souperman Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm going to whine a little. So I have been putting together a tank I have been wanting for years. After months of saving and planning I was finally ready to add water and salt to my setup. I watched the empty tank for almost 2 months while it cycled with a piece of tilapia fillet. I am now watching a nearly empty tank once again after an Ich outbreak that killed off my Kole tang and one of my black and white clownfish. I figure I can add the fish back again in January when the parasite has died off in the DT. Every fish that goes into my tank will now be going through at least a month of QT, something I should have been doing to begin with. I came home yesterday to the chewed up remains of my beautiful RBTA. He had decided to run all the way across the tank to see what it looked like after a few weeks of hanging out in one spot. Unfortunately I had removed the prefilter from the MP40 on that end thinking he was going to stay there for a while. This happened way faster than I thought. I was under the impression I'd see him begin to move and could put the foam sock back on the power head before he got into it. He is now in my sump barely alive. I feel somewhat hopeful as I seem to be winning the battle with the brown slime, and my pod population is exploding. The corals I have look healthy, even though they are not exactly exploding with growth. My remaining black clown is clear of ich now. I'm thinking about a standard orange occ. to pair up with him. I am by no means ready to tear it down and give up. I am only beginning to understand the patience and diligence a successful reef requires. Thanks for listening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohaynow Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 bummer about the string of bad luck. Its good that you have the patience and perserverance to endure! Keep at it, it will take time but it will be well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 You are going about it the right way and that is what is important. While you wait on fish, add a few inverts and coral here and there. This will help the tank feel a bit more worth while during your wait to add fish again. I like the idea of an orange and a black clown. Beaver colors and it just looks cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmckee Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Sorry to hear about your tank :( If your RBTA doesn't make it I have 3 of them that just split into 8 new ones. You can have one of the babies if you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Thanks for the kind words guys. The RBTA looks really puffy and swollen. How can you tell if it's dead? Right now he's floating in a baggy in my sump. Every few hours I remove some of his water and replace it with some fresh. I'm worried he will crash my tank if I leave him in. Thanks for the offer rich, I'll keep you posted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richmckee Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 The same thing happened to my RBTA 6 months ago and I put him inside a solo cup with holes to allow for water exchange (but small enough to prevent it from escaping). I put the solo cup in the sump (top of the cup slightly above water) with a small light for 2-3 days and it was just fine. RBTA's are pretty hearty. When they die they will lose their grip on whatever they are attached to and turn clear over the 1-2 days following it's death. In my experience they shrivel and become really small before they die. I think it's somewhat normal to be puffy and swollen due to the stress. They will also look swollen when they are trying to relocate (if moving to the right, the right side swells). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 He has turned very clear but is still showing movement. Is it safe to let him back into contact with the water of my DT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I think everyone goes through this at one point or another. I have had my shares of ups and downs. In a bit of a downer right now. Hoping to come back up with new bulbs on the way. In the last 4 years I have flushed so many fish and lost so many corals its sickening. I sorted out the fish deal and only just recently lost my first fish in about a year(fred the diamond goby). Had a bad string of luck with sps and have decided to give that up until I know for sure I can care for them properly. In my first year i battled ich, marine velvet and numerous tank restarts. My 180 is coming up on 3 years I think and I have been lucky with the fish part. Algae, coral loss are frustrating. But then I sit back and watch my tank for a while and remember why I got obcessed. Its wonderful. Give it time, take your time. The rewards are worth it. I find taking a break from the obcession has helped me appriciate it more. Good luck and keep your spirits up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 Well my nem didn't make it :( My tank looks so empty without him in it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I had similar thing happen once in the beginning. I put mine in a low flow, good light area, spot fed it and crossed mt fingers. It re-attatched and was fine after a week I think, mabey two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsz3 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I lost all my fish to ich or velvet (still not quite sure wich one) a while back but while iwas waiting to put fish back in my i disvovered the wonderfull world of inverts there are so many kinds that can keep you just as entertained as fish while you wait.and they can help with any algea problems you may have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
city hunter Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 This hobby eats money and breaks hearts like no other. I keep coming back for more though. I lost 9 fish on a disease outbreak, only one survivor, it was like marine velvet or something. After that I bought a sterilizer as I had no room for a quarantine tank, That really helped me out a bit. I havent run it in my current tank as I downgraded to a smaller sump, but I will run it in my 240g. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 I lost all my fish to ich or velvet (still not quite sure wich one) a while back but while iwas waiting to put fish back in my i disvovered the wonderfull world of inverts there are so many kinds that can keep you just as entertained as fish while you wait.and they can help with any algea problems you may have Any suggestions for entertaining inverts? I have a few emeralds, some hermits, and a load of snails. I was thinking about cleaner shrimps but I'm not sure if he'd be bored without fish to clean. Oh and a sifting star I never see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Cleaner shrimp are great! They are some of the most enjoyable critters to watch. They will get plenty of food without any fish to clean and will do a good job of eating anything extra that is laying around the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsz3 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 my cleaner shrimp is all over my tank and swims alot he is very enjoyable to watch an my youngest daughter loves it, sally light foot crabs are fun they look kinda more like a spider than crab. the large silver dollar sized hermits are cool too i have one big one that cruises the sand every morning. there are several kinds of cucumbers that are interesting to watch but the most active i think are the shrimp you could get a harliquen but you'll have to buy starfish to feed it but there are sure neat. I'm sure garrett can tell you when it somes to shrimp there are many variaties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharoleb Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I have 2 shrimp, one skunk and one fire, very cool. I love my conch snail, he is very fun to watch. Also, electric blue hermit crabs are fun and add some color to the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 Just got back from Garrett's with a handful of peppermint shrimps. They are hilarious to watch, swimming around upside down. I also got this crazy green finger leather. What was it called again Garrett? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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