I am just about done...

[Civicman86]

Ok well I bought a false perc after my other fish jumped tank. I got this fish from a LFS that said he had been there for at least a week and was very healthy (they wont ever sell me new fish that just came in, which is a good thing). So I had him in the tank for about 2 weeks. I have had another perc before this one and after a couple days he got use to me and would come to the tank top and want food. This one I just bought would do nothing. he would start to eat the flake then spit it out. I went out and bought some zoes juice for his food, still nothing. Then I put lettus in the tank, nothing. Came home from work and he was dead at the bottom of the tank. Under his head there was a big hole. I am really getting tired of this.

I just did tests on the tank to make sure nothing spiked or went out of whack.
Everything is perfect.

0 Nitrate and 0 Nitrite
0Ammonia
8.2 PH

Those are the readings I have had on my tank ever since the tank has stabalized. I really dont get it. I have 2 freshwater tanks and I have never lost as many fish as I have with this tank. I really love my SW tank but seems like my fish dont like it :-\

 

[seaham358]

How long did you have this fish? how did you acclimate it.

 

[Civicman86]

I had him in a bag and added <1/2 cup my water every 45 mins-1hour. Did this until I had about 2 times as much water as was originally in the bag.

The fish has been in my tank for a little over a week.

 

[Fluff]

Do you know if the fish was captive bred? I only ask because normally a captive bred fish won't be so picky with it's food.

 

[HoopsGuru]

I agree, a captive bred fish is normally very much used to all kinds of prepared foods.

This also shows the benefit of QT. Besides the obvious of protecting your display against disease, in this case you would also have a separate environment where you could make sure the fish was eating and healthy before you added it to the tank. If things went well in QT and then went downhill when added to the tank, you have your answer that there is obviously an environmental problem with your display.

Don't assume that since the clownfish are alive at the LFS for a week is healthy, many fish can go weeks with ailments before they finally succumb to the stress and die quickly. Internal parasites, etc. can fester for a while with a fish that looks o.k. on the outside. If nothing else, ask at the LFS for proof that the fish is eating (and then still 100% QT). Finally, if getting more wild caught fish, I would buy frozen meaty foods which will be more natural over flake, and don't bother with lettuce even for herbivores (tangs, etc.) as it does not have much useful content for marine fish.