New Tank and New Yellow Tang won't eat

chriscummings83 · 01/04/2009, 11:12 AM

I started my tank about a month ago, there is now all this brown stuff in the tank. Its starting to go away and green spots are forming on the rocks. I think it is part of the cycle process.

I have a clown fish and yellow tang. I have never seen the tang eat. I have had him for 2 weeks now. I feed new life spectrum, ocean nutirition flake, and green sea weed. He doesn't go after any of it. All he does now is pick on the rock here and there and thats it.

Any suggestions

redvicki · 01/04/2009, 11:15 AM

Your tank has only been set up for a month?

Craig Lambert · 01/04/2009, 11:16 AM

What are your water parameters? I'm surprised that either fish is living. You introduced them into a tank that hasn't completed its cycle.

chriscummings83 · 01/04/2009, 11:28 AM

I didn't think that a tank would start a cycle unless there was a fish in there. Other wise it would just be water and sand. I put RODI water and sand/live rock in the tank and dropped my clown fish in. after about 3 weeks I put in my yellow tang. The salt is good, the ammonia is very low, did water changes every 3 days.

rkelman · 01/04/2009, 11:47 AM

Yes you could have just fed the tank to get it started if the LR didn't start it on its own. The ammonia should be 0 not very low. What ever you do don't overfeed the tank trying to get the Tang to eat or you'll just make matters worse. I've found with tangs until they get used to you the best thing to do is feed and walk away. Don't watch them as they tend to be nervous.

rkelman · 01/04/2009, 11:49 AM

After posting I see you have 2 tangs in that tank? Its really borderline for a YT never mind having a Hippo in there too. You need to remove at least 1 tang from that tank.

sassafrass · 01/04/2009, 12:02 PM

Do some reading and quit torturing fish!!!

Vision06 · 01/04/2009, 12:12 PM

What sassafrass said. It takes alot of reading and time invested to get things right.

rkelman · 01/04/2009, 12:21 PM

"Do some reading and quit torturing fish!!!"

That's a bit harsh.

Moonstream · 01/04/2009, 01:09 PM

where does it say he has a hippo?

anywho, the tank should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrate below 10 before you even THINK about adding fish. I would remove any fish that are in the tank and give them to an LFS.

monitor the water params closely until everything is in check (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate below 10) then add your cleanup crew in, and once nitrate reaches 0 you can add your first fish (a pair of clowns would be a good choice). every 2 weeks, if water params are good, add 1 fish. do a 10-20g water changes every week (I do a 10g water change on my 75g w/30g sump every week).

Moonstream · 01/04/2009, 01:09 PM

oh, and it would definetly be a good idea to read up on cycling, feeding, and any fish you have/plan to get.

snorvich · 01/04/2009, 02:13 PM

Well, first of all, what Moonstream says is good advice. Especially about reading before leaping into the void. If you have ammonia at all, there should not be fish. Secondly a yellow tang in that size tank is problematical.

chriscummings83 · 01/04/2009, 03:31 PM

I think that most people should read my subject heading. I STARTED A NEW TANK, your looking at the specs of my old tank. I have only 1 clown and a YT. Yes I have read many books, and some say start with rock and food, and other say 1 fish, and keep doing water changes.

rkelman · 01/04/2009, 04:28 PM

Ah a different tank then whats in your profile.. Its hard to give advice not knowing what you are running. If its a 10g take the fish out if its 1000 gallons you'll probably be ok. That's the best I can do with the info you've supplied.

sassafrass · 01/04/2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rkelman
"Do some reading and quit torturing fish!!!"

That's a bit harsh.

Your right it is a bit harsh I hope this comment will get through to them and start them to learning about animal husbandry. These animals are not just pretty decorations , existing for our entertainment. They are living creatures and as such deserve to be treated with respect . I am not saying that we can't have them for our own pleasure , just that we need to be aware of the responsibity that comes with pleasure.

01/04/2009, 11:12 AM	#1
chriscummings83 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 99	New Tank and New Yellow Tang won't eat I started my tank about a month ago, there is now all this brown stuff in the tank. Its starting to go away and green spots are forming on the rocks. I think it is part of the cycle process. I have a clown fish and yellow tang. I have never seen the tang eat. I have had him for 2 weeks now. I feed new life spectrum, ocean nutirition flake, and green sea weed. He doesn't go after any of it. All he does now is pick on the rock here and there and thats it. Any suggestions

01/04/2009, 11:16 AM	#3
Craig Lambert Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,897	What are your water parameters? I'm surprised that either fish is living. You introduced them into a tank that hasn't completed its cycle. __________________ "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend all day in a boat drinking beer." Current Tank Info: 75G Tank, 29G Sump, 100lbs LR, AquaC EV-180, Iwaki MD-20RT return Tunze nano streams 4X54 t-5/Icecap Ballast & SLR's 2x110 vho actinic

01/04/2009, 12:12 PM	#8
Vision06 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: $Bronx, NY$ Posts: 50	What sassafrass said. It takes alot of reading and time invested to get things right. __________________ Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

01/04/2009, 02:13 PM	#12
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Well, first of all, what Moonstream says is good advice. Especially about reading before leaping into the void. If you have ammonia at all, there should not be fish. Secondly a yellow tang in that size tank is problematical. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

01/04/2009, 11:15 AM	#2
redvicki Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 499	Your tank has only been set up for a month?

01/04/2009, 11:28 AM	#4
chriscummings83 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 99	I didn't think that a tank would start a cycle unless there was a fish in there. Other wise it would just be water and sand. I put RODI water and sand/live rock in the tank and dropped my clown fish in. after about 3 weeks I put in my yellow tang. The salt is good, the ammonia is very low, did water changes every 3 days.

01/04/2009, 11:47 AM	#5
rkelman Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Belleville, Ontario Canada Posts: 3,438	Yes you could have just fed the tank to get it started if the LR didn't start it on its own. The ammonia should be 0 not very low. What ever you do don't overfeed the tank trying to get the Tang to eat or you'll just make matters worse. I've found with tangs until they get used to you the best thing to do is feed and walk away. Don't watch them as they tend to be nervous.

01/04/2009, 11:49 AM	#6
rkelman Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Belleville, Ontario Canada Posts: 3,438	After posting I see you have 2 tangs in that tank? Its really borderline for a YT never mind having a Hippo in there too. You need to remove at least 1 tang from that tank.

01/04/2009, 12:02 PM	#7
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	Do some reading and quit torturing fish!!!

01/04/2009, 12:21 PM	#9
rkelman Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Belleville, Ontario Canada Posts: 3,438	"Do some reading and quit torturing fish!!!" That's a bit harsh.

01/04/2009, 01:09 PM	#10
Moonstream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,581	where does it say he has a hippo? anywho, the tank should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrate below 10 before you even THINK about adding fish. I would remove any fish that are in the tank and give them to an LFS. monitor the water params closely until everything is in check (ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate below 10) then add your cleanup crew in, and once nitrate reaches 0 you can add your first fish (a pair of clowns would be a good choice). every 2 weeks, if water params are good, add 1 fish. do a 10-20g water changes every week (I do a 10g water change on my 75g w/30g sump every week).

01/04/2009, 03:31 PM	#13
chriscummings83 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 99	I think that most people should read my subject heading. I STARTED A NEW TANK, your looking at the specs of my old tank. I have only 1 clown and a YT. Yes I have read many books, and some say start with rock and food, and other say 1 fish, and keep doing water changes.

01/04/2009, 04:28 PM	#14
rkelman Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Belleville, Ontario Canada Posts: 3,438	Ah a different tank then whats in your profile.. Its hard to give advice not knowing what you are running. If its a 10g take the fish out if its 1000 gallons you'll probably be ok. That's the best I can do with the info you've supplied.