New to the salt Fish world, plz help

zako

zako

Member
I have had my 40 gallon saltwater tank for 2 weeks cycling i have taken water samples in to two different aquarium stores and the both have told me my tank had cycled and was ready for fish.. the fish keep dying some after literally 45 seconds.. no joke. The first things i put in the tank were 4 hermits and 3 snails, they all are alive and kickin next i put in a shrimp it died overnight, next was a strawberry basslet it lived for 3 days and just died last this morning, two days ago i bought a yellow tang and a yellow tail blue tang and they died the yellow tang died in about an hour the yellow tail about 3 hours, today i took another water sample in and again ( to a different store) and was told my water looked fine so i bougth two domino damsles and they died in about 45 seconds. can someone pleeaassee help me im new and frustrated.
My tank is 40 gallons with:
35 lbs of live rock
20 lbs of live sand
rena xp1 filter 250 gph i was told was ok then found out is way to low
heater is at 78 degrees
SG is 1.026
Amonia: 0 - 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.7
KH: 13
acclimated the fish by leaving the bag in the water for 15 min. then every 5 min add 1/3 cup of tank water till the bag was full then let sit for 10 min then netted the fish and put them in the tank.
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
First, try acclimating the fish with the drip method that is shown here on SWF. I used to think it was just a waste of time until I had acclimation problems and tried that instead. Can't go wrong with it. Also, you need to do a little research on your fish before you buy them. A forty gallon tank is much to small for a tang of any kind.
Go SLOWLY when adding fish. You said you bought a strawberry basslet three days ago, and then two days ago you bought two tangs? One day apart? You're not allowing the bio filtration in your tank to catch up to the fish load you're adding in your tank.
Sorry if this reply sounds like I'm flaming. I re-read it and it sounds a bit snobby, but I'm not trying to be. Paitence is the key to the hobby, and I know looking and boring old LR for two weeks sucks, but you have to take it a bit slower.
 
zako

zako

Member
No no anything at all helps im new so i need help it seems almost inethical of me to keep killing these fish and am getting discouraged, but do you think that would be a reason for a fish to die in a matter of seconds to hours?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Zako
http:///forum/post/3172687
I have a hydrometer, everything else is from the LFS
OK...first, get your own test kits. also get a refractometer to test salinity
2 weeks is not very long ... that may be why your stuff us dieing....you may still be in your initial cycle....
being able to test yourself is worth every penny you pay for the kit
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
do you get these fish all from the same LFS? 45 seconds to death is really quick. REALLY quick. they have to be experiencing a serious shock when going into your tank. ( i wonder if my ex girlfriend is hiding in your tank... ha) you havent tested your nitrates?
 
zako

zako

Member
I dont have my own test kits and i have heard hydrometers are in accurate, the first three fish from one store the other two from a different store. any clues on why they would go into shock? I havent checked nitrates my nitrites were a little high a week ago then went back down to 0
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Zako
http:///forum/post/3172696
I dont have my own test kits and i have heard hydrometers are in accurate, the first three fish from one store the other two from a different store. any clues on why they would go into shock? I havent checked nitrates my nitrites were a little high a week ago then went back down to 0
If I had to GUESS, I would say you are either not thru your initial cycle..ORRRR you are not acclimating properly....
a 2 week old tank....I would go with my first guess
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

First...WELCOME to the site!
Second...instead of purchasing fish, for now purchase a master marine test kit. Two weeks is too early for fish. Even when I kept freshwater fish I waited a full month before I even thought of a fish in a new tank. Spend the wait time on some good saltwater aquarium books., that will save you some money and educate at the same time.
The acclimating method you are using is for freshwater fish, not marine. Marine fish are a bit ticky and need lots of time to adapt to a new home. Look to the left of this page under acclimation to get an idea of how long it takes to get a marine fish adapted to the new tank.
Do you have live rock? What type of substrate? What are the exact numbers of your tests? What is the SG in the tank?
We are here to help, but you have to give us something to work with.
 
zako

zako

Member
would that be why they die so in 45 seconds? and also i used my well water to fill my tank would that have anything to do with it, when the LFS said my levels looked ok?
 
zako

zako

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3172712

First...WELCOME to the site!
Second...instead of purchasing fish, for now purchase a master marine test kit. Two weeks is too early for fish. Even when I kept freshwater fish I waited a full month before I even thought of a fish in a new tank. Spend the wait time on some good saltwater aquarium books., that will save you some money and educate at the same time.
The acclimating method you are using is for freshwater fish, not marine. Marine fish are a bit ticky and need lots of time to adapt to a new home. Look to the left of this page under acclimation to get an idea of how long it takes to get a marine fish adapted to the new tank.
Do you have live rock? What type of substrate? What are the exact numbers of your tests? What is the SG in the tank?
We are here to help, but you have to give us something to work with.
I have 35 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of live sand, my SG is 1.026 the nitrite was a little high a week ago then went down to 0 not sure about amonia of nitrates or any other numbers.. sorry :/
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Zako
http:///forum/post/3172715
I have 35 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of live sand, my SG is 1.026 the nitrite was a little high a week ago then went down to 0 not sure about amonia of nitrates or any other numbers.. sorry :/
You need to be testing yourself.....this way you would know for sure
 
zako

zako

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3172718
You need to be testing yourself.....this way you would know for sure
That seems like a good investment and will def have to get one, any clues why my fish would die so fast?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3172700
I thought nitrAtes wasn't a threat to fish, just inverts (RE: Eric). Someone correct me?

I have to go to work...nitrates are indeed more important to keep down for inverts than fish.
However in a new tank the numbers are jumping and not stable. Marine creatures need a very stable environment. The ocean hasn't changed in many thousands of years, the critters from there are not used to change and they don't adapt well. A tank raised fish has a better survival rate than wild caught, they can handle a little more when it comes to change, but not much more.
Having your own test kits are more important than getting that new fish...so buy that first.
 
deon nyc

deon nyc

Member
you should be able to get a copy of the water report from the town you are in. their could be something that the test is not picking up.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by Zako
http:///forum/post/3172722
That seems like a good investment and will def have to get one, any clues why my fish would die so fast?
Not w/o knowing all your water parameters...I still think your tank is still too new....
 
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