sick fish or acclimate problem

kenyus · 03/22/2008, 08:26 PM

i have a 75g 4f tank with about 20kg of LR with 1000l/h overhead filter, the tank had been recycled for about 5 weeks, got 3 chromis last sat (1 week ago), did a water change last friday (2 days ago). my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate should be low since i just done a water change, ph 8.4, sanility is 1.021, temp 24.2-25.
the 3 chromis was fine, healthy perfectly normal until i bought a new aquanova filter which is 1500l/h yesterday (sat, running parallel with existing overhead filter) and got 2 new nemo. since then the 3 chromis seem to be acting weird, always hiding or stay at bottom of tank, doesnt come up to the surface to eat everytime i try to feed them. only one of them is seem to be eating like normal, other 2 are none or very little, all three of em are less active and breathing rapidly. with the 2 new nemo i got are constantly hidding, very sensitive to people's movement from outside the tank. one of them is eating abit the other seem like not eating at all, it does try to swim toward the food but move away once it get closer. i feed them frozen shimp and i have seaweed in a veggie clip (never been eaten by the fish).
is there any problem with new filter that might producing toxic chemical when new? if so am screwed! or is this just problem with those fish still trying to acclimate to the tank and tankmates?
am not sure what i've done wrong, any advise would be appreciated
thanks in advance

Aquarist007 · 03/22/2008, 08:33 PM

To Reef Central

Aquarist007 · 03/22/2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kenyus
i have a 75g 4f tank with about 20kg of LR with 1000l/h overhead filter, the tank had been recycled for about 5 weeks, got 3 chromis last sat (1 week ago), did a water change last friday (2 days ago). my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate should be low since i just done a water change, ph 8.4, sanility is 1.021, temp 24.2-25.
the 3 chromis was fine, healthy perfectly normal until i bought a new aquanova filter which is 1500l/h yesterday (sat, running parallel with existing overhead filter) and got 2 new nemo. since then the 3 chromis seem to be acting weird, always hiding or stay at bottom of tank, doesnt come up to the surface to eat everytime i try to feed them. only one of them is seem to be eating like normal, other 2 are none or very little, all three of em are less active and breathing rapidly. with the 2 new nemo i got are constantly hidding, very sensitive to people's movement from outside the tank. one of them is eating abit the other seem like not eating at all, it does try to swim toward the food but move away once it get closer. i feed them frozen shimp and i have seaweed in a veggie clip (never been eaten by the fish).
is there any problem with new filter that might producing toxic chemical when new? if so am screwed! or is this just problem with those fish still trying to acclimate to the tank and tankmates?
am not sure what i've done wrong, any advise would be appreciated
thanks in advance

a few pointers
salinity should be 1.026
you are under stocked with live rock--should have 1 to 1.5 lbs per gal
you really need to measure your nitrates-- a small water change will not reduce them much like it does ammonia
clowns and chromies are really hardy fish--they are probably just getting use to the tank.

george81 · 03/22/2008, 09:49 PM

how did you acclimate the fish?

drparker · 03/22/2008, 09:56 PM

Fish stores run low salinity but normal sea water is generally excepted at 1.0264 so being around 1.026 is where most target. Bring in up slowly with water changes that have a higher salt content. You could also use salt water for your top-off until the level comes up. Do Not add raw salt to your main tank always mix it separate.
Keep watching you ammonia to make sure your cycle is really done. What water do you use for your source? Try to use or buy RO or RO/DI.

kenyus · 03/22/2008, 10:29 PM

i acclimate the fish the normal way, left the bag in the tank for 15 mins before adding 1 cup of water from the tank into the bag and left it for another 15mins.
my tap water has a filter which we also used for drinking, i also use prime water conditioner which remove ammonia and chlorone, chloramine. regarding my salinity is it normally 1.021 or 1.026?

robnuti · 03/23/2008, 12:31 AM

On a 75g tank you should have about 40kg of live rock. Also could the fish have a disease like ICH. ICH commonly makes fish sluggish and they will not eat. Try adding garlic to their food to stimulate their appetites.

kenyus · 03/23/2008, 12:36 AM

my plan was to get 20kg of LR to start with, get some fish and slowly add 4-5kg of cured LR over time because of my tight budget.
they don't seem to have whitespot on their skin.
one of the chromis just died, the other is breathing for air on top and the last one is hidding under the rock.
is there anything i can do?

demonsp · 03/23/2008, 12:45 AM

Do you have any powerheads?I say only filters.

Ocean life gets its oxygen from the motion of the surface. The ONLY way your fish get air is from surface agitation. ANY device that disrupts the water at the surface is usefull. Be it a bubbler, a skimmer, powerhead, or even just the return outlet(s) of your filters will add air to your tank. Air in a salt water tank is less than in freshwater ( scientific mumbo-jumbo having to do with molecules and stuff ) - so it is DEFINITELY a good idea to agitate the surface especially if you only have one return from your filters. If you have 2 filters with bi-directional returns, aim them at each other- the extra turbulence is appreciated by your fish and it's usually sufficient enough for air to enter your tank.

kenyus · 03/23/2008, 01:00 AM

since i got the new canister filter i unplugged my power head because i thought that the return outlet from the canister would do the job. i just plugged it back in now, hope its because of that.

demonsp · 03/23/2008, 01:02 AM

Placement just as important. Whats used for all your water movement now?

kenyus · 03/23/2008, 08:54 AM

just plugged in the 600l/h power head blowing from left to right and i got the new 1500l/h canister filter blowing from right to left. the other two chromis are on the bottom of the tank seem to be dying very soon, can someone pls help? is there anything i can do?

03/22/2008, 08:26 PM	#1
kenyus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 17	sick fish or acclimate problem i have a 75g 4f tank with about 20kg of LR with 1000l/h overhead filter, the tank had been recycled for about 5 weeks, got 3 chromis last sat (1 week ago), did a water change last friday (2 days ago). my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate should be low since i just done a water change, ph 8.4, sanility is 1.021, temp 24.2-25. the 3 chromis was fine, healthy perfectly normal until i bought a new aquanova filter which is 1500l/h yesterday (sat, running parallel with existing overhead filter) and got 2 new nemo. since then the 3 chromis seem to be acting weird, always hiding or stay at bottom of tank, doesnt come up to the surface to eat everytime i try to feed them. only one of them is seem to be eating like normal, other 2 are none or very little, all three of em are less active and breathing rapidly. with the 2 new nemo i got are constantly hidding, very sensitive to people's movement from outside the tank. one of them is eating abit the other seem like not eating at all, it does try to swim toward the food but move away once it get closer. i feed them frozen shimp and i have seaweed in a veggie clip (never been eaten by the fish). is there any problem with new filter that might producing toxic chemical when new? if so am screwed! or is this just problem with those fish still trying to acclimate to the tank and tankmates? am not sure what i've done wrong, any advise would be appreciated thanks in advance

03/22/2008, 08:33 PM	#2
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	*To Reef Central* __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

03/22/2008, 09:49 PM	#4
george81 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: canada Posts: 254	how did you acclimate the fish?

03/22/2008, 09:56 PM	#5
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	Fish stores run low salinity but normal sea water is generally excepted at 1.0264 so being around 1.026 is where most target. Bring in up slowly with water changes that have a higher salt content. You could also use salt water for your top-off until the level comes up. Do Not add raw salt to your main tank always mix it separate. Keep watching you ammonia to make sure your cycle is really done. What water do you use for your source? Try to use or buy RO or RO/DI.

03/22/2008, 10:29 PM	#6
kenyus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 17	i acclimate the fish the normal way, left the bag in the tank for 15 mins before adding 1 cup of water from the tank into the bag and left it for another 15mins. my tap water has a filter which we also used for drinking, i also use prime water conditioner which remove ammonia and chlorone, chloramine. regarding my salinity is it normally 1.021 or 1.026?

03/23/2008, 12:31 AM	#7
robnuti Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Roseville, CA. Posts: 249	On a 75g tank you should have about 40kg of live rock. Also could the fish have a disease like ICH. ICH commonly makes fish sluggish and they will not eat. Try adding garlic to their food to stimulate their appetites.

03/23/2008, 12:36 AM	#8
kenyus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 17	my plan was to get 20kg of LR to start with, get some fish and slowly add 4-5kg of cured LR over time because of my tight budget. they don't seem to have whitespot on their skin. one of the chromis just died, the other is breathing for air on top and the last one is hidding under the rock. is there anything i can do?

03/23/2008, 12:45 AM	#9
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Do you have any powerheads?I say only filters. Ocean life gets its oxygen from the motion of the surface. The ONLY way your fish get air is from surface agitation. ANY device that disrupts the water at the surface is usefull. Be it a bubbler, a skimmer, powerhead, or even just the return outlet(s) of your filters will add air to your tank. Air in a salt water tank is less than in freshwater ( scientific mumbo-jumbo having to do with molecules and stuff ) - so it is DEFINITELY a good idea to agitate the surface especially if you only have one return from your filters. If you have 2 filters with bi-directional returns, aim them at each other- the extra turbulence is appreciated by your fish and it's usually sufficient enough for air to enter your tank.

03/23/2008, 01:00 AM	#10
kenyus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 17	since i got the new canister filter i unplugged my power head because i thought that the return outlet from the canister would do the job. i just plugged it back in now, hope its because of that.

03/23/2008, 01:02 AM	#11
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Placement just as important. Whats used for all your water movement now?

03/23/2008, 08:54 AM	#12
kenyus Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 17	just plugged in the 600l/h power head blowing from left to right and i got the new 1500l/h canister filter blowing from right to left. the other two chromis are on the bottom of the tank seem to be dying very soon, can someone pls help? is there anything i can do?