Regal Blue Tang

[tmcpeek]

I have had it in my 25 gallon qt for a week now and was wondering if it is too soon to introduce to my 225. It will be my first fish (besides my mandarin that did not make it).

I normally would not rush this but I am picking up a 50 gallon tank this weekend from a friend and there are 2 clowns and a wrasse that I will need a place to put. I am thinking of adding the tang and then qt'ing the clowns and wrasse for 4-6 weeks in my 25. If this won't work I will bring the fish to my lfs so I do not rush anything. I am mainly getting the tank because 1( it is free ) and 2 I need live rock for my refugium and the 50 has about 50 or so lbs in it that has been established for 2+ years so it can go straight from tank to icechest full of tank water to my refugium once I get it home. Should only be in icechest for 1 or 2 hours.

 

[quarryshark]

I think a week is way too soon. Especially for an ich magnet like a Regal. Don't want to get your system off to a bad start IMO.

 

[tmcpeek]

Ok thanks. Maybe I can set up the 50 (or a 26 gallon hex that I have) so I can keep the clowns. I just need to get the water that is in it home. I have a batch of water going now so I can make something work.

Should I do the 4 week QT for the tang? Also do you see any problems adding the live rock directly to my refugium.

 

[quarryshark]

Should I do the 4 week QT for the tang?

IMO, thats perfect.

Also do you see any problems adding the live rock directly to my refugium.

Its cured right? No problem there either.

 

[tmcpeek]

Yeah the rock is cured. Been in the tank for 2 years. Plan on removing it and putting it in ice chest. Siphon water from tank into icechest to get it home. Then straight from the chest to the refugium.

I will wait the 4 weeks on the tang. Thanks again for the help.

 

[quarryshark]

Never a problem. Good luck!

 

[tmcpeek]

Lost my tang over night. Looks like the dorsal fins were deteriorating. Had it in there for just at one week. Went down to do a water change this morning and it was dead. Tested and there were no ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates were at <10.
I am using a penguin 170 on my qt and it seems like everything I put in there dies before it makes it to my tank. Very frustrating.

 

[phishead]

Sorry, that is very frustrating. I went through five or six fish like that. I finally gave up, drained the QT, and haven't tried since. I am however planning on giving it a new try very soon.

If it is a penguin it has a biowheel. They are very good when established but intermittent use can contribute to a high ammonia spike due to bacteria being established then dried up or not used.

Most times it is nothing that you are doing wrong.

On the positive side, if it had a parasite, or fungus, at least it is not in the main tank!

 

[tmcpeek]

Weird thing is amm and nitrites tested 0. Yeah the penquin has the wheel. It is new. I did not use the cartridge, just the wheel.. I placed the wheel in my main tank (sump) for 10 days and then put it on the qt. QT was filled with 50% display tank water and filled with new mixed sw. Ran it for 3 days before fish was introduced. I am thinking of also ditching the penguin and just using the 2 maxijet 400 with the sponge prefilters on them. I would then do 10-15% water changes every other day to keep it stable.

I have a 10 gallon as well so I was thinking of taking about 10 or 15 lbs of live rock from my refugium and place it in the 25 gallon qt. If I need to treat a fish for something I will put it in the 10 for meds. Will this help with the spikes by keeping some live rock in it.

 

[quarryshark]

Sorry to hear this, its tough sometimes.
There is a good side. If he had an ailment, at least you kept it out of your display tank.

 

[tmcpeek]

Very true. Lost 2 fish this week. The mandarin and now this one. If I see this pattern again I am going to ? the store I am buying at. They QT there new arrivals and all my inverts from there are fine. Frustrating but I am hoping it was the fish and not something I did.

Should I just use the ph's with sponges on them and ditch the penquin?

 

[quarryshark]

I always just use a trickle filter, not so sure that is a problem. If your more comfortable then do it. A lot of folks do.

The mandarin and now this one

Both of these fish can be tough to acclimate, don't blame yourself. Sometimes these things just happen.
What is the PH reading on the QT tank?

 

[tmcpeek]

ph is 8.2 Tested water in QT, display and fresh mixed and all were identical. I use oceanic salt and have not had the low ph problems I have read about here


I think the mandarin acclimated fine. It was qt'd and I think it got eaten by a rock crab.

 

[quarryshark]

Hmm, sound like you did things right. If I had to guess, I would say there was something wrong with the fish when you got him. FWIW

 

[tmcpeek]

Yeah I was thinking that too since they are very susceptable to problems. I will keep on trying and hopefully get over the hump. I made the mistake of not watching it eat at the LFS so I won't make that mistake again.