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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/21/2008 8:48:38 AM
Posts: 3,
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I have had my saltwater tank for a month. I purchased a blue tang 3 weeks back. I also have the 3 orange clown fish in there. There is a yellow tang and a dark blue tang in there too. Also pajama fish, 2 of them. I just put a yellow angelfish with blue around the eyes in there. I believe it is a dwarf. The blue tang is after him. I think the clown fish are after him too. He is hiding and seems to be breathing heavy like he is stressed. I can not get ahold of my fish guy that ordered him for me. He is the same aquarium guy that sold me the blue tang and knows I have the clown fish. He said these were compatible. Is this correct? Will this get better or will my angelfish be dead in the morning? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Pam
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Fishkeeping GURU
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/1/2008 6:38:16 PM
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The heavy breathing is most likely from some other form of stress, and given how young your tank is, and how many fish you have, I am guessing it is new tank syndrome. That may be at the heart of the aggression too, as sick fish attack to have a better chance to survive. we need some answers from you to better asses the situation. Please try to answer these questions as fully as possible.
What are your readings, in numbers, for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and specific gravity/salinity?
What size tank is it?
Is there live rock? If so, how many pounds?
How did you acclimate the angel, in detail?
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 5:38:35 PM
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| Hey Pam, With the bioload that you've got in that tank and the fact that the tangs get very large, I'm hoping that you've got at least a 100 gallon tank, preferably larger. The angel sounds like a lemon peel which is (as dwarf angels go) a relatively delicate fish. The fact that your tank is only 4 weeks old and you started putting fish in it three weeks ago is disturbing. To be honest, unless you started with cured live sand and rock, I'm kinda surprised any of those fish are still alive! It usually takes between 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank and no livestock should be added until the cycling process is complete. The info that Hailey has asked for is really necessary in order to diagnose what's happening but it sounds to me like your fish guy isn't giving you very good information.
So many species, so little money!
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/21/2008 8:48:38 AM
Posts: 3,
Visits: 3
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| Thank you for your reply. I should have told you all that I bought a tank that has been set up for a year and a half. The yellow butterfly did survive. However, I purchased a flame one and my 3 clown fish killed it. I know I will have to get a larger tank. I am hoping to be able to keep my fish in there for a couple of years. My tank is 52 gallons. My fish are not big yet. I have the powder blue tang, 3 clowns, the yellow butterfly, a fish that is half yellow and half purple, a fish that the sand comes out of the fins when it cleans, 2 pajama fish and a lobster, crabs, and 3 different shrimp. I have had the tank a couple of months now. I know very little so I am going to read the forum. My skimmer broke and I ordered one that is supposed to be really good but its not in yet. It has been a week. It should be in today. I want to move my tank into a room that I am setting up for customers for reflexology and massage. Will it be okay to burn oils in the room with my tank? I really want it in there for its soothing effects and atmosphere it will add so much to my office for relaxation.
Pam
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Fishkeeping GURU
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/1/2008 6:38:16 PM
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Yikes. It's only a 52 gallon tank? Even though the fish are not big now, the lack of space is a serious issue because they will quickly become stunted and sickly, never attaining full size and dying an early death. Also there is the issue of multiple tangs, which should not be kept in a tank together due to territorial concerns (unless it is a tank in the hundreds of gallons...this is true of multiple species of almost any type of saltwater fish like tangs, angels, clowns, etc, so don't try to buy any more fish that are related to ones you already have). The three clownfish could be an issue too because one will likely become female and pair off with one of the males, leaving the other one to be bullied and harassed, possibly to death.
I would immediately rehome at least one of the tangs (but personally I would rehome both unless a 100+ gallon tank is in the very near future, like a few months from now, and a 300+ gallon tank is in the plan for a year or two from now). I would also rehome one of the clowns, but leave the largest one and the smallest in the tank as they are likely male and female and may be more likely to pair up (unless a pair has already formed, in which case, leave the pair and rehome the other one).
The rest of the fish (assuming you rehome both tangs) can do just fine for quite a while in the tank you have. You really only have room for about five small fish total, so don't try to add any more. They are aggressive (all saltwater fish are to some degree) and need ample territory, and they are also very sensitive, so the bioload needs to be kept low to avoid the build up of organic compounds like nitrate.
Here's a good place for you to read to learn more about stocking and taking care of your tank. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm
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