Pasty's JBJ28 Haddoni Biotope--New Video (7.4.2014)

After going to pick up all the supplies I would need to create a quarantine tank and treatment of ick, I came home to a deceased clownfish. Aside from the parasite on the above firefish (it came back a day later....see my thread in the "ID This" forum), everyone seems healthy and is eating well. I've got my fingers crossed.

 

sorry to hear about the clown, that always sucks when you lose a fish.
Good luck!

 

I would be relatively mad if I had received fish in that condition.

First, no way that kind of stuff would get by anyone with any experience, second I leaning towards they just did not care, both bad indicators of the type of store it is IMO.

Me I would sure let them know the quality was unacceptable.

I hope things settle down for you. Members Incognito or Inwall are probably good resources for external parasites, I would pm them. I would be pleasantly surprised if removing the parasite was that simple and that it did not rather leave some of it's self behind.

If you go down to the bottom of this link you will find your parasite.
Marine Fish Diseases and Parasites

 

Let's just say, I won't be doing business with them again. I could ask for a replacement but I fear I might run into the same scenario as they would ship them...given the heat down here in the south, any livestock they ship will likely struggle. They're simply too far away to go "pick one up" (6 hours round trip). I could ask for a refund but, let's face it, you can give every customer a refund when their new fish dies...there are a lot of variables. Unfortunately, the best way I can figure to handle it is to simply not purchase anything else from them which is a shame b/c everything leading up to this point has been great.

I ran across that link last night and it was the most informative. It also leaves me feeling the most optimistic. I've got a pretty good amount of flow around the tank so I hope that the parasite will run it's life cycle and whatever eggs it produces will be taken care of by my CuC and the filtration.

 

After losing the stressed/sick clown and the firefish with the parasite, I am down to one small occ. clown and 1 small (>1") firefish. Both seem happy and active so I'm confident they're in the for the long haul.

As a side note, I'm starting to notice a broad, purple coralline growth on my base rock. I'll be glad when my base rock stops looking so much like base rock

I do have one question: Both of my fish eat during feeding time without hesitation. The firefish, however, will take a pellet in it's mouth, wait for a few seconds, spit it out. It might repeat this 3 or 4 times. Any idea why it's not holding onto the food? I'm worried that he/she is hungry and simply can not eat the pellet. I've tried breaking it in half but the pellets are already tiny. I tried soaking them in garlic so they'll get softer but it usually ends in the same result. I have to assume it is eventually eating but I'd feel much better if I could visually confirm it. I've tried frozen squid, bits of grazing block and bits of marine cuisine. I'm really trying to make the pellets the staple of the diet.

 

I think you should offer a quality frozen that contains mysis or cyclops a couple times a week for the fire fish. He may adjust to the pellets and he may not, but at least you will increase his chances during the stressful acclimation period. It's a new tank and new fish, it may takes weeks for the fire fish to acclimate completely and become less shy.

I have kept them in trios in my 28 gallon with out issue.

Good Luck.

 

Front FTS:


R/S FTS:


Occ.Clown:


Showing off for the camera:


Firefish:

 

Everyone still doing well and ,now that I'm confident that my first two losses were probably not (entirely) my fault, I think it's time to round out/finish my fish list.

I'm shopping locally to avoid the stressers of shipment to give the fish the best possible chances. I bought a small plastic "shipment container" and a battery powered airstone/pump to help with the trip home.

I want to add two fish...one that I have already decided on and another that I have a general idea.

1. Local LFS has a nice, similarly sized black occ. clown that isn't outrageously priced. They also have some midnight clowns, snowflakes and a platinum. None of which I can justify money-wise but they sure are attractive.

2. I want a lower tank dwelling inhabitant. Something like:
Diamond or yellow watchman goby
Warpaint clown goby
Starry blenny
Yellow Headed jawfish

Ideas or suggestions?


And just for documentation sake, the firefish has started accepting garlic-soaked pellets. I was gone for the weekend and fed on Monday and he ate 2 pellets alongside some bits of shaved marine cuisine.

 

Picking up a YWG and a black occ. clown on Friday. Moved some of the smaller rocks around to create a nice cave (which the YWG probably won't use) but at least he'll have his pick of a couple different hiding places. Got the QT tank running. I just need to get a couple of simple items in the QT to offer places to hide.

 

After keeping the new additions in QT for the weekend, both have been transferred over. The new occ. clown began eating immediately. The other clown has already displayed dominance (a touch bigger but not by a lot). I kept a close eye on them and the abuse isn't excessive...normally there is no contact. The YWG was introduced and, as expected, went straight for a cave...he doesn't venture out far but there is some curiosity when "no one" is looking. I'm going to try and spot feed him outside his burrow to entice him. I'm comfortable with my stock list and I intend on keeping the tank as is for now. Only change is going to be the In-Tank media basket with a change in media. I have pictures but did not get around to uploading them....will do so tonight.