cant sustain fish

This behavior, sounds to me, like you have oxygen problems. Try pointing a PH at the surface to really agitate it. Tending to hang out near the top is a pretty good indication of low O.

I do it the exact same way, only I keep doing it (like others have said) until the bag doubles in volume. Like a clown, damsel, Royal Gramma.

If it's a delicate/sensitive fish, I keep doing it until bag volume doubles, pour half out into sink, and then fill it again using same practice (10/15 minutes). Like a Mandarin, dwarf angel.

But I think you're having Oxygen issues. You may also be adding fish too quickly. ONE fish every 2-3 weeks is a real good rule to try and follow. It gives your bacteria time to catch up to the bio-load (i.e. a mini-cycle, same principles).

 

If you're going reef, you need about 100 pounds more ROCK (base rock is fine). If you're going fish only, you need about 30 more pounds of rock. This is the primary repository for your bacteria. You may not be able to house enough bacteria for the bio-load with the lack of rock you have.

I NEVER do this. I find it to be too much of a hassle and unnecessary 95% of the time (there are some sensitive creatures that require this slow arduous task, but most don't). Additionally, unless you have a sump to utilize, you will probably just end up causing temp fluctuations to the fish, which are really bad in their own right. I would steer you away from this.

 

ya i agree, you are not acclimating your fish properly. its way to fast. oxygen could be another reason because i remember when i did the same thing you did while acclimating and my goby reacted the same way. now that i run a sump, it adds more oxygen and that solved my oxygen problem. i do the drip method. if you have a spare bucket you should try it. ive had luck with it.

 

what would you suggest as to acclimate?

 

if I was having oxygen issues would the fish be opening and closing their mouths alot?

 

I would say keep doing what you are doing... just don't stop after the first time you put tank water in the bag. Keep doing it every 10-15 minutes until bag volume doubles. All the while, you're floating the bag to keep the temp acclimated.

I add 3 shots of water (shot glass) every 10-15. Once it doubles in volume (about an hour of doing this) I either put fish in tank or pour out some water in the sink and do it again for another hour depending on the fish. A clown is extremely hardy and falls in the first category.



As a note, sometimes you get a fish that comes in a HUGE bag FULL of water... this is dumb. Just pour out some of it before you start acclimating so that you have enough room to double the volume. If that makes sense.


Also, agitate your surface with a powerhead. Even if it was only an acclimation issue, the fish wouldn't always hang out at the top unless there was also an Oxygen issue. I think you at least have an oxygen issue and probably also an acclimation issue.

 

probably. But not necessarily. If they're hanging out at the top you might have just enough O in the upper levels of the tank that they wouldn't do this. But if they are opening/closing mouths a lot, then it's a sure thing that's a problem.

 

Buy a Product called "The Fish Keeper" use it for 5 days then add a fish.

Problem solved.

You Bological filter is not even close to being on par right now. That product feeds the good bacteria.

 

thanks I just adjusted the ph and pointed it towards the surface hopefully this will help..

 

are you quarantining your fish? if they are diseased, which is common with new fish, they could be dying of velvet (Amyloodinium), which is a pretty quick killer. it wouldn't affect corals, and would be present in your tank unless you left it fallow (unoccupied by fish) for many weeks.