Should Percula Clown's be kept in pairs?

[TCTFish]

Fire shrimp will take opportunity to eat parasites off of fish. They're just not as proactive at it as skunk cleaners. I had a fire shrimp that took a serious liking to a watchman goby for the longest time and then just not be interested anymore some several months down the line. Followed the fish everywhere. Would not leave his side. Though I never really saw the shrimp pick at him. Both are still alive. This was four years ago.

You also want to check the calcium and alkalinity levels. I'm on the second page and can't see if you had mentioned if this is a reef??? Calcium should be at 450. Alkalinity should be between 2.5 and 4.

Take care of the pH before dealing with the SG. One stress at a time. Double check the ammonia. What brand test kit are you using? Once you are absolutely sure there's no ammonia in the system, then tend to buffering the pH. I'm not familiar with Dolomite, but I do know aragonite can serve as a buffer by dissolving at 8.0, instead of 7.8 like crushed coral. There are powder and liquid marine chemical buffers you can use. Keep the pH from going below 8.0, but be sure the ammonia is down. It is natural for pH to go down when ammonia goes up. This helps keep the ammonia from being toxic. If the pH is rasied before the ammonia is down, you can poison the fish.

I know, this can be a PITA to deal with. Welcome to the hobby There is another use for garlic food soaks and that's to help keep parasites off the fish in case there are parasites. Get yourself a skunk cleaner. They'll live fine with the fire shrimp. They really are more proactive in eating parasites off of lots of things. They can help. I always get a manicure from them when I stick my hand in the tank...LOL. I had a scrape on my knuckle once and they went right for it picking and cleaning out all the nasties of the wound. You have a big enough tank for more than one. A good investment

BTW...Being on the floor of the tank or floating I highly doubt has any bearing to how the fish died. Whether a body floats or sinks depends on the gases inside of that body. Not how the body stopped functioning.

 

[TheChad]

This is a Fish Only tank. I have never tested for calcium or alkalinity. My test kit did not come with those tests.

The test kit is made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.


Does the camel shrimp do anything for the tank?

The fire shrimp has setup shop inside the hole of the rock, he usually hangs upside down.

The camel shrimp has burrowed under that rock, and usually only comes out about an inch.

Dissapointing he's not more active like the fire shrimp.


Should I keep the SG at the lower levels? 1.019~ to controll parasites? The LFS suggested to keep it at 1.018-1.019 area, but all the packages on the products we purchase said 1.023...

Thanks,

-TheChad

 

[TCTFish]

Camel shrimp are basic scavengers. They are part of the cleaning crew, but not a known parasite eater.

Tanks with live rock should be tested for calcium and alkalinity. Too high of either can have fish start breaking down or acting weird. In a reef, calcium and alkalinity can deplete rapidly if not kept in check because corals use those elements to grow. It's not an absolute thing, so it's not a very important factor. Your LFS may do a calcium test for you instead of running out and buying a test kit. Calcium and alkalinity tests are not part of the basic kit. Not everyone needs a calcium test.

SG levels of 1.019 is typical for treating parasites, but wouldn't keep the tank like that all the time. That would be good in a QT tank before the animal is introduced to the main tank. I know many fish stores keep thier marine systems at that SG all the time, being there's a constant turnover in fish...new ones always being introduced. SG of 1.023 is the natural SG of a marine system. Look around for articles on hyposalinity treatments for parasites, particularly ich. I've seen a lot of advices on here for such treatments in fish only tanks, but you also have inverts and may need to do it in a QT. Here's some info I found. If anyyone else here has other ideas...please add on

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html

 

[TheChad]

I've been watching my damsel closly since yesterday when I saw him stop at the cleaning station set up by my Fire Shrimp.

The Damsel has about 5 white spots on his body. They are about the size of a pin hole.

I don't know what it is, but i am assuming its some sort of parasite?

I can't tell if there is anything on the copper band butterfly because he obviously has white/copper stripes.. He looks good, and is not acting funny, but if there was a white spot on his white are, i can't tell.

What should I do?

If there is some sort of parasite in the tank, i need to get it out. I am worried for the copperband butterfly. He is expensive, Beautiful, and I don't want to loose him.

Thanks,

-TheChad

 

[TCTFish]

Check out the hyposalinity method. Set up a QT and divide it for each fish and do the treatment in that. With the fish gone, if this is ich, they will starve out of the system, but may take a few weeks to erradicate the system. Adult will die within a few days, but any larvae will reinfest the system.

Take your time and do what you need to do. Protect your investment and take your time and be patient.

 

[TheChad]

The problem is I don't have a QT tank established, so to establish a tank it would obviously tank a long time, by then all the fish will die..

I need a methoid I can treat the main tank.


We are in the process of purchasing a used 55 gal tank from a friend, we are going to get that tank established, then use this 29 gal as a QT for the future.

Thanks,

-TheChad

 

[TCTFish]

Then get some skunk cleaner shrimp and a garlic additive for the food. There's really nothing more you can do.

BTW...A qt for treatment isn't necesarily cycled. It's a bare tank fitted only with an air pump driven sponge filter, a heater and a hide out for the fish. No substrate, no live rock.