LIES LIES LIES!

[harm89]

Dear Fellow Hobbiest...I Have a BIG problem! I started up a 90gl tank about 8 months ago. Well, I read up on stuff, asked for advice and made a few calls. I bought test kits and hydrometers, filters and thermometers and it still failed! Here's the thing...I have a Mag350, a Emp400,80lb of ls & 100lb of lr.
I keep my heaters @ 80. I HAD a Hippo, a Powder blue, a Sailfin, a Fox face, 2 Percula,2 Yellow-tail Damsels, 2 Blue Damsels, and 2 Tomatoes. I had power outage for about 8 hours. I called my lfs and they told me that as long as the fish don't go longer than 24hrs w/out filters, they shoud be fine. So, after about 4-5 hours, I hooked up my tank to my kind neighbors line..and off we went...then...my fish DIED!!! What I wasn't told was that afer 3hrs, the bacteria in my Mag turns into poison! Therefore, killing the fish. Ok, so I've recovered, recycled and restarted. I bought a few damsels for the cycle. They're fine. I added a powder brown, then a blue jaw trigger, and yesterday I got a great deal a lfs w/ 3 Red sea purple tangs for $100. I tested my water, put all the fish through a treated hospital tank before I put them in the main tank and did a 20% water change. Now my Brown tang died. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? My water is testing fine. My salinity is @ 1.021. What could it be? The tang's face looked bloodshot!? And he had cuts on his body. I know its not the trigger, he's too busy hiding. PLEASE Help! I'm tired of others telling me lies and loosing so much $$. I know that's how the game goes, but MAN! Can some one please try to help? Thanx for any replies!

 

[fshhub]

one thing bothers me(well actuallymore than one, but the others have been addressed), but you got them yesterday, and hospitalized or quarentined them first, but now they are in your tank?? is this right??
if so, you should slow down there, too, you should q fish for a bare MINIMUM fo 2 weeks, i'd even go 3 if possible
and IMO not some, but MOST lfs's are not a reliable source
and welcome aboard

 

[new2saltwater]

Like previous posts have stated 1st of all
slow down. Your adding too much way too fast.
Most (not all) LFS will sell you fish after fish to replace the ones that die, thats thier job. If you must use live fish like the Damsels to cycle your tank then leave them onlyin your tank for atleast a month and consistantly have your water tested at home and different LFS's then add 1 fish at a time over at least a 3 week period, and a few days after you add a fish (and hopefully not all those tangs in the same tank its way too small for them) keep a close eye on your water to insure everything is okay. I know a tank with a fish or two looks dull but it looks alot better than a tank full of dead expensive fish.

 

[harm89]

Here's what's going on...I cycled my tank w/ 4 damsels for 5 weeks. then I added the powder brown, two weeks later I got the trigger for x-mas and yesterday I got the 3 red sea purple tangs. That's all that's going in there till I get a MUCH larger tank. Was that still too much too fast? I know 3 a 1 time was too much But man that was a great deal, I hope I don't have to pay for being greedy! They have been quarantined for 2 days and will remain in there for about 3 weeks. Thanx for your input!
Got Anymore?? Please?? The only stupid question is the question not asked.

 

[ebeckels]

yes it is much too fast.

 

[von_rahvin]

that amount of fish is huge!! I nwould not even consider putting that many tangs in a 180 muchless a 90. Also tangs fight if they are from the same genus. This stresses you fish and makes them more prone to death. What might have killed you fish the first time was lack of oxygen. Halve your fish count. take a few months to relaxe and slowly start adding small fish. maybe one fish per month. At the high end 2. If you want lots of fish that are large go for a bigger tank. I am sure there is a tank out there that will fit your needs to house that many tangs. It just might be a 500 gallon

 

[bruins14]

I have a 75 Gal setup about 60lbs lr.
2 firefish
1 maroon clown
2 neon gobbies
1 pakastan butterfly
1 green chromis
1 yellow tail damsel
5 hermits
2 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint
If i raise my salinity should i do it slowly
and how would someone sujest this be acomplished over days?

 

[fshhub]

yep, do it slowly, what we did, si when we topped off the tank, we used water with some salt in it, an d when we did water changes, we raised teh new water about 1 point(sg), when it was adde, ti made such a small change, nothing was affected, but after 2 or 3 weeks, it came up a point or 2, this way ther was no stress or shock to our lil buddies
HTH

 

[ironreef]

What makes it to many fish is you aded them to fast after the cycle. hardy fish= first2-4 mo then start with harder fish. let the biological filter get established so you won't have as many alga blooms from overstocking either. 1 tang for a 90g is best. But not a poweder brown/blue i would have a biiger tank for those types. Zebra... tangs are better for smaller tanks 4' .

 

[biggdriver]

I can attest to having the same problems when I first started out about 12yrs ago>>The fish looked so awesome and everyone I saw was one I had and you look like your going down the same track I did..The most improtant thing you can do is not to rush and quarrantine every fish at least for 2wks
4 damsels for cycling is way too many ...One would have been fine if you want to use a live fish..I wouldn't add more than one fish every month or two..Take it real slow and try not to get theurge to have just one more fish..

 

[harm89]

Thank's to everone, your advice was a great help. I took two of the tangs back to the store & I'm only keeping one, yes I know the 90g is still to small for him, but he's not to big & I'm looking for a 180/200g as a new home for him. THANK'S AGAIN TO EVERONE!!!!!!!!