishguy tests the water.

 

[sinner's girl]

float for 15 then add fish? nope sorry. you need to do more than that.
one way is:
float for 15-20min to get water in bag same temp as tank, then slowly add tank water to bag, (we add about a a shot or 2 every 10-15min) till the bag is full, dump half water down the drain (not in your tank) then repeat adding water till bag is full again. then add fish to tank. with the tank lights off. do not let the water from the bag get into your tank.
you can also use the drip method to add fish.
since it seems you're new to this hobby, you may want to read a good book or spend some time on the board learning this hobby.
try to get an id on the fish that you don't know what they are. don't add too many, if you don't know the filtering info, the tank may not be able to add a higher bioload then what it has.
before you buy a fish, research the fish, know if it will get along with what you have, know what you need to do to care for it, ect.
welcome and good luck!

 

[stillfrodo]

Floating the bag for 15 minutes may cut it with fresh water but never with salt. The livestock fish inverts coral ect not only have to be acclimated to the temperature but to the SG PH ALK basically all the new water parameters the new arrival is going to be in. I float my closed bag in the sump for 20 minutes then i open the bag and drip water in over a 2 or more hour period until the bag is almost full. Then I remove some water and drip for a bit longer. I then net the fish and dump the bagged water in my sink. Sure it takes time but anything you do in this hobby does. Also with the tangs from what I have read from research as well as the more experienced people on this board if you are going to have 2 tangs in a tank they should be introduced together. Listen to sinner before buying anymore livestock research what you are going to buy its not only the money but the awful waste of life. IMO

 

[sanjoseca]

Thanks for all your advice. I will introduce new fish the right way as you have all explained. I do have alot of LR along with the dead coral. The yellow tang did kill the blue tang. They all did seem to be doing very well together for the first 5 days. Then the yellow one went after him. I don't know why the guy would sell me that fish since he knows what is in my tank. Plus the yellow guy was 4x the size of the blue one. $45 lesson. Plus he was a great little guy, he would have done well in another tank. Thanks again for all your help, I'm learning alot from this board.....

 

[tlk]

Keep reading and learn to take care of the tank yourself. It is nice to be able to pay others for somethings, but I think you will get more out of the hobby by taking care of all aspects of it. If the guy is knowledgeable, ask him questions as he is cleaning it. Find out as much as you can, but your goal should be to get rid of him so you can do it. It will also mean extra money for you to spend on your fish!