New fish swimming on side

[Hitchhik3r]

I just got my first fish yesterday (purple firefish) and introduced him to my QT. He immediately went to a corner of my tank and just laid on its side. I swore he was dead immediately but eventually he started swimming more over the course of a day. Weirdly though he is still on his side and swimming . I thought maybe he injured a fin or something during transfer. HOWEVER today I introduced my second fish (royal gramma) to my QT and HE TOO immediately went to the corner of my tank and just lied on its side. I don't know what's going on? This is newly mixed salt water , temp is 77-78, salinity somewhere above 1.02.

 

[jDoSe]

What salt did you use? How did you measure the salinity?

Acclimation procedure?

What are the rest of your parameters?

Keep in mind these are living animals. I wouldn’t buy more until you figure out what is wrong. Being your first tank and all, you probably did something horribly and obviously wrong. You have an artificial plant prop in the tank, which is a massive red flag.

 

[Tamberav]

Do you have anywhere for them to hide? Doesn't look like it. Seems to me they are trying to hide by the heater. I could see stress causing odd behavior.

 

[Hitchhik3r]

What salt did you use? How did you measure the salinity?

Acclimation procedure?

What are the rest of your parameters?

Keep in mind these are living animals. I wouldn’t buy more until you figure out what is wrong. Being your first tank and all, you probably did something horribly and obviously wrong. You have an artificial plant prop in the tank, which is a massive red flag.

I used the IO reef crystal salt. Measured salinity using the BRS refractometer. I haven't measured any other parameter since this is new salt and uncycled. I temperature acclimated first for about 30 minutes and then did a drip acclimation over the course of an hour (followed the BRS guidelines for both QT and the drip acclimation method)

 

[Hitchhik3r]

Do you have anywhere for them to hide? Doesn't look like it. Seems to me they are trying to hide by the heater. I could see stress causing odd behavior.

I have this log with swim-through holes but it hasn't discovered it yet. Basically stays in that corner .

 

[jDoSe]

How big of a tank is it? Roughly how much salt did you use in it?

where did you get the water from? Rodi?

I see this all the time with freshwater dips. Fish can live surprisingly long in hypo-salinity (super low).

 

[Hitchhik3r]

How big of a tank is it? Roughly how much salt did you use it it.
I see this all the time with freshwater dips. Fish can live surprisingly long in hypo-salinity (super low).

This is the fluval 13.5 tank that I am using as my QT. Hmm not sure how to quantify how much salt I used . You're thinking my refractometer is off?

 

[iffy]

Also if you haven’t already, you may need to add some live bacteria to help with the bio load of 2 new fish in an uncycled tank.

 

[jDoSe]

This is the fluval 13.5 tank that I am using as my QT. Hmm not sure how to quantify how much salt I used . You're thinking my refractometer is off?

For it to be that immediate of a drop and flop to the side, yes. Or you aren't using it properly.

You should know roughly how many cups of salt. Its normally around 1/2 cup of salt per gallon.

where did you get the water from? Rodi?

It’s also a bad idea to put fish in freshly mixed saltwater in a brand new tank with no bacteria.

 

[Hitchhik3r]

For it to be that immediate of a drop and flop to the side, yes. Or you aren't using it properly.

You should know roughly how many cups of salt. Its normally around 1/2 cup of salt per gallon.

where did you get the water from? Rodi?

It’s also a bad idea to put fish in freshly mixed saltwater in a brand new tank with no bacteria.

It is rodi (6-stage). I was following the BRS quarantine method where they say don't bother with the bacteria and do frequent water changes instead.

I will recalibrate my refractometer and figure out how to confirm salinity. Thanks for your help.

Lastly regarding your comment with my artificial plants ... are they not ok in QT? I figured it would be easy to throw it into bleach afterwards if disease got on it.

 

[Tamberav]

They are fine but I wouldn’t bleach them. Not sure they are made to hold up to that. If you let them get bone dry for 48 hours then all parasites will have died.

 

[afrokobe]

you should definitely check your salinity and know what salinity the fish are coming from. They could be in shock if there is a big change

 

[Hitchhik3r]

you should definitely check your salinity and know what salinity the fish are coming from. They could be in shock if there is a big change

So I just recalibrated my refractometer to recheck. My salinity is measuring about 1.021. I still had the water from the LFS and check theirs and it was 1.026. Is that a significant enough difference to cause this?

 

[jDoSe]

So I just recalibrated my refractometer to recheck. My salinity is measuring about 1.021. I still had the water from the LFS and check theirs and it was 1.026. Is that a significant enough difference to cause this?

No, that’s fine if you drip acclimated.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Fwiw, I’m looking at a picture of relatively normal swimming behavior for a gramma. Sideways/upside down is part of being a cave dweller.
That said, a cycled environment is very important for all fish. The decorations really do not matter in a qt as long as they are not toxic, easy to clean, and not calcerous (would absorb copper).

 

[Uncle99]

So I just recalibrated my refractometer to recheck. My salinity is measuring about 1.021. I still had the water from the LFS and check theirs and it was 1.026. Is that a significant enough difference to cause this?

No. Lower is just fine.

 

[Rmckoy]

I just got my first fish yesterday (purple firefish) and introduced him to my QT. He immediately went to a corner of my tank and just laid on its side. I swore he was dead immediately but eventually he started swimming more over the course of a day. Weirdly though he is still on his side and swimming . I thought maybe he injured a fin or something during transfer. HOWEVER today I introduced my second fish (royal gramma) to my QT and HE TOO immediately went to the corner of my tank and just lied on its side. I don't know what's going on? This is newly mixed salt water , temp is 77-78, salinity somewhere above 1.02.

How long has the system been running ?
A few rocks will help with hiding places as well as processing ammonia
I would highly recommend getting a ammonia test kit

 

[Uncle99]

Fwiw, I’m looking at a picture of relatively normal swimming behavior for a gramma. Sideways/upside down is part of being a cave dweller.
That said, a cycled environment is very important for all fish. The decorations really do not matter in a qt as long as they are not toxic, easy to clean, and not calcerous (would absorb copper).

+1 solid advice IMM anyways.

 

[Hitchhik3r]

How long has the system been running ?
A few rocks will help with hiding places as well as processing ammonia
I would highly recommend getting a ammonia test kit

It's a brand new system. Just poured saltwater in and got it to the temp. I have one of those seachem ammonia things on the side of the tank that I was planning to use and planned for water changes every 3 days or so . I do also have an actual ammonia test kit I use for my main tank.

I can add a PVC pipe that I see a lot of people doing to increase hiding areas.

 

[Rmckoy]

It's a brand new system. Just poured saltwater in and got it to the temp. I have one of those seachem ammonia things on the side of the tank that I was planning to use and planned for water changes every 3 days or so . I do also have an actual ammonia test kit I use for my main tank.

I can add a PVC pipe that I see a lot of people doing to increase hiding areas.

ImSorry I missed the qt part .
Ideally . A qt doesn’t have live rock but ammonia is monitored frequently . Perhaps performing daily water changes if needed

with a fire fish. You might want to get a cover for it .
every one I’ve ever owned preferred the carpet or hardwood floor