Fishroom Reality Check

[Humblefish]

Thanks Humblefish. It’s my feeling that they got a little too flighty during the last transfer and sustained impact injuries.

I’ll keep it in mind when I repeat. Any tips on catching them fir the transfers? I use square colanders, move all pvc out, Hester, air stone out. Then try to scoop them, slow and deliberate. Maybe I’ll try emptying 2/3rds of the tank first next time

Thanks

They will sometimes bite down on a net (and won't let go), so using a square colander is the way to go. I recently had to cut a net because a Royal Flasher had it tangled inside his mouth and it took almost a week for him to work it out. Of course, my wife griped at me because I "knew better" than to use nets with flasher wrasses.

I also recently lost a Carpenters that jumped out of a bucket during a FW dip. He did hit a tile floor, but it was only a 2 foot drop. I've had tangs & butterflies survive a 5-6 foot drop and were eating fine 30 minutes later.

Honestly, for my own personal collection I give wrasses a 30 min H2O2 bath (150 ppm concentration), and then transfer them into a 29 gal tank (with sand, rock, soft corals) for a 4 week observation period with black mollies present (canary fish). That strategy has worked every time for me, but I still consider it experimental so I don't use it on customer fish.

Hydrogen Peroxide

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/hydrogen-peroxide.21/ ** Hydrogen Peroxide *** The information contained here is subject to frequent changes as I experiment and learn more about the usefulness of H2O2 *** What It Treats – Provides...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Victoria M]

Neil, I have been following but avoiding staying on line too much. I have been working long days which requires a lot of computer work too.
Sorry to read about their deaths. so out of the blue. it was going so well. dang fancy delicate fish... I don't have personal experience with these fish. I have always avoiding them after researching them and reading threads about them. ;Woot I suggest handling fish differently than every one else. removing everything, which you do, and then lower the water level way down, wear disposable gloves and catch those fish by hand. I also think a clear 1 cup measuring cup and your gloved hand works well too. I like glass because it is smooth.
you might try painting three sides of the aquarium to limit what they see if the fish you want are prone to jumping. that has worked for me to calm jumpers.

 

[Greg P]

I use a specimen container to transfer fish.
My QT/HT/observation tank is wrapped on 3 sides with a black garbage bag

 

[User]

Neil, I have been following but avoiding staying on line too much. I have been working long days which requires a lot of computer work too.
Sorry to read about their deaths. so out of the blue. it was going so well. dang fancy delicate fish... I don't have personal experience with these fish. I have always avoiding them after researching them and reading threads about them. ;Woot I suggest handling fish differently than every one else. removing everything, which you do, and then lower the water level way down, wear disposable gloves and catch those fish by hand. I also think a clear 1 cup measuring cup and your gloved hand works well too. I like glass because it is smooth.
you might try painting three sides of the aquarium to limit what they see if the fish you want are prone to jumping. that has worked for me to calm jumpers.

I use a specimen container to transfer fish.
My QT/HT/observation tank is wrapped on 3 sides with a black garbage bag

Yeah, the tank has opaque screens on two sides and an always open door blocking the other side panel. The only view they have is out of the front glass.

As for removing the fish, I should have lowered the water level. Less ‘swim up’ for jumping. Doesn’t stop them crashing into the glass though- a fairly common occurrence with wrasses apparently. I think I might try a big Pyrex jug I have- problem is, it doesn’t drain as you lift it so they can jump out pretty easily. Plus you end up transferring a bunch of the previous water unless you then put them in the colander.

How’d you get them into a specimen container? The issue is them being flighty and having to chase them around a bit.

Bummed. I did so much prep for this round, and I read nothing to indicate they would be prone to just swimming head first into the glass- even though they were opaque out and look essentially like a wall.

I’m looking into saltwater adapting black mollies and doing the canary method. I just lost $110 of fish in 2 days, so my next attempt is going to be minimal handling, plenty of room, fully covered tank (which I don’t like since you can’t really observe them without disturbing them- but then again, working on the other QT 12 feet away also annoys them. H2o2 dip in receipt, into a 20l with sand rock decorations and 3-4 black mollies for 4 weeks observation. Hopefully that will get me through it.

Midas blenny is a little shy, hides under the heater when I’m in the room, but comes out and swims mid column when I’m away. I can see him on the cam. So at least he seems kinda ok.

 

[Victoria M]

sounds like a solid plan.
for super fast fish, small skittish fish, such as jawfish, and my sixline wrasse, I did this.
remove all equipment. Lower the water to barely room to swim, use my gloved hand to scoop them into a glass measuring cup, block the fish from falling out, drain all the water, lower the cup into the new aquarium.
BTW every jawfish I ever tried to keep became fish bacon. They always found a way to jump through a hole. so no jawfish yet. our six line became fish bacon after six or so years.

 

[User]

sounds like a solid plan.
for super fast fish, small skittish fish, such as jawfish, and my sixline wrasse, I did this.
remove all equipment. Lower the water to barely room to swim, use my gloved hand to scoop them into a glass measuring cup, block the fish from falling out, drain all the water, lower the cup into the new aquarium.
BTW every jawfish I ever tried to keep became fish bacon. They always found a way to jump through a hole. so no jawfish yet. our six line became fish bacon after six or so years.

Thanks Vic!!

Fish bacon.... lol

 

[User]

They will sometimes bite down on a net (and won't let go), so using a square colander is the way to go. I recently had to cut a net because a Royal Flasher had it tangled inside his mouth and it took almost a week for him to work it out. Of course, my wife griped at me because I "knew better" than to use nets with flasher wrasses.

I also recently lost a Carpenters that jumped out of a bucket during a FW dip. He did hit a tile floor, but it was only a 2 foot drop. I've had tangs & butterflies survive a 5-6 foot drop and were eating fine 30 minutes later.

Honestly, for my own personal collection I give wrasses a 30 min H2O2 bath (150 ppm concentration), and then transfer them into a 29 gal tank (with sand, rock, soft corals) for a 4 week observation period with black mollies present (canary fish). That strategy has worked every time for me, but I still consider it experimental so I don't use it on customer fish.

Hydrogen Peroxide

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/hydrogen-peroxide.21/ ** Hydrogen Peroxide *** The information contained here is subject to frequent changes as I experiment and learn more about the usefulness of H2O2 *** What It Treats – Provides...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks for the advice Bobby. I just feel a little gut punched that it appears my handling was the cause. I feel real bad about it.

I think on my next attempt I’ll try the h2o2 dip then put them into a 20long for observation. Live rock, sand, decorations. The works. Use 3-4 mollies as canaries like you suggest.

Question about that, and showing my FW ignorance. I assume I put them into conditioned tap water to start, and bring the salinity up slow. Maybe do 1/10 volume replacing with 1.025/ day for until they are at 1.025 (14 days by my dilution calculation, and see how they do?)

Afterwards, I was going to keep them in my soon-to-be setup display macro Refugium section in my sump. 40g volume (part of a sumpified 125g)- any thoughts on them eating the various algae present? Typical display fuge macro stocking- dragons breath, shaving brush, caulerpa, halimeda, that sort of thing

Thanks- appreciate all your help!

 

[DS204]

.....I’m looking into saltwater adapting black mollies and doing the canary method....

I'll be watching for updates every step of the way! Actually, I'll probably be checking for updates about 3x per day. True story.

Definitely learning from your experiences and borrowing ideas for when I set up some similar projects myself. So thanks for that!

 

[Humblefish]

Question about that, and showing my FW ignorance. I assume I put them into conditioned tap water to start, and bring the salinity up slow. Maybe do 1/10 volume replacing with 1.025/ day for until they are at 1.025 (14 days by my dilution calculation, and see how they do?)

I personally only use RODI for QT. Too many unknown variables with tap water, even when using a water conditioner.

If you just topoff using 1.025 SG water and use an air bubbler on high to increase evaporation, you'll be surprised how quickly the salinity will rise.

 

[User]

I personally only use RODI for QT. Too many unknown variables with tap water, even when using a water conditioner.

If you just topoff using 1.025 SG water and use an air bubbler on high to increase evaporation, you'll be surprised how quickly the salinity will rise.

Thanks

Id have thought RODI would be too harsh- thanks for the tip. I found a petco here that has them, $2.99 each. Going to set this up this week

 

[User]

They will sometimes bite down on a net (and won't let go), so using a square colander is the way to go. I recently had to cut a net because a Royal Flasher had it tangled inside his mouth and it took almost a week for him to work it out. Of course, my wife griped at me because I "knew better" than to use nets with flasher wrasses.

I also recently lost a Carpenters that jumped out of a bucket during a FW dip. He did hit a tile floor, but it was only a 2 foot drop. I've had tangs & butterflies survive a 5-6 foot drop and were eating fine 30 minutes later.

Honestly, for my own personal collection I give wrasses a 30 min H2O2 bath (150 ppm concentration), and then transfer them into a 29 gal tank (with sand, rock, soft corals) for a 4 week observation period with black mollies present (canary fish). That strategy has worked every time for me, but I still consider it experimental so I don't use it on customer fish.

Hydrogen Peroxide

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/hydrogen-peroxide.21/ ** Hydrogen Peroxide *** The information contained here is subject to frequent changes as I experiment and learn more about the usefulness of H2O2 *** What It Treats – Provides...

www.reef2reef.com

Would you use the single h2o2 bath then 4 weeks observation for dragonets and mandarins also? That way I could prep a 20long with a bunch of pods and add baby brine shrimp every couple days and let them go wild.

Would you still attempt a second dip on day 6 to get any newly hatched worms?

Thanks!

 

[Greg P]

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time of it Neil. I've lost more fish than I can count and many will blame me for using QT.
I have local member friends who used to just 'drop fish in the tank', and they were fine for some time, but it eventually caught up with them.
It's Russian Roulette with fish.
You can go years without issues and then 1 time BAM you get Brook or Velvet or something else nasty.
It's hit me. I thought my Lyretail Anthias were going to die in QT so I succumbed and put them in my DT. Stupid, stupid ....
Within 3 days I went from 15 to 6 fish.
After transferring them to a HT I lost 2 more.
I ended up with only 4 of my original crew.
My Wife was devastated, and so was I.
Not something I want to deal with again.

Took me another 82 days before I put them back in the DT.

I'm twice bitten and thrice shy now.

 

[Greg P]

And I've been through what you have with numerous Wrasse losses.
Captured from depths, cyanide, netting, transferred from handler to handler ... etc.
It's very difficult trying to have wrasses in our tanks.

One day we will all have pretty fishies in our tanks.
Good luck my friend !!

 

[User]

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time of it Neil. I've lost more fish than I can count and many will blame me for using QT.
I have local member friends who used to just 'drop fish in the tank', and they were fine for some time, but it eventually caught up with them.
It's Russian Roulette with fish.
You can go years without issues and then 1 time BAM you get Brook or Velvet or something else nasty.
It's hit me. I thought my Lyretail Anthias were going to die in QT so I succumbed and put them in my DT. Stupid, stupid ....
Within 3 days I went from 15 to 6 fish.
After transferring them to a HT I lost 2 more.
I ended up with only 4 of my original crew.
My Wife was devastated, and so was I.
Not something I want to deal with again.

Took me another 82 days before I put them back in the DT.

I'm twice bitten and thrice shy now.

I hate ‘liking’ that comment, because it’s heartbreaking and devastating but I appreciate you sharing it.

Yeah- no QT is not an option. I’m not risking getting a disease in my tank

I’m fine with the whole concept and practice of QT- but the fact every single species appears to need a special variation of QT has got me running in circles. I took a 5 month break in fish stocking in order to get my mental state back in the game, and for a spending break ($260 of anthias in 36 hours really hit me hard) and I lost 2/3 doing a protocol I thought was going to be awesome. Good protocol- wrong choice of fish. Too flighty for TTM

Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[User]

And I've been through what you have with numerous Wrasse losses.
Captured from depths, cyanide, netting, transferred from handler to handler ... etc.
It's very difficult trying to have wrasses in our tanks.

One day we will all have pretty fishies in our tanks.
Good luck my friend !!

Yeah, what’s super frustrating is that I’m part of Atlanta reef group on Facebook and they hate QT. I’ve watched dozens of new people start up and cautioned to do QT only to be ridiculed and shouted down. When I’ve gone into emergency threads because they suspect disease and suggested doing s fallow period you rud thevtank of ich or velvet, I get shouted down abd the op gets told to ‘feed garlic and disd prazipro”

Super frustrating, and It pains me thinking of all of the Livestock that ends up in the literal trash

At least here, people are generally respectful and more knowledgeable

 

[Greg P]

You'll get there ...
I too want to start stocking my QT but don't have the heart right now.

My DT has only 4 fish, and my corals are suffering ... and now I have Cyano.
I'm scraping the sand to remove the Cyano and feeding heavily with Photo stuff and too much frozen.

Hopefully we all will have a win soon !!

 

[Greg P]

Yeah, what’s super frustrating is that I’m part of Atlanta reef group on Facebook and they hate QT. I’ve watched dozens of new people start up and cautioned to do QT only to be ridiculed and shouted down. When I’ve gone into emergency threads because they suspect disease and suggested doing s fallow period you rud thevtank of ich or velvet, I get shouted down abd the op gets told to ‘feed garlic and disd prazipro”

Super frustrating, and It pains me thinking of all of the Livestock that ends up in the literal trash

At least here, people are generally respectful and more knowledgeable

Wow, I can't believe peeps are still so critical. I'd like to prove to them all how QT is an important step !!

You do what you need to do and nevermind the rest of us !!!

 

[Greg P]

A long-time friend of mine here locally was a forum moderator for over 20 years.
He refused to QT anything. Felt it was too stressful on the fish and was the main problem of deaths.
Then, a few years ago, he was hit with Velvet. Wiped out his whole tank.
He changed his tune after that. Tore his tank down, nearly got out of the hobby.

 

[User]

Was in the fishroom late last night, just visually planning the display macro fuge I’m thinking of setting up. This is a 34” wide section of a 125 tank, 40g breeder dimensions, more or less. Nice 3-4” sand bed, couple nice big chunks of live-rock (would love 25lbs of Tampa bay saltwater live rock), a shallow trough hanging up top just under the water level for mangroves. Nice mix of red and green macro

But then I got to thinking about lighting. Uugghh

I can’t put the mangroves up top because then they’ll be behind my Lux solution for the refugium. I can’t raise the light above the mangroves because then I’m loosing lux

So I did a little spin in my chair as I mulled this over, round and round and round. Maybe 15 minutes. Then 3/4 around the final rotation, my eyes focused on this he bare, empty corner that will be the back left corner of the low boy 50 fragvtank... and I suddenly thought of ‘shallow mangrove tank’, lol

So- ditching the mangroves from the display fuge, abd going to do a BIG chunk of partially exposed live rock in the back corner with a mangrove forest on it. Maybe even make it big enough for a semi aquatic fiddler crab to live on.

There a killer tank build somewhere that I want to totally rip off and replicate. Just need to find it

 

[User]

The inspiration