sweetlips dying

amadent

amadent

Member
came home today to see my sweetlips gasping and laying on the bottom of my tank. Koran angel, marron clown and shark? are ok. Water checked out amm=0, nitrites=0, ph=8.3 nitrates=60ppm(mgl) (a little high) total alkalinity buffering over 300 ppm. salility=1.022. The weird thing is that the black on the live rocks is turning hairy brown. There was a slick of brown particulates covering the top of the water. I have a canister filter no skimmer and no power heads. I put carbon in the filterand put an air line in the tank. Can anyone help? :help: :help:
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
came home today to see my sweetlips gasping and laying on the bottom of my tank. Koran angel, marron clown and shark? are ok. Water checked out amm=0, nitrites=0, ph=8.3 nitrates=60ppm(mgl) (a little high) total alkalinity buffering over 300 ppm. salility=1.022. The weird thing is that the black on the live rocks is turning hairy brown. There was a slick of brown particulates covering the top of the water. I have a canister filter no skimmer and no power heads. I put carbon in the filterand put an air line in the tank. Can anyone help? :help: :help:
How long have you had the sweetlips and has he been eating, if so, what have you been feeding him?? Also, the trates are quite high. Do you have any inverts?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
three weeks frozen mysis shrimp frozen spirulina , and salt water flakes and no inverts
This is from Lion_Crazz's list of fish to avoid:
Spotted Sweetlips - This is a fish that is commonly sold, and that does terribly in aquariums. It ships very poorly and usually only lives 6 to 8 months in the aquarium before passing away. Even if you get one to live to be an adult, this fish reaches 24 inches and is much too large for home aquariums.
Sweet lips are a difficlt fish to keep to begin with and your tank is WAY too small for him. They (all of them, not just this particular breed) grow large.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
came home today to see my sweetlips gasping and laying on the bottom of my tank. Koran angel, marron clown and shark? are ok. Water checked out amm=0, nitrites=0, ph=8.3 nitrates=60ppm(mgl) (a little high) total alkalinity buffering over 300 ppm. salility=1.022. The weird thing is that the black on the live rocks is turning hairy brown. There was a slick of brown particulates covering the top of the water. I have a canister filter no skimmer and no power heads. I put carbon in the filterand put an air line in the tank. Can anyone help? :help: :help:
All of this in a 29 gallon? Marron clowns grow quite large. What kind of shark do you have?
 
petjunkie

petjunkie

Active Member
Sep, you make me laugh. There's a sweetlip, large angel and possible shark in a 29 gallon and you're concerned about the maroon clown. Those things will live through anything I think (at least mine does).
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by petjunkie
Sep, you make me laugh. There's a sweetlip, large angel and possible shark in a 29 gallon and you're concerned about the maroon clown. Those things will live through anything I think (at least mine does).
Perhaps you should actually read the entire post before commenting..............Those "things" will live through anything? If you have anything positive to contribute, please do.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
it looks like a cross between a shark and a catfish. I apologize for being ignorant
No need to appologize, and you are not ignorant. Is it a columbian shark. I will post a pic.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
yup it is YOU GUYS ARE GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
That is my favorite kind of shark. It is actually a brackish water fish. I have converted a few to salt.
The sweetlips has definately got to go though. The maroon may be ok for awhile, but they are a very dominant clown that needs some space. He will grow large. The sweetlips is very unlikely to make it if you keep him. I am sorry to bring bad news, but for the sake of your sweetlips, find him a new home.
 
beadmaker

beadmaker

Member
seriously sweetlips is difficult to raise. You should find someone to take it. Then you need to get your tank cleaned up. Your fish may be lacking oxygen if there is scum on the water surface. I have trouble with scum thanks to the Japanese beatles that get into the house in the fall they fall into the tank and slime it up. I use papertowels to daub the slime off. You should get a protein skimmer ASAP it not only removes excess proteins but it also oxygenates the water. Has the airline helped that would be my quick fix suggestion.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by beadmaker
seriously sweetlips is difficult to raise. You should find someone to take it. Then you need to get your tank cleaned up. Your fish may be lacking oxygen if there is scum on the water surface. I have trouble with scum thanks to the Japanese beatles that get into the house in the fall they fall into the tank and slime it up. I use papertowels to daub the slime off. You should get a protein skimmer ASAP it not only removes excess proteins but it also oxygenates the water. Has the airline helped that would be my quick fix suggestion.
Yes definately, do you have a protien skimmer??
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
he is at least in an upright position. Hiding in the lr. Hope he makes it.
do you have a skimmer?
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by amadent
he is at least in an upright position. Hiding in the lr. Hope he makes it.
Sweetlips are hard to keep in the best of tank conditions. Do you have a place to take him to? Seriously, it is the right thing to do!
 
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