Losing the battle

[tinysmajick]

Hi, I am new here and hope that someone can help me out.
55 gal
My water parameters are-
Ph-8.3
Am-0
nitrate-0
nitrite-0
temp-79-80
I recently ordered fish from swf.com and was very pleased when I got them. They were absolutely beautiful!!!!
Coral beauty, percula, beu gregory, three stripe, royal gramma, yellow tang, dwarf fuzzy, pink tip haitian, coral banded, green chromis, lettuce nudi.
I pre-order had for about a month a blue damsel, yellowbelly, and yellowtail, chocolate chip star, 2 scarlet hermit, and a super big snail(zebra something?)
The tank has been set up since August 06 just cycling (and saving money for fish). It wasn't until about a month and a half ago that I started adding things.
Now all I have is the tang(iffy), blue damsel(film on fins), beu gregory(great), royal gramma(great), Dwarf fuzzy(good eater),and the invertabretes(pink tip acting weird)
I have been researching trying to find answers but the only thing that I have found is that I probably introduced too many at once.
The coral beauty started getting a lump under its mouth. I thought that it may have gotten into a tango with the lion. Two days later -dead with the lup looking like it rotted out.? Next day, yellowtail

,had the same type of thing on the top of its head. Day after, same as angel.
I am scared and confused. Someone please help

:help:
Oh yeah, I have a whole lot of white things crawling around. I mean alot!!!!
From researrching I think they are amphipods? (spellcheck)

 

[falynharris]

That is a lot of fish to introduce at once. But I am having the same problem. We got our order in Friday from swf.com, and so far 2 are dead and the angel has the same thing you are talking about on it. Has it been 15 days yet? If not make sure to email them asap so they will honor the guarantee.

 

[shogun323]

I think there are a couple things at play here. 1: too many at once 2: too many period. 3: some improper selections
You added quite a large bioload to your tank at once most likely a lot more than it could handle.
To remedy this situation, I would take the tang back to the LFS as well as the anemone and chocolate chip star. You need to slow down. Patience is the key to this hobby.

 

[greenwolf52]

i know what you two must be thinking, but this is not the fault of swf.com. you simply added to many fish at once and had an ammonia spike which, unfortunately, is killing off your fish you spent money on. however, you will probably get your money back because of the 15 day guarantee. just try not to do this again. it's not fair to the livestock and yourselves.

 

[tinysmajick]

No, the fifteen days isn't up yet. I am holding on the the Coral beauty(freezer) lol. Until I make sure the tang and pink tip make it.
That ay all I have to do is send back one time.
Although, I sent back the clown and green chromis last thursday, and still have yet to hear anything.
I emailed them when I sent them back, they said they would issue guarantee codes when they recieved the fish.
No word yet.
Sorry to hear about yours. I know that it is a real bummer.

 

[tinysmajick]

To remedy this situation, I would take the tang back to the LFS as well as the anemone and chocolate chip star. You need to slow down. Patience is the key to this hobby.
The "LFS" is swf.com

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by shogun323
Patience is the key to this hobby.
Your not kidding I've been a member since Dec and 350 posts later I still don't have water in my tank. Today I've learned about electricity and acontia filaments. I'm still researching and learning. Projected tank fill date is end of April.
This is the first thing that I've ever slowed for.

 

[tinysmajick]

I don't think that it is swf.com's fault at all.
It is mine, like I stated earlier after I researched it i pretty much figured out everything that you just said. unfortunately it was too late.
Is there anything that I can do for the ones I have other than cross fingers

 

[cdangel0]

I had to send things back once - took about a week and a half or so to get my codes for replacements.

 

[tinysmajick]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Your not kidding I've been a member since Dec and 350 posts later I still don't have water in my tank. Today I've learned about electricity and acontia filaments. I'm still researching and learning. Projected tank fill date is end of April.
This is the first thing that I've ever slowed for.

Thank you, I am learning that VERY quickly

.
And at mine and the fishes expense unfortunatly

 

[tinysmajick]

Originally Posted by Cdangel0
I had to send things back once - took about a week and a half or so to get my codes for replacements.

Thank you very much

! At least now I have a little bit of an idea how much time.
Thank you.

 

[shogun323]

Originally Posted by tinysmajick
The "LFS" is swf.com

Oh yeah. I forgot about that part.

 

[earlybird]

I like to click on the "New Posts" link and that guides me to my searches. The "search" link is awesome as there's so much stuff in the archives. Good luck.

 

[tinysmajick]

Originally Posted by shogun323
Oh yeah. I forgot about that part.

No biggie

I kind of rabbled on in the post. I can definately see how you could

 

[adroitmind]

I'm just wondering how you avoid adding lots of fish at one time when you order from this site. They make you buy $79 at the least. I really love the boards but i will most likely never order anything from here just because of the large minimum order. Any ideas on how to introduce $79 worth of fish correctly?

 

[tinysmajick]

Originally Posted by earlybird
I like to click on the "New Posts" link and that guides me to my searches. The "search" link is awesome as there's so much stuff in the archives. Good luck.

Thank you, I haven't tried that yet.
Good luck to you as well. Have fun with egg crates

 

[tinysmajick]

Originally Posted by AdroitMind
I'm just wondering how you avoid adding lots of fish at one time when you order from this site. They make you buy $79 at the least. I really love the boards but i will most likely never order anything from here just because of the large minimum order. Any ideas on how to introduce $79 worth of fish correctly?

I agree!!!!!!!
I am wondering what will happen when I get my guarantee codes. I am sure that to cash them in I will have to place another large order.
I guess multiple quarintine tanks would be tha answer.

 

[tinysmajick]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to wean my lion off of live fish?
He nibbles at brine occasionally but,I don't think that it would be enough to sustain him.

 

[shogun323]

What type of lighting do you have? Anemones require strong lighting such as halides or T5's and need an established tank. Also, I don't know if you are planning for a reef but Chocolate Chip Stars are not reef safe at all.
The good thing is that you are here on the message boards asking questions. Unfortunately, it looks like you are in for quite a costly learning experience.
IMO, instead of waiting to see if your tang and anemone and star make it I think it would be in the best interest of the specimens to take them to an LFS for some credit and cut your losses.
By the way, welcome to the message boards!!

 

[shogun323]

Originally Posted by tinysmajick
Anyone have any suggestions on how to wean my lion off of live fish?
He nibbles at brine occasionally but,I don't think that it would be enough to sustain him.

I have a fuzzy in my reef and love her She is my favorite. I weaned mine by first taking a feeding stick and feeding her live peppermint shrimp kind of skewered on the end. Then after a week of doing that I switched over to frozen krill. Worked for me!! Good Luck!!