Just wondering

[lyfsux]

I have a tank 1 mono 2 mollies 1 is pregnant all doing good. Any damsels died sea slug died I have 20 snails all doing good. Put in a big eyed squirrel looks bad. Than i put in a med-large lion fish and a blue spotted sting ray. Both seem to be doing good. Why would some prosper and others die? The ones that died ended up with what looks like white spot. My tank is a 75 gallon 75 pounds of live rock no portien skimmer yet as I just put in the lion and the ray (which I named Jasmine) 2 days ago my levels are perfect just wondering if there is something else.

 

[Krish]

Was it white spots like ich? How did you climatize them because I know that it they aren't climatized right it can stress the fish out tremendously from temperature shock, ph shock etc. which can lead to ich. Some fish species are more hardy than others and that's why only hardy fish are suggested to use during cycling especially since you don't have a skimmer yet...It's a must.

 

[LowCel]

How long has the tank been up and running? What all water tests are you doing? Do you have really big temperature swings during the day and night? Also, what is your ph right before your lights come on and right before they go off?

 

[lyfsux]

Climatizing the store I get my fish from is 10 minutes down the road so I just float the bag for about 15 to 20 minutes open the bag and let them swim out. The protein skimmer is the next for the tank still not sure exactually what it does I have all the book versions but in real terms what does it do. My temp to my knowledge runs always around 79 my PH has been steady at 8.4 my tank has been going for 10 weeks I test with DR jungles test strip for ph nitrates nitrites alkalinity all been stabile SG at about1.024 have never checked ph before and after lighting is there a big difference. I will try it out tomorrow. Thank for the help.

 

[jasontatro]

Your acclimation procedure is not good. After floating the bag, you need to slowly remove water from the bag and add tank water, little by little over the course of about an hour. A half a cup at a time. Your new fish are not used to your tanks salinity, pH, alk or any of that.

 

[NaH2O]

Proper acclimation procedures are important to reduce stress on the newly acquired livestock. Depending on the water parameters of the LFS, you may be providing a significant difference in the chemical environment, which could have detrimental effects. Here is a quote from Understanding and Controlling Stress in Fish, Part Two

The first priority whenever acquiring a new specimen should be to immediately reduce the animals stress level as much possible. This has to begin with proper acclimation to its new environment. The water in the transport bag should be checked for salinity, pH, temperature, ammonia, and nitrite to find out just exactly what the parameters the fish has been exposed to and how close they are to your own aquarium. Whenever possible, the quarantine tank should be adjusted to closely match the pH and temperature readings in the transport water as long as those reading are within acceptable limits. The parameters then can be slowly changed to closely match those of the display tank that the fish will eventually be moved to.

Also, try to avoid getting any of the shipping/transport water in your system. You run the risk of introducing undesirable organisms and chemicals that would effect your tank. There are various acclimation procedures that would help increase your chances of livestock survival.

Here is a good article by Bob Fenner on Acclimation

Regarding skimmers: IMO, they are an essential piece of equipment. The removal of dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) will aid in the quality of your water. Basically (my crude explaination), a skimmer takes advantage of the properties of bubbles, and the properties of DOCs. The DOCs (tons of them) adhere to the surface area of the bubble with it's hydrophobic end (afraid of water) toward the bubble/air, and travels with the bubble up the skimmer. Once it reaches the surface of the water (near the top of the skimmer) foam is produced. It is this foam that collects and continues to rise eventually making its way into the collection cup. Here is a good article:

Skimming Basics 101: Understanding Your Skimmer

How large is the sting ray you purchased? Here is some information on them from Rays:

Taeniura lymna (Forsskal 1775), the Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray (3) (aka the Bluespotted Stingray in the pet-fish trade). Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. To fourteen inches in width. A commonly offered species in the ornamental marine interest, but rarely lives... due to shipping trauma, being kept in too-small quarters, lack of oxygen, scratches and subsequent infections... An aquarium and Red Sea specimen shown.*

Sorry to give you so much reading in one post, but I think these articles will help.

 

[lyfsux]

No need for sorry the info you gave is great I really like all the help on this site much better than the others I will gladly pass on this site to anyone. I thought the accumulation was for long shipped fish not for down the road. This helps alot and the skimmer would help with the cloudy ness of the water my fresh water tank is crystal clear almost hard to tell there is water in it. My ray is about 8 inches across. Doing very well with my lion exept it is very dominate to the lion is this normal eating alot and seems very content. Also sent pics of the ray and the lion together.

 

[Angelscrx]

At ten weeks it sounds like there were too many fish added too soon, which could of added to the stress of the fish. Plus the acclimation process didn't help. Welcome to the board too.

 

[lyfsux]

Thanks for all the help I bought my protien skimmer today I hope it is doing whatit is suppose to. Does anyone have any info on lion fish thanks again for all the help great site

 

[gobie]

just wondering what skimmer did you buy? are you doing a fish only tank or do you plan on a diffrent course of action later? This is very important as it has impact on live rock quality. Also with little to no skimming on this tank you stand chance of trying to play catch up on water quality some times a hidden time bomb. It takes a lot longer to fix it than to prevent it. Another question, what kind of water movement do you have going on in your tank, tihs also has impact to water quality.

 

[dnjan]

Sounds like you have two, very large (for a 75-gal tank) waste-producing machines. Plan on siphoning out detritus at least once a week. Or else it can accumulate and lead to a crash.

 

[lyfsux]

I have a eheim 2215 filter also bought a sea clone 100 skimmer took out half a cup of residue out in 24 hours running but seem to have settled down since I rinsed it out. Also have a regent hang on filter (thought it would help cut of the intake tube to take off the top part of the water. Put in a outside pump to run a 12 inch air stone behind live rock. What do you me detritus? I dont seem to have any dead spots in my tank everything seems to be cycling is there something else I can be doing? All my levels have been in the good can I expect something different and what should I look for? Jasmine (the Ray) and the lionfish eat well and seem to be doing good the mono and the molly thrive all my snails are all good what can I look for in a crash is there any signs?

 

[wrightme43]

Hi, this may help you to minimize a problem. Ok the fish (lion and ray) or eating and waste producing machines. If I were in your shoes, I would keep a large contanier, at least 30 gal of rodi mixed with salt ready to go. I would do a nitrite and nitrate test every 3-4 days for the next month or so. if you detect any nitrite or more than 25-30ppm nitrate I would do a water change. I dont know if I can persuade you or not though it might be a very good idea to return one of the fish. More than likely the lion will make a snack of your mollies possibley if they are large enough killing him through skull blockage in intestines. I assume you have a soft sand substrate for the ray. They are very unhappy in sharp bottom covered tanks, I am sure you know if it lives it will become a very large fish shortly and have to move to a much larger tank. These are only my opinions and what I would do if I were you. Actually if it were me I would return the ray because they really do not belong in a 75 gallon tank and keep the lion maybe getting another. You may be better served by adding another or a better skimmer. I hope this helps you in some way. Here is a question just for my own knowledge. Did the people at the lfs discuss care and husbandry of the ray with asking about tank size, configuration and design. I just want to know. It is a beauty of a fish and in the proper tank and system it would be stunning to observe. I can completly understand your desire to have one in your home. HTH Steve

 

[lyfsux]

Hi Steve the store I purchased the ray and lion and all of my fish from does know the size of tank and has discussed the proper feeding of the ray. I have also discussed the possibilities of a larger tank after the new year when my basement is finished. My bottom is soft sand and seems to look very content with the room to move my live rock is placed in the back and piled high to keep optimal room in the front. With a few tunnels for my lion to hide out of the light. Which tank size would you feel would be good for the ray I had my eye on a 180 and what upgrade on the skimmer for my 75 are you talking about. My ray and lion have been in my tank for 2 and a half weeks now all levels are stable and everyone is feeding fine my lion is on a frozen shrimp diet and eats every other day occasionally some ghost shrimp along with the ray who eats out of my hand everyday. My skimmer is pulling out plenty and my water is good. As you can see I have become attached to Jasmine and if a bigger tank is what she needs Then I am fully towards doing just that. However I do not want to jeapordize her life by doing some thing I should not be doing . I really welcome the advise and will do what it takes to keep Jasmine in the family. Please let me know.

 

[wrightme43]

It seems like you are right on track with a 180. I bet that will work well for a very long time. If I remember correctly you have a seaclone skimmer. If so you might look into a larger capacity skimmer. I usually go for one that is rated at least twice my tank size. Like this mine is rated to 300 gallon. I cut that in half and had one rated to 150. That is twice the capacity of my tank so I went with it. It is by no means the best skimmer on the market, but it does a very good job for me. If you keep on top of your water changes and practice good husbandry, which you seem like you are trying to do, you and Jasmine will be very happy. My rule on skimmers is weird I know but I do that with every thing I buy cut whatever the manf. says in half, and the go double what I think I will use it for. It serves me well. I hope something I have said helped you in some way. I am glad your here keep coming back. And post more photos of your ray, they are the neatest things. Steve

 

[lyfsux]

Thanks Steve wont my 75 pounds of live rock help control my nitrates and nitrites along with my skimmer? Also I thought the same as you exept they were back ordered on the 150 skimmer twice as good and I thought after I talked to the people on this forum I had better get one soon. Also I looked at you gallery very impressive how do I get my gallery set up? Thanks for all your help and I take it very seriously so that I can expand my knowledge for me and Jasmine.

 

[wrightme43]

Yes it will. You go to, member photo gallery, and go to upload photos. They need to be resized to fit. I use iframview from nikki. With a 5.1 megapixel sony I resize to 650 x whatever it comes up with and the usually fit. If you need a program to resize I will try to find the link. Steve

 

[NaH2O]

lyfsux - let me know if you have difficulties getting your photo gallery going. Here are the programs to resize photos, if you need help with that:

Here is a Windows XP PowerToy that will allow you to right click on a picture and resize it WindowsXP PowerToy

Here is another program to check out for Windows IrfanView

Hope these help!