Need help first tank!!

[Joecast44]

Hey guys I got my first slot water tank about a week ago and have already figured out I still have a lot to learn. My first concern is my "eagle eye" zooanthids which won't seem to open up. Ill post pictures of it the first one is the day that I purchased it which was yesterday and the second picture was taken about 30 minutes ago. I have other concerns one being my scooter blenny died out of no where and seemed extremely skinny when deceased. If anyone has Any helpful info please share!

 

[aquandrew]

youve had the tank for a week? is it cycled?

 

[obscurereef]

If you could give more info as to if it's cycled or where you got it, it would help a lot. If it's not cycled then that would be the reason why things aren't doing well. It died "out of nowhere" but was very skinny... It starved to death. Dragonets rely on many copepods for food and aren't easily trained to eat frozen foods. I've heard scooter blennies are easier to feed frozen than mandarins.

What are your parameters?

 

[Joecast44]

I purchased the tank from btj's jungle on long island. I actually walked into the pet store and purchased a tank that was set up with fish in it and I just brought the salt water tank with the live rocks, 2 clown fish 1 fire fish 2 different shrimp and a couple hermit crabs and snails and I separately purchased 2 coral frags and put them in the tank. so you can see why I never cycled the tank, because the pet store just sold me a tank with animals and water and everything already in it.

 

[Joecast44]

also, the dragonet appeared to be eating fine, it was only after death that he appeared extremely skinny.

 

[Joecast44]

UPDATE: peppermint shrimp died today. SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME HELP

 

[Unicorn1]

Do you have a test kit? Some parameters would be great here. It sounds like something is wrong there. (I'm on the freshwater things so my knowledge is limited, just trying to help others help you)

 

[Joecast44]

The ph is at 8.1, but to be honest I need to know what I'm looking for, apparently there's a lot to test for in a salt water tank the people at the pet store gave me a ph kit and I was out the door. They told me nothing about salinity and all this

 

[Unicorn1]

The ph is at 8.1, but to be honest I need to know what I'm looking for, apparently there's a lot to test for in a salt water tank the people at the pet store gave me a ph kit and I was out the door. They told me nothing about salinity and all this

Umm, I would invest in an API saltwater master kit for your usual parameters (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) do you know how long the tank was setup for before you bought it? As for the salty side of things you'll need to invest in a few other things that I don't know the names of lol. I think you're in mid cycle based from how the fish are dying. Do some google searches and forum searches in the saltwater beginner section of the forum and see if you can find a checklist. (Ill look too, and pm you if I find anything) sorry I can't help more!

 

[Joecast44]

Umm, I would invest in an API saltwater master kit for your usual parameters (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) do you know how long the tank was setup for before you bought it? As for the salty side of things you'll need to invest in a few other things that I don't know the names of lol. I think you're in mid cycle based from how the fish are dying. Do some google searches and forum searches in the saltwater beginner section of the forum and see if you can find a checklist. (Ill look too, and pm you if I find anything) sorry I can't help more!

Thanks so much for the help. Ill go look into the salt water kit right now

 

[bill302]

like said above you need an API saltwater master kit. Bottled ro/di water to topoff after evaporation and to mix with marine salt for weekly water changes, hydrometer to measure salinity...What size tank is it and what type of filtration, can you post a picture. read this......http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/stock-list-and-tips-for-maintaining-your-sw-tank-73477.html

 

[Joecast44]

like said above you need an API saltwater master kit. Bottled ro/di water to topoff after evaporation and to mix with marine salt for weekly water changes, hydrometer to measure salinity...What size tank is it and what type of filtration, can you post a picture. read this......http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/stock-list-and-tips-for-maintaining-your-sw-tank-73477.html

It is a 5 gallon fluval spec. The filter is a live rock filter that was set up by the pet store I purchased the tank from. I will upload I pic

 

[mr_X]

Moving a tank will definitely cause some sort of spike. Do water changes to lower nutrients, and possibly add some Prime to bind the ammonia. You have a 5 gallon tank and live aquaria says the minimum tank size for a single clown fish is 30 gallons.

 

[carey]

I think part of the problem is you have waay too many fish int here. I see three right off the bat. They are probably producing too much waste for your natural biological filter to keep up with.

For the record, clowns should be in a 20g tank minimum, at least in my opinion and experience. The firefish is probably ok as he doesnt get much bigger. I agree about the scooter as well, mine took a whole month to get on frozen food and until then all he ate was pods. I cannot possibly believe that 5g tank has enough rock to support enough pods for a dragonet.

Those test results would tell alot about whats going on so try and post that information when you can.

 

[Joecast44]

I think part of the problem is you have waay too many fish int here. I see three right off the bat. They are probably producing too much waste for your natural biological filter to keep up with.

For the record, clowns should be in a 20g tank minimum, at least in my opinion and experience. The firefish is probably ok as he doesnt get much bigger. I agree about the scooter as well, mine took a whole month to get on frozen food and until then all he ate was pods. I cannot possibly believe that 5g tank has enough rock to support enough pods for a dragonet.

Those test results would tell alot about whats going on so try and post that information when you can.

I feel so stupid having all these fish in here, but it's funny because this is how the pet store had it. Ill run tests soon and I do believe you are right about there being too much waste, but I have encountered a new question. Apparently the live rock I purchased came with a friend. It pops in and out of the pore of the rock and looks somewhat like a zoa. Ill try posting pics but the angle makes it difficult it looks clear/ white with brown in it. Any thoughts? Thank you!!

 

[carey]

Looks like an aipastia anemone to me, a pest that will multiply and eventually take over your tank. They often come on live rock. If you poke at it and it retracts back then thats what it is. They can sting corals that are within reach as well, another good reason to get rid of it.

 

[Aquacal]

Looks kinda like a sea slug

 

[mr_X]

I have no idea what that is....the 3 long tentacle looking things up top remind me of a eunicid worm, but they are much uglier in my experience.

 

[Joecast44]

Looks like an aipastia anemone to me, a pest that will multiply and eventually take over your tank. They often come on live rock. If you poke at it and it retracts back then thats what it is. They can sting orals that are within reach as well, another good reason to get rid of it.

I think that this might be a feather duster worm. what do you think?

 

[944speeder]

Looks like a feather duster from the pic