First new SW fish?

[jphendren]

Today I added my first SW fish to my new aquarium. I bought a small 3" Dogface Puffer. I brought him home, floated him in the tank for 20 mins, then put him and the fish shop water in a 5 gallon bucket that was angled so that he would remain submerged, I then made a drip line with some air tubing and let the tank drip slowly into the bucket for 60 mins. I then used a small plastic cup and scooped him and some water into my aquarium. All the while the aquarium lights were off, and the room lights were down low, the room was very dim. I have read that it eases a fish's transition in a lowly lit room. I believe that I did all of this correctly?

Anyways, he swam to a small cave under some live rock, and is now just sitting on the bottom, his eyes are moving occasionally, but has not really swam yet, is this normal?

Tell me what you think?

Jared

 

[jphendren]

Update:

He's now out exploring the tank! He is even eating some of the halameda (I think that is what it is), although I don't think he likes it as he spits it out LOL.

I also added a small frag of Radioactive Green Dragon Eyes, hopefully they take off as well.

Jared

 

[abdhalim2]

congrats...

 

[jphendren]

Thanks! He is still exploring, checking out all of the caves, nooks, and crannies. So far he has tasted nearly every rock in the aquarium, and even took a few bites of a pink colored soft polyp that was on a live rock. I hope he doesn't eat my green dragon eyes, but they were put in there to test him. If he leaves it be, then I can add some other corals, it he eats it, then I'm out $15 and learned a lesson.

Jared

 

[abdhalim2]

hey...check out on the articles about the compatible fishs and corals...there is article from this site showing that....may use it as your reference like me...

 

[uscamaro]

What LFS do you go to? I've only checked out Atlantis Trop Fish on North Rock Springs Dr.

 

[jphendren]

That is the one I like as well, they have walked me through the entire setup process. Their prices on quite a bit of stuff is actually cheaper than the big box stores.

I noticed this morning that my zoas glow in the moonlight, pretty cool! I pray my puffer don't eat them LOL.

Jared

 

[jphendren]

I just noticed that my new Dogface Puffer has white spots on his fins, these were not there last night. His behavior is still normal, and he ate fine this morning, could this be ich? I had goldfish with ich, and it sure looked like this.

What should I do?

Jared

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Do you have sand in the tank? It could also be specs of LR or coral if he's munching on it. I had a trigger beat up some Chromis in one tank and he had specs of scales/meat on him for a day...

 

[jphendren]

Yes my tank has white Fiji Pink sand, along with whitish live rock, and he has been nipping at the rock since I put him in there.

I called my fish shop, and he told me that sometimes puffers get sand grains stuck in their slime coat, which makes sense as he likes to blow into the sand and make it fly. He said he has never seen a fish get ich only 12 hours after sale. My puffer is acting normally, so maybe he is fine. I had a whole freshwater tank die in a week from ich, so now I am paranoid. He told me to raise the temp on my tank 1-2º per day, until I reach 78º. And only run the lights for 2-3 hours per day, and watch the puffer closely. I sure hope he is okay, but I am worried.

Jared

 

[melosu58]

Raising the temp does nothing in SW when it comes to Ich. I do believe that 78 degrees is a good temp to have your tank though. Here is some info on ich. I have seen ich on a fish two hours after getting him home so your LFS person is not being too truthful. Read these as far as the parasite.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com


Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part I by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

 

[jphendren]

"I have seen ich on a fish two hours after getting him home so your LFS person is not being too truthful."

I wouldn't be surprised, he is a nice guy, but he has money at stake here, so he may lie to prevent having to give me my money back. 24 hours later the puffer is behaving perfectly normal, eats like a horse, and is constantly scavenging the live rock, would a sick fish do this? My goldfish that had ich, sat on the bottom and did not swim much after the first few spots appeared.

Also, since puffers do not have scales, you can not use copper based cures correct? Sadly, I do not have a hospital tank cycled or ready to move him to, so I am kind of stuck. I have an extra 10 gallon with all of the accessories that could become one, but it would take weeks to get it cycled and ready to use.

I am hoping that by reducing his stress, that his own immune system can beat the ich (if it is ich).

Jared

 

[sudz]

don't necessarily have to cycle a QT tank - Just keep up regular water changes and pull water from your normal tank.

 

[melosu58]

I do agree with doing PWC`s but if you have the parasite in your main tank you dont want water from it in your QT. Just new SW will do.