Who Gives A Fish Forums

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and I'm really hoping someone can help me out. I've got a 44-gallon saltwater tank that's about 2 months old, and I'm already running into some issues.

My tankmates are a pink spotted goby, a firtideflow goby, 2 percula clown fish, 10 small crabs, a tiger snail, a cleaner shrimp (which isn't doing great), a sand shifter starfish, and a chocolate chip starfish. I also have a mushroom and some polyps.

I've got a few questions, and I'm really hoping someone can help me out. First, how do I get rid of ich? I've read a lot online, and most people say to use an ich solution with copper, but that's not good for my inverts or my mushroom and polyps. I tried lowering the salinity when my firtideflow goby got ich, and it seemed to work - the ich went away after a week. But my new chocolate tang just died from ich, and I'm really worried about my other fish. I bought an ich prevention treatment that's safe for mushrooms and polyps, but it didn't seem to help.

My second question is about my pink spotted goby. Is he supposed to be territorial and aggressive? He's always nipping at other fish that come near his home in the rock. He even nipped at my chocolate tang, but it seemed like he was just pretending - he wouldn't really bite, just open his mouth and try to push him away. The tang didn't seem to mind, and eventually the goby would share his rock.

But when I got my new cleaner shrimp, the goby started nipping at him too. I had to move the shrimp to the other side of the tank to get the goby to leave him alone. The shrimp is alive, but he's not moving around - is this normal? Is it normal for my goby to nip at the shrimp? I don't want to have a mean fish!

My third question is about cleaning the algae and sand. What can I get to help with that?

I'm really scared to get any more fish or do anything to the tank because I don't want my goby to attack them.

My stats are: Nitrate level is 40, Nitrite level is 0, Alkalinity is 120, and pH is 8.4.

Please help me out - I'm really worried about my tank and my fish!

I'm going to try and help you out with your ich problem. One thing that might save your fish's life is a freshwater bath. I've read about this and it seems to work, so give it a shot. Just put the fish in a bucket of warm, distilled or reverse osmosis water for five minutes, then put it back in the tank.

I also wanted to mention that those small crabs you have aren't going to do much to help with the ich. They're more for cleaning up algae and eating detritus.

I'm a bit concerned about your pink goby, though. He seems pretty aggressive, especially towards that new cleaner shrimp you got. If he keeps acting like that, you might want to consider rehoming him. I know it's hard, but you don't want him stressing out the other fish.

I took a look at your tank's stats and everything seems okay, but I did notice a few things that might be causing some problems. First, a 44-gallon tank is way too small for a tang, so you might want to avoid those in the future. Also, I'm pretty sure your chocolate chip star is going to eat all your other inverts, including your mushroom and polyps. And, if I'm not mistaken, your tiger snail is also an omnivore and might start eating some of the other stuff in your tank.

You should probably try to figure out these problems before adding any more animals to the tank. But other than that, everything seems to be running smoothly.

Shrimp may provide some assistance in cleaning the fish, but I struggle to see how the crabs can contribute to the removal of the parasite. The only possible scenario in which they might be of use is if they were to stumble upon a detached cyst on the substrate. Beyond that, they're essentially useless.

The most effective approach would be to quarantine the fish in a hospital tank for approximately a month, leaving the main aquarium devoid of fish. This strategy has a two-fold effect. Firstly, it enables the use of copper-based medications in the hospital tank to treat the whitespot, without posing a risk to invertebrates, corals, and filtration bacteria. Secondly, it disrupts the parasite's life cycle, rendering it unable to find a host and ultimately leading to its demise. Elevating the tank temperature to around 80°F can accelerate this process. Once the fish in the hospital tank are clear of the parasite and the main tank has been left fishless to break the cycle, they can be reintroduced.

From this point forward, it's crucial to quarantine any new fish for at least two weeks in the hospital tank. When selecting a fish at the local fish store, opt for one that exhibits vibrant colors and appears energetic. Avoid those that seem listless or lethargic. Upon bringing the fish home and placing it in the quarantine tank, observe it daily for signs of abnormalities or unusual behavior. Monitor its gill movement, scales for signs of whitespot or other parasites, and inspect its fins for any signs of rot or damage. Also, examine its waste for any indication of internal parasites or infections. I've witnessed people purchasing fish that share a tank with fish displaying obvious signs of illness, such as a long string of white feces hanging from their underside. It's often prudent to medicate the water to protect against parasites and bacterial infections that may not be immediately apparent. You wouldn't want to risk losing a fully stocked tank of valuable fish due to the failure to screen newcomers.

While copper-based medications are an option, you're not obligated to use them. Freshwater baths, as previously mentioned, can provide some benefit, but if the ich is widespread in the aquarium, the fish will likely become reinfected shortly after being returned to the tank. Hyposalinity is another method for treating whitespot, but it's essential to ensure that the pH remains within safe parameters while lowering the salinity. This approach is not recommended without thorough research or guidance from an experienced marine fishkeeper.

In any case, I strongly advise quarantining the fish to decontaminate the display tank and enhance the effectiveness of treatment.

I think quarantine is definitely the way to go here, but another option to consider is adding a UV sterilizer to the mix. I've had one running in my tank since day one, and I've yet to have any issues with ich - maybe it's just coincidence, but I like to think it's more than that. These sterilizers are great for killing off waterborne parasites and bacteria, which can really help get ich under control.

When it comes to buying new fish, I always make sure to choose ones that have been at the LFS for at least a couple of weeks. If I'm not sure, I'll ask them to hold one for me so I can keep an eye on it and make sure it's healthy. A healthy fish should be eating well, swimming easily, and have good color. It should also be pretty responsive to stimuli - like when you tap on the glass or approach the tank. If a fish looks good after a couple of weeks, chances are it'll do well in my tank.

One thing I was wondering - what's the temperature like in your tank? Is it pretty stable, or does it fluctuate a lot?

Thank you all so much for your replies. I'm really grateful for all the advice. It's just so overwhelming with all the different opinions from the fish store, the internet, and friends. I'm trying to figure out what's best for my tank.

Ski, I had no idea what a UV sterilizer was, so I looked it up and there are so many different kinds. Can you tell me more about them? Which one would you recommend? And what's a good price range for these? My tank temperature is stable at 79-80 degrees, which is good, right?

Zeno9, I'm thinking about getting a quarantine tank. What size would you recommend? Do I need to cycle it before putting my fish in there? I don't want to make any mistakes.

Zenoxa, I had no idea that tangs needed such a big tank. The fish store told me it would be fine, but I guess they were wrong. My poor chocolate tang didn't make it because of the ich.

I also didn't research the chocolate chip starfish before buying it, which was a big mistake. But luckily, it seems to be behaving itself and not bothering anyone else in the tank.

My tiger snail is a big one that just stays under the sand, and I was told it would help with cleaning the sand and not bother my mushrooms and polyps. Is this the same thing as a tiger cowrie?

I'm trying to convince my boyfriend to relocate the pink goby, but it's his favorite fish. If we do decide to move it, how do I catch it without disturbing all my rocks? It's so quick and always darts into its little hole.

I have some new questions. I have this big, bubbly, slimy green algae growing on my top rock. The tang used to eat it all, but now it's growing back. What can I get to clean this algae? The crabs won't touch it.

I also want to get some cleaner shrimp eventually. Which ones are the hardiest and can coexist with my pink spotted goby? I don't want to introduce any more stress to my tank.

Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it.

A UV sterilizer is essentially a device that uses UV light to kill waterborne bacteria and parasites. To work effectively, it needs a properly sized pump with a target flowrate that maximizes the reaction time with the UV light. Generally, bacteria are affected at higher flowrates, while parasites are more susceptible at lower flowrates. For a marine tank, you'll want a sterilizer in the 9-20watt range.

As for a specific model, I'd recommend looking into the Coflakeife Turbotwist 9watt, which should be around $90. However, I'm not sure about the pricing in the UK.

Regarding your algae issue, I have a few more questions to help narrow down the cause. What kind of lighting does your tank have? How much live rock (LR) do you have, and what's the total flowrate of your powerheads? Are you using any external canister filters, and if so, what media is in them and how often are they cleaned? How often do you perform water changes, and do you vacuum the substrate during these changes? Lastly, would you like to have purple coralline algae in your tank?

Based on your description, the algae might be cyanobacteria or dinoflagellates. Hair algae typically doesn't hold onto oxygen bubbles. If you can provide a picture or compare it to online images, we can get a better identification. Green versions of cyanobacteria do exist, even though the brown/rust color is more common. Given the size of your tank, algae cleaner options might be limited, but let's discuss further based on your answers to these questions.

I'm really curious about this purple coflakeine algae, I don't even know if that's the right spelling, but I've seen some pictures of it and it looks so beautiful, I was wondering if anyone knows how to grow it in their tank, is it beneficial or is it just for looks?

I'm not convinced a chocolate tang would have thrived in your tank long-term, despite the fish store's assurance. While it might have been fine for a few months or even years, I wouldn't recommend it for several reasons - ultimately, the decision is yours.

I'm skeptical about UV sterilizers, though. My own experience with them wasn't exactly encouraging - I lost nearly all my fish a few months ago, and my sterilizer didn't seem to make a difference.

Regarding your tiger snail, I'm a bit concerned it might be a cone shell. If it is, it could potentially be venomous, although some species are harmless. Since it hasn't attacked anything yet, I'd assume it's non-venomous. You should still feed it occasionally, probably with shrimp pieces.

If you're looking for algae control, you could introduce a small tang to your tank, but be prepared to rehome it if it appears stressed or ill for an extended period.

As for coflakeline algae, it grows well in tanks with moderate lighting, plenty of calcium, and no predators. While its benefits are debated, it does seem to provide a convenient surface for corals to attach to. However, it can occasionally cause problems by clogging live rock holes and leading to ammonia spikes. Regardless, it's undoubtedly a beautiful addition to any tank.

zenoxa wrote: ↑Thu Sep 08, 2022 3:02 am I'm going to try and help you out with your ich problem. One thing that might save your fish's life is a freshwater bath. I've read about this and it seems to work, so give it a shot. Just put the fish in a bucket of warm, distilled or reverse osmosis water for five minutes, then put it back in the tank.

I also wanted to mention that those small crabs you have aren't going to do much to help with the ich. They're more for cleaning up algae and eating detritus.

I'm a bit concerned about your pink goby, though. He seems pretty aggressive, especially towards that new cleaner shrimp you got. If he keeps acting like that, you might want to consider rehoming him. I know it's hard, but you don't want him stressing out the other fish.

I took a look at your tank's stats and everything seems okay, but I did notice a few things that might be causing some problems. First, a 44-gallon tank is way too small for a tang, so you might want to avoid those in the future. Also, I'm pretty sure your chocolate chip star is going to eat all your other inverts, including your mushroom and polyps. And, if I'm not mistaken, your tiger snail is also an omnivore and might start eating some of the other stuff in your tank.

You should probably try to figure out these problems before adding any more animals to the tank. But other than that, everything seems to be running smoothly.

Yeah, coflakeine algae growth is all about the right combo. I've found that moderate lighting and plenty of calcium are a must, but you also need high alkalinity to balance out the calcium levels. And don't even get me started on phosphates - you gotta keep those super low. I swear by my skimmer, refugium, and GFO phosphate remover to keep them in check.