QT

[Joshifer]

Okay so I got a beautiful pair of da Vinci. One died on the car ride home. Examining the body. His fins was all tore up. So the store replaced one. Anyway.

 

Their in the QT. eating swimming being clownfish.

 

This is my first time quarantining fish. Their gonna be in there a long time durring fallow.

 

Ammonia nitrite 0 nitrate 5. PH 8.0. SG 1.025 temp 78°

 

First thing is the bigger ones picking on the little one. I really don't wanna have to seperate them I want them to pair. Nothing I could do about it nature has to take its course.

 

Secondly. Do I medicate them? I say this because the other died. fish looked pale. And had bite marks. Fresh water dip? I don't see any scratching or white dots but after that last velvet incident I don't wanna loose'em.

 

Keeping my hands out. Not bothering them. Just watching. And feeding.

[Origami]

Put some PVC fittings inside the tank so that they have cover to use to hide. Also, if one's picking on the other, slide a piece of egg crate in to separate them for now so the one is not overly stressed.

[Joshifer]

Put some PVC fittings inside the tank so that they have cover to use to hide. Also, if one's picking on the other, slide a piece of egg crate in to separate them for now so the one is not overly stressed.

They stay on each corner of the tank. But sometimes when the bigger one sees the smaller one it'll charge at it :/ it's not an all day thing. And yeah they have hiding places. I could never find egg crate. I saw a tank devider at Petco. May go get that later. Thanks

[AlanM]

egg crate is available at home depot and lowes called "light diffuser" I think.  Should be back by the drop ceiling tiles.  

 

I'm impressed that you're taking this on.  Good for you.  I hope to follow suit when stocking my tank as well.  Have you read the post that monkiboy made where he describes what he does with his quarantined fish?  

[Origami]

Egg crate is also called light diffuser. You'll typically find it in lighting, back where they keep their rectangular fluorescent light fixtures (the industrial looking stuff). Here, for example, is a link to Home Depot for the stuff. They have some on the shelf at Leesburg, for example. Lowe's has it, too. The one off of Metrotech Drive in Chantilly has 21 in stock on Aisle BW, Bay 72 (according to their website).

[Joshifer]

Update got an actual tank divider. So their seperated while in qt. I'll just let them bond in the DT since theirs lots of hiding places for when the bigger one gets nasty. Also bought two little ceramic Texas holy rocks. Boiled them first I couldn't get to a Home Depot or a lowes. The smaller one immediately went inside one. The bigger one doesn't show interest yet.

 

As for medication. I don't want to medicate unless nessesary. Now that their seperated I can see if it's disease rather than stress. The bigger one is a meanie. But so far color looks good. Not seeing any spots. Their eating frozen brine they hate the pellets but I wanna get them on pellets because theirs all kinds of vitamins listed on the bottle. So hopefully I can ween them off the frozen. (QR only fed frozen I asked)

 

So far so good. Oh I bought some api stress coat to heal the small ones fins. He was in a frag tank with 10 others so his fin was a little nipped. He was the best looking one out of all of them sadly. I know aloe will help. I don't know about the "reduces stress 40%" part. But the aloe is helpful

Edited November 1, 2016 by Joshifer

[Joshifer]

This bigger one is very aggressive it's attacking it's reflection :/ it's not huge it's like 1.5 inch and the smaller ones almost an inch. But the bigger one is so mean. I might have to sell it and get another if it doesn't calm down. I'm worried about it stressing and killing the other. Or any other future fish I may get. (Clown goby. Fire fish) also my inverts.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Joshifer

[Joshifer]

They won't eat. I tried 2 different types. Flakes. Pellets. Going to try frozen brine.

 

Also their just sitting in bottom corners. Never swim around. The little one stays inside the rock ornament's cave.

 

Ammonia nitrite 0 nitrate 5 PH 8 SG 1.025 temp 78°

 

I'm not sure if this is normal behavior. My last pair was all over the tank.

 

I'm not sure if I should medicate. Even if I do I can't find cupramine anywhere. Ordering online will take too long. And I misplaced the copper kit I had. I don't see anything on their bodies. But the not eating and hiding is a concern.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Joshifer

[Origami]

They sound stressed. Turn the lights down and cut down on activity in the room. Maybe try covering the sides of the tank so they don't see the activity in the room. Try some live food (like brine or black worms - Centreville Aquarium may have both) to get their interest. Or maybe some fresh, chopped clam from the supermarket.

[Joshifer]

They sound stressed. Turn the lights down and cut down on activity in the room. Maybe try covering the sides of the tank so they don't see the activity in the room. Try some live food (like brine or black worms - Centreville Aquarium may have both) to get their interest. Or maybe some fresh, chopped clam from the supermarket.

I actually blacked the tank out. I only remove it to look at them and put the covering back.

[Marc Weaver]

Just wanted to let you know I have a mean clownfish too that is not interested in pairing up yet.  I have tried two different clownfish  The thing I have to watch out for is her chasing the smaller clown until it jumps out of the water.  You may want to cover your tank when they are introduced into the same tank, unless you sell the meanie.

[Joshifer]

Just wanted to let you know I have a mean clownfish too that is not interested in pairing up yet. I have tried two different clownfish The thing I have to watch out for is her chasing the smaller clown until it jumps out of the water. You may want to cover your tank when they are introduced into the same tank, unless you sell the meanie.

I really don't wanna sell "the meanie" it's an extreme da Vinci. I think it stopped fighting with the little one. They were next to each other most of the day no pecking or chasing. Wish me luck. And thanks for the hood tip. I got so used to not having fish these few weeks I always forget to put it back lol.

[zygote2k]

If you just hold fish for observation, then you can't really be sure they won't develop a disease later.

I'd say copper for 2 weeks, then holding for 2 additional weeks, then introduction to DT

[Joshifer]

If you just hold fish for observation, then you can't really be sure they won't develop a disease later.

I'd say copper for 2 weeks, then holding for 2 additional weeks, then introduction to DT

Okay. Thanks Rob. I'll get on that tomorrow.

[Marc Weaver]

Good luck!!!!!  Hopefully this is a new start for you.  You could use a break!

[Joshifer]

Well their dead. I don't know why. I took a water sample and had it checked at a LFS and it all checked out fine. Even checked it myself.

 

I give up. I'll keep a coral invert only tank. See about fish in January.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Joshifer

[GOSKN5]

Plenty of water movement? Specifically breaking the surface for oxygen exhchange? Sorry to hear it... don't give up, stuff happens in this hobby it's a very fine line we walk

[Joshifer]

Plenty of water movement? Specifically breaking the surface for oxygen exhchange? Sorry to hear it... don't give up, stuff happens in this hobby it's a very fine line we walk

Hob filter and a 20GPH pond pump I made sure and had surface agitation.

 

I think these fish were just sick. One died in the 20 minute drive home then was replaced. They wouldn't eat. Just stood at the bottom. I was gonna start medicating them today too. But I woke up this morning to find them dead. Even in the store they were a bit pale. All the clowns were pale and nipped. Not saying which store don't wanna bad mouth it. Their good guys. I was just excited finding da Vinci's so cheap.

 

And I'm not giving up. I mean just staying away from fish for a long while.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Joshifer

[Rob A]

Sorry about your fish. This probably isn't the best time for advice but I'll throw it out there because I've been there too. I no longer buy a fish if they (lfs) can't get it to eat while I'm looking at it in the store. In my beginning days of sw fishkeeping I had several different fish (tangs generally) who died within a few days of purchase because they wouldn't eat. Since making the change I haven't lost any fish from "new fish stress" although I have had some deaths do to accidents on my part.

When I watch them eat (or not eat) in the store I make sure they are really eating and not just tasting the food and then spitting it out. Freshly caught fish tend to do that if they are not ready to accept what we feed them in captivity.

Since adopting this policy I have had a couple of ich breakouts where the fish did fine, which I assume is because they were pigs and ate everything I gave them, which kept them healthy enough to fight off the disease.