ZeeSparrow's 75G LPS tank build

[Swope2bc]

That's too bad... I wonder what happened to it...

[ZeeSparrow]

Originally Posted by mmittlesteadt

Wow. I'm really sorry to read that. I know how you feel because I was feeling the same way for a while. Different ending but I understand the frustration and helplessness.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, things like this happen. Hope the other little guy stays healthy and happy.

Originally Posted by Swope2bc

That's too bad... I wonder what happened to it...

Thanks guys. I suspect oodinium or Brooklynella. Was very pale and had like a white slime coating. That was hard to watch. Helpless is the right description. I'm a weepy person when stressed so...yeah. Brought a few tears afterward.

I have now emptied the tank I used tonight, a little bleach water around, rinsed with fresh water and prime. Dried with a paper towel, sitting empty for a few days to make sure it's good and dry before I start TTM on the other two.

Want to make sure they are both eating too. Still haven't seen blenny eat. Firefish is eating but blenny... I dunno. How am I supposed to know when all he does is hide?

Water change postponed for DT as I didn't have enough extra made up. I'm mixing more now.

And having a shot or two of tequila.

[mmittlesteadt]

Have you tried some sinking pellets for the blenny? He's not living in a very natural environment (something a sterile, barren QT doesn't really offer in the way of stress management) that would cause him to feed the way it normally would.

[ZeeSparrow]

I haven't tried that but I think I have some. Thanks for the reminder. Will drop one in in the morning for him.

[Grizz717]

See
Sorry to hear about this. I lost a Picasso in QT and was so bummed. Stay positive.

[ZeeSparrow]

Thanks Grizz. Sorry to hear about your clown, too. I am keeping an even closer eye on the little guy I still have, but he's so small it's hard to see if there's anything amiss! And this took the other one so darn fast, I don't know how long before I might feel he's "safe"...

As for the blenny, I checked on him before bed last night. Squished between the side of the tank and the heater, I didn't see movement. I moved the heater away and he still didn't budge. So I gently nudged him. He moved - and that's an understatement. LOL I dropped an algae wafer in for him on the other side of the tank where he was now hiding in the corner. This morning, he was on top of the decoration I'd placed in teh tank - one of those fake plants with really long leaves. He was not on the food I'd placed but on the leaves; maybe there's bits of algae there for him? He's now moved down to behind one of the PVC elbows. I can't tell if he's eaten any of the wafer.

W/C for QT and DT tonight.

[Grizz717]

Just one of those things that will make us smarter and stronger. Keep your chin up. Went to the Petco and saw two red dragonets. They looked great, but i know my tank isn't ready for them. Salesman said "they been here two weeks and they're eating something. we don't specifically feed them". i wanted to say "NO, they're starving!" As much as I wanted to "save" them, I know my tank isn't ready and I'm not ready to spend $200.00 a month on Pods at this time.

[ZeeSparrow]

Yep. It's just tough not knowing what went wrong. I'm wondering if there's some disease in my tank now. Also suspecting a bacterial bloom because it's "cloudy". Algae is taking over some of the coral and it's all just frustrating right now.

I grabbed a piece of rock out of my sump, disease be damned and put it in qt with the blenny. Watched him for an hour or so, and spied frequently for the next. So long as he doesn't see me, he comes out of hiding. He has gone on the rock and on the decorative plant that's in there, but I haven't seen him eat anything I've added for food. At least it's something though. Nori is on a clip at the moment but I haven't seen him on it yet. I'll take some and attach it to the rock in the morning and see if that will entice him to eat it. I wonder if the algae on rocks in a freshwater tank would be ok to put in... Off to google.

[Grizz717]

Yes, it's crazy trying to figure out what they eat. The lfs said we feed them Omega flakes. I buy the Omega flakes and they just spit them them out and it swirls around the bottom of the QT. Gotta siphon it up so it doesn't foul the water. Trial and error.

[oldbones]

Have you tried the green frozen cubes yet? Mine are omnivore preparation, and I'm sure your firefish will eat what the blenny does not!

[ZeeSparrow]

Yes I bought some last night. No interest. I tried more this morning and didn't see him eat anything. Nori is attached to the rock with a rubber band, and blenny is hiding behind PVC at the moment. He's very skittish yet. I'm sitting back and watching for a while....

[Swope2bc]

It's hard to wait and wonder.. LM blenny should not be hard to keep (from what I've been told) so hopefully he is eating while your back is turned.

[oldbones]

Ah, he'll eat when he's ready, I'm sure.

[ZeeSparrow]

Hopefully you guys are right. He spent some time on the rock right next to the nori but I couldn't tell if he ate any or not. I can't get too close or he hides.

This fish is going to make me insane, I tell ya. Lol

[ZeeSparrow]

He is eating!!!

[Swope2bc]

Yay!!!

[Grizz717]

Great!

[mmittlesteadt]

Always good to hear when some fish starts acting "normal". Best of luck with your next transfers to the display.

[ZeeSparrow]

TTM is started. Firefish was easy peasy to nab... blenny not so much. He likes to wedge himself into corners. Hopefully didn't stress him out too badly. I've got some nori rubber banded to one of the PVC pieces now, so I'm hoping he'll continue to munch on that. I have seen him eating it every day... so far, so good.

I've also moved this second tank to another room; 10 gallon will remain in room with DT but is 10 feet away. I'm going to be 100% compliant with this process. Not that I wasn't with the clowns, but I'm taking no chances. Ten gallon and all equipment used so far is rinsed and drying, and all transfers are on the schedule.

The DT is doing well. I did a very small WC Saturday, then another 20% yesterday, bringing nitrates back down to ~10 and replenishing other nutrients. I removed most of the green algae I could see, mostly from the hammer and candycane corals though also a bit on the rocks, and suctioned out a little cyano. Also moved the powerheads around, as the duncan got knocked down by some unexpected direct current. This gives the clown a little more restful area in his chosen side of the tank. I may need to manually clean off the sand in that area but I'll keep an eye on it. There are quite a few pods on the back wall and overflow. I'm not sure if the clown is eating them or something else but he was picking at the overflow this evening.

[mmittlesteadt]

How are things going with your tank Zee? Just kicking back and enjoying it while you wait on your other fish?

[ZeeSparrow]

Pretty much. Have messed with the powerheads a couple times, trying to find that perfect setting/position for them. We'll see how that turns out. Otherwise just in maintenance mode while I go through TTM. I've been too busy with work for much more than that... And our system admin is on vacation for the next 3 weeks so I'll have my hands full enough for a while standing in for him.

[mmittlesteadt]

I was just checkin' in to see how things were going for you. I've added a few more things...got a Chalk Bass (same one that was in the frag tank at the LFS with my Twin Spot...they are reunited best buds...LOL) and just brought home a Lawnmower Blenny today that's been doing great in another tank there for a month or so.

Looking forward to seeing pics of your successful transfers!

[ZeeSparrow]

New QT tank and stand. Decorations courtesy of my sons tank when he was 11.



Acan



FTS



And the newest resident.

[Swope2bc]

Luv the knew family member!!

[mmittlesteadt]

Nice QT tank with stand. I'll bet it will be nice to see new additions in that while you wait on them.