Why Do I Fail?

[maxsmart]

Originally Posted by FishLawyer
http:///forum/post/2932754
I second this comment. Change your source for livestock. Something might be on their end.
I've gotten livestock from almost a dozen places, including this website and a hatchery. Same results no matter who they come from. My primary LFS is a pretty reliable one - their employees were poached from big companies in the aquarium industry. The owner's personal reef tank is GORGEOUS. He frags corals from it, though he tends to overcharge so I prefer saltwaterfish.com for corals. Anyway, my point is, I'm pretty confident in my sources, and I've been around enough places to know a bad one from a good one. (the stories I can tell about the bad ones!)

 

[crypt keeper]

id tear the tank down and get rid of the damsel. They are the devil in a comminuty tank. $5.00 fish could be costing you way more than that

 

[dreamweaver]

I am definitely not an expert - better description would be novice.... But I was just wondering... How many fish do you add to the tank at a time? The only reason I'm asking is that my own experience wasn't good initially either - and it took me quite some time before I realized what was happening.... The first time around I tried to add everything I wanted to make my tank look good and be cost effective for online purchasing --- needless to say, that was a disaster! Over time I lost just about everything.... Then I cut back some when I would add to my tank, but again suffered many losses.... I have finally reached the point where I know that by adding one or two fish at a time proves to be the most successful for me.... I'm not exactly sure why - but I figure it has to have something to do with the size of my tank (only 55 gallon); causes less stress to the new and old fish; and allows the tank to be able to handle the new additions.... Then again, that damsel most definitely might be the problem.... I know that the last time I suffered heavy losses I removed the damsels - cut back on the quantities when adding residents - and my tank residents have stabilized...... One or the other solved my problem - so I'm happy now! Maybe doing both would work for you as well....

 

[maxsmart]

Originally Posted by dreamweaver
http:///forum/post/2933216
I am definitely not an expert - better description would be novice.... But I was just wondering... How many fish do you add to the tank at a time? ...
I add one fish at a time. Occasionally, I do two - twice with perculas (to increase the chances they'll become a mated pair) and once with neon gobies (they're so small, I figured it wouldn't be much a shock).
I have a 72 gal with sump, with the large qty of liverock let's just estimate that there are 72gal total water.

 

[makoshrk2]

I would get rid of the damsels, and stop dosing. Unless you have a stocked reef tank, I would not dose. Your water changes have everything you need. First thing I thought of was the damsel. They will cause alot of stress in the whole tank, and especially for everything you add to it.

 

[pumper]

During acclimation, how do you keep the temp in the container the same as in the tank? Just because warm water from the tank is dripping in the container, it's still not enough to keep the temperature in the container stable. When i'm acclimating I always put the container propped up setting i'm my sump water. This way the specimen gets a good drip and stable temp from the surrounding water. This was just a quick thought of mine from what i read in your processes-the only thing I seen missing.

 

[maxsmart]

Originally Posted by makoshrk2
http:///forum/post/2933262
I would get rid of the damsels, and stop dosing. Unless you have a stocked reef tank, I would not dose. Your water changes have everything you need. First thing I thought of was the damsel. They will cause alot of stress in the whole tank, and especially for everything you add to it.
I do have a stocked reef tank.