New fish

kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
Hey all... Just bought a spotted sweetlips today from the LFS. Got him for $35. I know i could've gotten him cheaper online, but it seems like I'm never home when FedEx decides to knock - my door. ANYWAY, is there anything i should watch out for with him? he was kind of an impulse buy, girlfriend saw him and liked him. Also picked up my first LR. Just set the tank up about 3 mos. ago so I'm still a noob. the only other fish i have are 3 Blue Damsels& 1 Clark ii Clown. I have 4 red legged hermits and 1 emerald crab-who seems to be missing over the last 2-3 days, can't figure out where he went. Any suggestions on what else to add?
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
Please in the future research first,
The spotted aka clown or harlequin sweetlips needs at least 180{or larger IMO} gal tank,he will grow to almost three feet in length,and will lose that cute coloration that attracted you to him.They will eat/kill any invertebrates kept with them.I believe they can just stop eating or can be difficult to feed.
What size tank is this...and how is it set up?
 
kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
This is what i get for letting the g/f pick the fish. I asked the LFS about him before I bought hm, but the guy I usually talk to wasnt there. They said he'd be fine in a 55 gal tank. How long before he losses his coloring? I just added my first piece of LR yesterday. Would like to eventually tunr into a reef tank and setup a second tank. I have an Extra 55g tank that is not yet in use. Is he going to harm the LR (if possible), what should i do w/ him once he gets too big for my tank?
Pictures of tank here: http://photobucket.com/albums/a17/04.../?sc=1&multi=6
Tank is a 55G, has a coralife twin T-5 compact flor. light (1-actinic;1-10K), Merlin Plus 60 bio filter, Skilter 250 (for skimmer/secondary filter). Tank usually runs around 75/78*. Salinity is around 1.022.
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
if you just added your first piece of lr yesterday and you only have one piece in a 55 gallon i wouldnt be adding any fish yet.
 
celacanthr

celacanthr

Active Member
i think you should definatly ad more rock but i think since you already have a bioload you should do it over a long period of time as to not to spike again
oh and no more livestock till you atleast have 55 pounds of rock
 
kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
Thanx CELACANTHr, How often can I add a piece of LR safely? That piece was about 8#. Is there a certain weight of rock that i can add each time i add or should i stick w/ buying a 5-10# piece of rock every few weeks?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
The fact is that it is extremely unlikely the fish will survive to adulthood. Most only last a few weeks or months. Is it eating anything?
Whenever you are adding LR and fish, be sure to watch your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, alkalinity very carefully!
 
kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
he's been scooping and spitting the CC 2 the bottom of my tank and picking on the LR i added. But he's only been in for 24 hrs now. fed the fish around 8p, he didnt touch the pellets last night, will let you know if he eats tonight
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I would be surprised if it ate pellets. May want to try and get some live ghost shrimp as well.
 
gamedawg

gamedawg

Member
There is always a big debate about whether stores should even carry those fish. They are very difficult to keep alive. If you are just starting to get the tank going, and still adding LR, I'd take him back.
 
kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
thanx guys the LFS wouldnt let take him back but they say if he grows too big for my tank they'll buy him back... go figure....
NTW i found my emerald crab.. he found a new hiding spot in the LR i added
 
O

oreo12

Guest
The local ***** has 4 of them fish for 19.99. They look prety cool My 7 year old wanted me to get one but I keep telling him our tanks are full and they get way to big. He also knows I won't buy fish from there anyway. I just cheked out your photos I would defently add more live rock. I would't add any more fish unless you loss some.
 
kevtheiris

kevtheiris

Member
Holding off on Livestock until i get more rock, only reason i bought him is b/c I've lost 3 damsels, and tank seemed empty, 2 were lost to a bully who i seperated and place in the hospital tank, he died, along witht the filter that was running that tank... since replaced the filer, and am working on getting the water in there up to par incase something happens. Have been using water from the big tank to fill the hospital tank, but since it crashed, should i replace all the CC and rocks (not LR) in there as well?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
I would consider finding a new LFS, BTW...
To sell a fish without any background, to an inappropriate tank, and not take it back? Not good, IMO. They'll by it back when its too big...yeah, right.
 
ebsochin

ebsochin

Member
I think you have already gathered this from the posts above, but just to echo the responses to ensure others don't fall into this trap, sweetlips are very difficult species. They are very unlike clownfish (which they resemble so much) in the fact they are very hard to feed. I made the same mistake a few years back and purchased a larger 1, about 4 inches and it died within 3 weeks. STARVATION. I tried everything under the sun to get it to eat and nothing. I agree with ophiura, see if you can find another LFS and see if they will take it, either for credit or trade. Sorry for the bad news.
 
pilar

pilar

New Member
I also just bought one of the sweetlips from the lfs because it was pretty - not knowing anything about the fish other than what was provided on the tank. I see it was a big mistake. Lesson learned!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top