First attempt at a reef

[Sniperhank]

Fish get pale when they are stressed. It is hiding as it is adjusting to the new tank. Assuming this 'floating' isn't laying on its side in the sandbed of course. Just give it time.

[coralbandit]

Fox faces are one of the worst shippers IME!
Hopefully he will come around.
Just give him peace and offer good algae based food tomorrow!

[BGK21]

Thanks, he is swimming. Looking up, not sideways and not on the sand bed...
Obviously stressed...

[Sniperhank]

Then just let him adjust. Leave the lights off until tomorrow.

[Istrom]

My foxface always gets zebra at night lol, if I turn the room lights on and the tank lights are off he's fully flared

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[Sniperhank]

Originally Posted by Istrom

My foxface always gets zebra at night lol, if I turn the room lights on and the tank lights are off he's fully flared

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Also true. Many fish do this while they sleep as well.

[BGK21]

Looks like it was just my paranoia. When the lights come on he goes straight to life, swimming with his reflection. I've never seen that before.
Lots of algae building up though. Need to think through a CUC before I look at corals

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[Istrom]

Hermits, nassarius snails, turbo snails, and emerald crabs.

90 G Reef
55 G Discus
24 G Reef

[BGK21]

Thanks, I'll be checking out the stock at the lfs tomorrow for some CUC but am considering ordering a package online. I am trying to figure out, the sump is blowing particles of some sort into the tank. I'm not sure what it could be other than salt or maybe overflow from the skimmer? It appears to have no impact on the parameters. I am only checking ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, and alkalinity. Should I be checking other parameters at this point?

I'll be trying to figure out how a RODI works this weekend. That may be an adventure but soon to follow will be making my own salt water....

[BGK21]

I went away for the weekend and an Algae bloom came in. Here is a before and after picture....I have been reading macro algae can be good while micro is a nuisance. Are any of the algae in the pictures beneficial? I think the red algae is beneficial. Here is a before and after picture. I know the hair needs to go but any other issues?

[BGK21]

I came home tonight thinking about providing an update on how things are going and DISASTER struck! An emerald crab looks to have killed my foxface. I wasn't expecting this! I checked the parameters and they look good....nitrates are higher than yesterday, up to 10 from 2, and I assume that is because of the foxface. Water has been stable for the most part so I can only imagine the crab is the reason for the fox's demise......Could something have caused this other than the crab? I'm completely rethinking my stocking list. At this point, I have a couple of corals (pix below) a tomini tang and CUC ( emerald crab x2, roughly 8 hermit crabs, turbo snails x2, fighting conch) in the tank. The tang is healthy and doing well but skittish.
What would be some good tank mates to go with the tomini?
Thanks in advance...

[Sniperhank]

There is NO way an emerald crab killed a healthy fish. They are a part of your clean up crew doing its job. I'd look for another issue for what killed your fish.

[BGK21]

What other options would there be? Water parameters seem to be fine. Everyone else and corals seem to be doing well....the only other sign was the day before he was hiding and didn't eat. ..

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[54seaweed]

Emerald's wont bother a healthy fish , I have 10 in my reef tank 2 in my predator tank ,
first how long have you had this fish is it a new addition , It's possible the tang went after it , stressing it out till it died , or could have been how it was acclimated , or did it ever eat or did it starve , another thought maybe a parasite there are a ton of possibility's

[melosu58]

I can promise you the emerald crab did not kill a foxface. Dont forget that things you cant test for can kill also.

[BGK21]

Not sure if that's good or bad news. I've read its possible and seeing the crab pick put two and two together. Only other new thing I've noticed is a slug like creature that spits in the air.

As for the tang, its possible fox was stressed from the tang. The fox followed the tang like a big brother but the tang hides when I come in the room while the fox kept swimming. The fox did tend to start hiding more but always came out at feeding time.

Not sure if I should be checking other parameters.... everything else seems to be well in the tank

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[BGK21]

Oh, the fox was the first one in the tank. Roughly 6 weeks off the top of my head and the tang for a couple of weeks now

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[Sniperhank]

A foxface and a tang in a 55? Depending on what exactly both were will point you towards the problem. Just not enough room for two big fish like that. It would be either parameters or aggression, and if the corals all appear well then it would be aggression.


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[BGK21]

It was a baby one spot foxface with a bristletooth tomini tang. My hope is to learn and get a large tank in the future they could move to as they out grow the current one.

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[Sniperhank]

Though some would argue on if a tomini will be ok in a 55, it is a close one. 75 and up would be better. Almost the same as the foxface. Big fish that are the. Crammed into a small space. Even if they are small they still need the room. Most likely aggression from the tomini, especially if the feeding of algae was limited as this tends to lower aggression in tangs.


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