Joe's New RSM S400

[DaveR11]

I got the reactor (a Deltec FMR75 with pump) as I wanted to drop the nutrient levels in the tank but as I wasn't recording any phosphate I didn't think Rowaphos would do much for me. The bio pellets are supposed to remove both phosphate and nitrate via bacteria action and the reactor wasn't very expensive so I have given it a try.

I have the tiny reactor pump sat next to the main return pump in the final sump chamber and the return pipe from the reactor empties its water next to the down-flow from the main tank so that it passes through the skimmer as per the reactor instructions.

 

[joecas]

I have a new problem/question: When I was at the LFS picking up scarlett hermit crabs, I noticed an awesome looking fish. I asked the help on the floor about it and they said it is reef safe and will grow 3" max (the battery in my phone died and I couldn't verify), and I picked it up.

When I got home, I did some research to figure what it likes to eat and noticed it gets to be 3 feet! Not 3 inches. It's a Spotted Sweetlips. I tried catching it in my tank to return it and I couldn't. The store just sent someone to come catch it and they couldn't either - they spent 2 hours trying and left empty handed. It is an awesome looking fish, is getting along with the others, is eating well and not after any corals.

The LFS guy said the only real way to get the fish is to dismantle all my rock as it is hiding in the caves. The other option is I keep him until he's too big for the tank. The guy from the LFS estimated 3 years. PLEASE post your opinion. Here is a picture:

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

He is a very pretty fish ! lfs tells you 3 inches, instead of 3 feet that's a classic ... from the post I have read on them... many end up living less than a year & slow starve to death and this is why many rate them as difficult

see what others think...

 

[Oxylebius]

In the middle of the night, long after the lights have turned off, go check out the tank and find where the fish sleeps at. Fish are easier to catch when asleep. You might luck out and the fish might be out in the open. Using a red light makes it easier as the fish will be less likely to wake up and thus easier to catch (they can't see or detect red light). Keep it in a specimen box in the tank until the next morning, when you can take it back to the lfs.

 

[joecas]

I know there'll be a lot of haters for this, but I decided to keep the Spotted Sweetlips. It is an awesome fish, seems very happy in my aquarium, and I've grown attached to it. I figure I can always trade it or donate it when it outgrows the tank - or who knows, maybe in a couple years I'll invest in a bigger tank! In the meantime, it's having a great life - and hopefully it won't want to starve itself (they are notorious for this) and it's size down the road is the only issue I have with it. So far, it's eating well and dances for me at mealtime.

 

[joecas]

I just did like a 30% water change... it's still settling but looking pretty ok. Here's a pic:

 

[joecas]

Need advice quickly:

My yellow tang is practically dead. pretty beaten up (or ich, I can;t really tell). The Kole Tang was nipping at it when I got up this morning and bothering it all day. I took the tang out, made a make-shift HT in a 5-gal bucket, water from the display tank and an air pump. He ate a little this morning (soaked mysis shrimp in garlic powder). I thought he was gone and when moved the bucket to check before i disposed him, he got up and swam around a bit. He's now flat on his side and barely breathing again.

What the heck should I do????

Should I run out and buy supplies for a proper hospital tank? Think he'll recover? How do I test if it is ich or just wounds?

 

[DaveR11]

Need advice quickly:

My yellow tang is practically dead. pretty beaten up (or ich, I can;t really tell). The Kole Tang was nipping at it when I got up this morning and bothering it all day. I took the tang out, made a make-shift HT in a 5-gal bucket, water from the display tank and an air pump. He ate a little this morning (soaked mysis shrimp in garlic powder). I thought he was gone and when moved the bucket to check before i disposed him, he got up and swam around a bit. He's now flat on his side and barely breathing again.

What the heck should I do????

Should I run out and buy supplies for a proper hospital tank? Think he'll recover? How do I test if it is ich or just wounds?

Really sorry to hear about your yellow tang. there is some great advice on here about Ich http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/lee-birchs-chemist-and-microbiologist-advice-on-ich-cryptocaryon-irritans.84013/

This has been useful for me as my DT is infected. Look for rapid breathing and white spots that come and go. If one fish has it they all will, though with mine it only really shows on the tangs and angels. If a fish is stressed it will be more visible I think. I'm sure other on here will chime in as this is all new to me....

 

[joecas]

Thanks Dave! Unfortunately my tang didn't make it through the night. Looks like a great link, I lots of reading to do.


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[Oxylebius]

Sorry to hear about your fish. Watch your other fish very closely. Ich does tend to infest the gills where you can't see it. So look for flashing by the fish as an indicator, as well as any tiny sand like spots on the fish.

 

[DaveR11]

Really sorry to hear about the tang. How is the cyano?

 

[joecas]

My Wrasse is definitely flashing for no apparent reason. Damn! Everything I'm reading is about preventing and isolating. Not much about curing. From what I can tell, none of the commercial products actually work. What to do?!?!?


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[DaveR11]

My Wrasse is definitely flashing for no apparent reason. Damn! Everything I'm reading is about preventing and isolating. Not much about curing. From what I can tell, none of the commercial products actually work. What to do?!?!?


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I'm trying to catch all my fish and put them in a hospital tank then I will treat with Seachem Cupramine. According to the advice on here there is no effective treatment for use in a reef display tank. It is a copper based product so will kill all my inverts if I dose the DT. It is proving very difficult to catch the fish. Four caught so far, 7 to go. I've got the easy ones.....

 

[Oxylebius]

Agree, do not medicate in the DT.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/ - several treatments listed

NOTE: some fish don't react well with cooper. Take the time to research the fish you have and if copper treatment is the best method.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

sorry to hear you lost your tang ich a real bummer... but you can whip it, great advise & links above

 

[joecas]

Body count = 3
1 mandarin (the one that brought the ich, I think)
1 yellow tang
1 file fish

Wrasse definitely has it. Procrastinated on HT but it's ready to go now and will start transferring fish tonight.

I read blenny fish cannot tolerate copper treatment. What do I do with Benny the Blenny (not that I'll be able to catch him anyway)?


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[joecas]

20 gal hospital tank filled with water (about 66% from DT, .33 new nutri-sea), PVC connectors, powerhead, filtration. Ready to go.

Catching fish to transfer them... a freaking joke!!!

I will likely have to destroy my aquascape to get them all. Oh well, it'll give me an opportunity to rethink it, maybe go lower and closet to the back with the live rock. I just hope I get my wrasse and capped basslet in time, they look the most unhappy/infected.

 

[joecas]

So, my Hospital tank was a complete fail. In trying to catch the fish, I destroyed my aqua scape and accidentally broke a beautiful plate coral. In the end, the only fish I was able to catch was my fairy wrasse, and he was so stressed in the hospital tank, he turned almost completely white, had his tail curled practically up to his face, and he would not move from under a PVC connector, not even to eat. After about a day and a half, I felt so bad for him and thought the stress would actually make him more vulnerable to the ich, I took him out and put him back into the display tank.

I've been feeding the tank Dr. G's Anti-Parasitic Caviar for about a week. I still see some white spots on some of the fish but they seem to be in good general health. The instructions say it may take up to 3 weeks for the medication to work. I feel like this is my only option at this point, so fingers crossed.

As for my Cyano outbreak. I'm still dealing with it. I changed all my lights, moved rocks around to increase flow, did Chemi-clean twice. Vacuum the sand almost daily. Water changes weekly. Phosphates and Nitrates zero. I can't understand why it persists! I was reading that I should be cleaning my sump periodically. It's been about 9 months and I've never cleaned it, so that will be my project this weekend. I guess I'll just manually bail the water out and wipe it dry when I do my next water change. Comments/tips appreciated!

 

[DaveR11]

I feel your pain Joe, just lost two angels and a kole tang in my hospital tank. Took me a month of trying to catch all the fish from the DT before I got them all and it was too late for those 3. I now have a sickly looking yellow tang who is barely eating and I've only just started the copper treatment. I have been wondering the same - if the fish were not better off in the DT with the Ich. At least there they didn't die... Between a rock and hard place....

 

[DaveR11]

So, my Hospital tank was a complete fail. In trying to catch the fish, I destroyed my aqua scape and accidentally broke a beautiful plate coral. In the end, the only fish I was able to catch was my fairy wrasse, and he was so stressed in the hospital tank, he turned almost completely white, had his tail curled practically up to his face, and he would not move from under a PVC connector, not even to eat. After about a day and a half, I felt so bad for him and thought the stress would actually make him more vulnerable to the ich, I took him out and put him back into the display tank.

I've been feeding the tank Dr. G's Anti-Parasitic Caviar for about a week. I still see some white spots on some of the fish but they seem to be in good general health. The instructions say it may take up to 3 weeks for the medication to work. I feel like this is my only option at this point, so fingers crossed.

As for my Cyano outbreak. I'm still dealing with it. I changed all my lights, moved rocks around to increase flow, did Chemi-clean twice. Vacuum the sand almost daily. Water changes weekly. Phosphates and Nitrates zero. I can't understand why it persists! I was reading that I should be cleaning my sump periodically. It's been about 9 months and I've never cleaned it, so that will be my project this weekend. I guess I'll just manually bail the water out and wipe it dry when I do my next water change. Comments/tips appreciated!

Just thought - check out my thread for what worked and what didn't for catching the fish....