Can't keep fish but inverts are fine???

[nikki_kaiser]

Thanks for all the insight everyone, it's been very helpful

Question: If the bio load did in fact exceed my tanks ability wouldn't that show when testing water parameters?

Adding the two clowns wouldn't necessarily kill your fish as states above however adding the third might. You will see people with 90 gallon tanks add 3 fish but you need to consider the fact that the ammonia put off is diluted because of the tank size. Try adding two clowns and smaller ones if possible. Wait two weeks and add a coral beauty if you like however those are not considered "beginner fish" and quite honestly, I don't know of anyone who has kept them in a FOWLR over 6 months. Maybe someone on here has, but they generally thrive better in an older system and with corals. Also, always add your most aggressive fish last.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Be sure to underfeed your fish for at least a week when you first add them. This won't harm the fish in the least but it will give the system time to build up the necessary bacteria without overwhelming it. Everyone here is right. You simply added to many animals much to soon. If you take things slower and feed very carefully things should go so much better the next time you add fish.

Also, be very selective about the fish you pick out. Make sure they've been eating at the shop. Most importantly, acclimate your animals very carefully. Don't just float the bag, drip water into it and never add the water from the bag into your tank. It'll be full of ammonia... or worse. The best option is always quarantine.

 

[Elude82]

54seaweed, I understand your frustration with his response back to you.

And lakai, it all came down to, was your tank fully cycled? Did you acclimate them properly? Did you have the parameters in check? Did they eat ok? How was the water circulation? Blah, blah, blah,....brother, it's a lot of stuff that could have went wrong. And I agree all you can do is ask for advice, research, and learn by the problems. It's saltwater!!!!,,,,,, we all make mistakes! Some our own faults, some the LFS fault, and other times its just bad luck! IMO: water changes and constantly checking parameters. Good luck!

 

[lakaiguy]

I'm sorry if I frustrated anyone, I totally appreciate and understand what seaweed and everyone has said.

I just really felt like I did EVERYTHING by the book, I spared no expense sort to speak.

Anyways I'm going to upload a video soon so hopefully it will help explain my disappointment not being able to have some fish.

 

[lakaiguy]

Here's a video from today

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You still never said how you acclimated your fish. It may be helpful to know. Also, have you slowly started to raise your temp to 78 or is it still around 75?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I'm sorry if I frustrated anyone, I totally appreciate and understand what seaweed and everyone has said.

I just really felt like I did EVERYTHING by the book, I spared no expense sort to speak.

Anyways I'm going to upload a video soon so hopefully it will help explain my disappointment not being able to have some fish.

Don't be too disappointed!! Your tank is beautiful! Take a water sample with you to your LFS. Ask them to test EVERYTHING.

Buy two clowns and drip acclimate them in a bucket. if you need info on this one of us will tell you how or find you a good link. In addition, over the course of the next few weeks I would get my sanity up to at least 1.024. Fish and inverts do better at a higher level salinity over time than lower plus if you will look up natural salinity levels most range even higher. Salinity isn't your issue right now though, getting fish in there and keeping them alive is. Don't add anymore fish for two weeks. Test your water after 3 days with a good test kit or have the LFS do it again. I really think this go around you will have success!

 

[Sniperhank]

I think that there are a small handful of things causing deaths. Probably adding too much right after finishing the cycle, the nitrates that you posted on the first page being at 40 isn't high for a FOWLR system...but with 20% weekly water change I would expect them to be lower. The temp was already covered.

I would do 2 of your 20% water changes next week to bring the nitrates down and then slowly add one fish at a time. The drip acclimation has already been covered as well. Good luck.

 

[Elude82]

Lakai, to help get your tank going, I would suggest, and this is MY opinion, and I swear by this stuff, get a bottle of Smart Start. It is basically a cheat, to HELP cycle a tank. And take no offense to some of us getting frustrated. But we all are here to help. Once again SMART START. It's heaven sent!

 

[CorallineAlgae]

... the nitrates that you posted on the first page being at 40 isn't high for a FOWLR system...but with 20% weekly water change I would expect them to be lower.

This is a great point. That's what lead me to believe that overfeeding may have been a factor.

 

[54seaweed]

This is a great point. That's what lead me to believe that overfeeding may have been a factor.

think he meant between 20-40 is how I read it (somewhere in middle )
is this right laki
sorry if I sounded a bit harsh wasn't trying too
I have a hard time typing what I'm thinking

is that a nem up on the rock
If you had MIA's that could be the culprit also

 

[lakaiguy]

The first two clowns I did not drip acclimate.

The rest I did.

The temp has been bumped up to 78 and I'll be doing a 20% pwc tomorrow and another one maybe Tuesday.

Overfeeding is a definite possibly, probably why the coral beauty lasted the longest due to her not grazing the open waters (loved the caves).

I'm using an api test kit so the purple shades can get difficult which is why I say 20-40 nitrate

My lfs and I always have similar test results which were always spot on

 

[CorallineAlgae]

sorry if I sounded a bit harsh wasn't trying too
I have a hard time typing what I'm thinking

I didn't think you were harsh, but it's confusing to read comments that don't use any punctuation or capitalization. I have a hard time spelling just about anything. Thank goodness for autocorrect. If it costed a nickel per correction I'd have to abandon the Internet.