circulation and a new boxfish HELP !!!

[donald altman]

My tank is a 100 gallon mixed reef tank with a ton of flow.

I have a 350 magnum with nothing in it I use for circulation and occasional carbon. I also have a small refugium that circulates some flow but my main pump circulates 800 plus gallons per hour and is an in tank submerged pump.

Welp here is what I am needing help with. I went to the fish store ( I know big mistake LOL) and fell in love with a yellow long horn box fish.

I traded them a serpant star handed then a 10 dollar bill and walked out with the Cutest darn fish I have ever seen. I have researched this fish in the past.. like I said I think I even saw that you have one ? So I am aware of its potential to be toxic when frightened or at death. I am also aware of its eating habits and tank mates. I currently had no fish and was waiting to find my first fish. Everyone told me that these should be the first placed into the tank if keeping one in a reef setting. Let me also add that this is an established tank with plenty of rock, corals, cleanup that is very healthy and the perameters are always incheck. This is not a new system just one I have enjoyed without fish so far.

So let me get back to my questions.

This little guy named buford by the way was having such a hard time in the tank I had to turn off my main pump last night. That allowed him to be able to move and hover around a little better. He sure has a hard time with the current.. even just the output from my refuge and the magnum return.

I put some food in the tank and he seemed intrested but he didn't eat that I could see.

I tied a net around my intakes so I don't have to worry about it getting sucked in... but I am really unsure if I could get away with leaving my

main circulation pump off a few day to let the little guy build up some strength.. or what I might can do to keep the coral hapy without blowing the little fish into the sides of the tank. He is just about a half inch big and doesn't have a horn yet. I am in love with this little fish.

My main pump was turned as low as I could get it so I just turned it off.

I will run it tonight while I watch the tank then turn it off when I can't pay attention to it.. how long could I do this before my corals suffer.

Do you have any suggestion? thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I dont think you did enough research. Boxfish and cowfish are poor swimmers. Ultra high flow will not be suitable for them. Either plan on downsizing the pumps (or throttling them back), or finding the fish a new home. If he is periodically or constantly stressed by the huge flow, he wont become comfortable enough to eat.

 

[donald altman]

opps I posted twice.. sorry

 

[donald altman]

I did turn down the pumps. There are some low area in my tank by design.. perhaps he will find those areas and confine to them instead ot he middle of the tank where the flow is more harsh?
Everywhere I looked it says they are fine with reef tanks other then them being toxic when overstressed or when they perish..
I'm running carbon to combat that...
I would think saying it is alright for reef would mean it would be alright for moderate flow becuase reef tanks are generaly known to need moderate to high flow.

I know Anthony Calfo has this exact fish in his reef tank which has all sorts of corals most of which seem like they would need high flow. I guess I will just have to wait and see and keep reading. I am thinking of purchasing some smaller pumps as well.

 

[lux_06]

well the big thing your missing is you have a half inch fish, the only cowfish ive seen in reefs are much much larger, that means they can swim better, youve got 2 choices the reef dies with the flow off or the fish dies vacuumed to the net over your intake. ITs as simple as that.......... sorry.

And the reefsafe comment is only regarding the potential preying upon reef dwelling inverts, i think they assume you read for yourself about needing low flow and design your tank acordingly.

i dont even think this guard is good enough for my little guy, and that with a 300 LITRE per hour powerhead, the flow it creates i have to point straght at a rock as any circular motion in my tank will take my guy with it. i know how adorable they are but really you either got to set up a new tank for it while its still small or get it back before its dead, and it wont take long.

sorry for the bad news.

adam

 

[lux_06]

how small is your fuge? maybe look at sticking the fish in there for a few weeks while you sor out a new setup? but not if the fuge is under 10 gallons

 

[lux_06]

hey, just read your comment on my thread, thought id post back here instead,

basicly my fish cant swim in any currant so its just not gonna work in your reef for a long time yet, my powerhead is at the back of the tank, pointing into a rock, that diffuses all the flow, my guy only hangs out at the front of the tank away from it all.

this is also an issue with him not eating also i feel as when feedin mine, attract his attention and drop little bits of food around him, he slowly hovers around to them and picks em off, with any flow the food just blows away and he gives up.

what do you think you will do?

adam

 

[donald altman]

well he did seem intrested in food.. I think but not sure that he ate something.. I put some nori and some brine in and he definatly recognised them as food.. he did find a small corner that has low flow I wish I could keep him or him learn to stay in that general area. My fuge is a small hang on and I am afraid he would just float right over the last baffel and to the ares that drains to the tank.. I wish I could have purchased a bigger one but this fish was in a store that is very poorly setup and would have died for sure.

I am wondering If I could make a space with rock to shield off all current for him to relax in

 

[Anthony Calfo]

"I know Anthony Calfo has this exact fish in his reef tank which has all sorts of corals most of which seem like they would need high flow."

I think there is a mistake here my friend... you may be confusing this with my Cortez hawkfish (needs/loves very high flow).

For this boxfish/any fish... do check authoratitive databases such as fishbase.org (see field data/observations) for insight into habitat needs.

Re: reef safedness of this group of fishes. Nope... not by any practical (hobby) use/definition.

 

[donald altman]

thanks for the reply Anthony.. I actualy had you and Randy mistaken.

 

[lux_06]

making a space for him may work to lower the flow in an area, but is the fish gonna stay in that area 100% of the time? i dunno.

yeh fuge aint gonna work.

my fish is in an UN-cycled tank with just a tiny powerhead and heater, this isnt much investment for you to keep him, weekly waterchanges 90% or abouts will be fine to keep the ammonia from building up. why not do this with any old 30 odd gallon tank, should be fine. the fish is not going to produce enough waste to polute the tank in that time and if u get an ammonia reading just do a water change??

yes its not a long tern fix but for me it gives me time to build him an adequate home for his needs.

adam

 

[Anthony Calfo]

no worries, my friend

 

[roader247]

I think you are right I think Randy does have one maybe ask him

Good Luck let us know how it goes.

Mark

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Actually, I think randy's got a post up know that his suddenly went on a hunger strike, and he's worried about it's health now.