First TTM experience

[coolxborg]

Unfortunately, it isnt going well so need some input.

Last Friday ~10AM PT, I received 3 Ignitus Anthias from Bluezoo. Two of the bags had 1.020 salinity and 1 bag had 1.018.

My first tank (10 gallon) was setup at 1.020 salinity so I floated the two bags and acclimated the other bag (1.018 salinity bag).

They were in the tank by ~1030AM. I left them alone for a few hours prior to feeding. For the next two days, I fed frozen mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, Arcti-Pods, Bluezoo mix and mixed with garlic, and flakes mixed with garlic.
(On Saturday, I added Prime).

Two of the fish ate the mysis but didnt touch any of the rest. One fish (a large male) has not eaten, at least i havent seen.

Last night, I transferred all 3 into my second tank which is another 10 gallon using a square colander. The salinity for the 2nd tank was set at 1.020 which matched the first tank. Temp was roughly at ~78 degrees for both tanks

Unfortunately, I woke up this morning with 1 of the fish dead, not the large one who has not been eating. Attached are two pics of the fish (I took more but some came out blurry so didnt attach).

Equipment:
2 ten gallon tanks
2 heaters
2 Thermometers
set of PVC pipes
Airstone for both

So now, I have a few questions:

- Presumably, I have to start over, starting from Day 1 of TTM?
- Anyone have any ideas to why the fish died? What did I miss/do wrong?
- The large one still has not eaten, what else can i try to get him to eat?

I may have missed other pertinent info here...

 

[gone fishin]

I do not really see anything out of the ordinary with the pics. It is tough to say some fish just do not handle the shipping well. I am not to familiar with anthias and how they fair with shipping. It may end up being just one of those things.

Unless I counted the hours wrong, distinct possibility, I believe you may have transferred a bit early. I usually transfer prior to 72 hours. Other than that your setup and protocol seemed very sound to me.

 

[coolxborg]

Yea its roughly 58 hours which i thought was fine? Over 24 hours and less than 72, right?

I transferred last night because i wasnt sure I would have enough time to transfer this morning.

 

[gone fishin]

yes, I sometimes get tunnel vision thinking through my routine.

 

[Pigpen17]

That's a bummer. As far as TT, I don't think it contributed to your fish's death, but as I know it, you must transfer in the AM.

 

[gone fishin]

The time of day does not really matter, just transfer before the 72 hour mark. I actually set my transfers to do in the evening since I know I will be home.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I just completed my first TTM and it went pretty well. I was using 5 gallon buckets, transferred approx. every 48 hours, had 6 heaters, 6 sets of PVC "condos", and used new airline tubing and airstones for each transfer. I only lost 3 fish through the whole process, 1 Lubbock's Wrasse, and 2 chromis (though I think the chromis were the result of aggression).

I only fed the fish once each transfer, about an hour before actually performing the transfer. It is too easy for ammonia to build up in the buckets, so I wanted to keep it as low as possible.

I agree that the fish simply did not handle shipping well. Anthias can be difficult under good conditions, so I can only imagine that shipping and TTM would make it even more difficult. I believe this was the case with the wrasse I lost. It was perfectly healthy During the first couple of weeks we had it, but then we saw a couple of ich spots show up. We moved it into TTM and it perished within a few days, while everything else was fine.

 

[CHSUB]

I have never been able to keep Ignitus Anthias alive for very long. i have used TTM and some make it, however they seem to die soon after. i have had success with lyetails and bi-color Anthias.

 

[coolxborg]

Ok. Thanks for the replies. From what Im gathering, my TTM is likely fine, but cause of death maybe shipping and/or general Anthias issues?

Going back to my other two questions:
- Do I start TTM over?
- Anything else I can do to get the large fish to eat?

 

[Swensos]

I'm new to the saltwater hobby, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I've had a few years with freshwater fish. Does the salinity matching mean that the KH and pH of the water match too? Did you acclimate the fish to the KH and pH of the new container? I know the pH can change within a plastic bag over time as CO2 builds up. Maybe that was the cause.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[coolxborg]

Per the instructions here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428, I only matched salinity and temp.

 

[gone fishin]

I really don't see a reason to start the TTM over. The only thing I can suggest is to try different foods until you find something the anthias likes. Good luck just my 2 cents.

 

[reef_fish]

Not sure if this is accurate: but if you're using a net, to transfer that might stress them out more then a clear container. Also, if they're eating pellets I usually only give then enough pellets to eat 3-4 times a day, twice if it's not anthias, then on the morning before the transfer I'll stuff then with frozen foods. Just a little tip to keep ammonia down, since I think it's harder to regulate un-eaten frozen food and raw frozen food gives off more ammonia then a pellet?? not sure about that, just what I think. I keep the qt dark too with a black bottom, black back and usually a towel wrapped half way up every where else. TTM and prazipro

 

[Marchillo]

Try different foods. I had two pj cardinals in qt together. Both from same tank at lfs. One liked pellets the other liked flakes. Both liked mysis.

I agree I think the fish died due to stress of shipping.

Don't forget with TTM that you need to do 12 days total. If you are transferring at 2.5 days - approx 60 hours then you should do a 5th transfer. You'll end up 2 days short.

GL

 

[coolxborg]

Ill chalk it up as stress from shipping. No real hassle from Bluezoo. They're giving me credit for the fish.

As for my schedule, yes it will be 5 transfers for ~13 days.

TTM
7/17 - Friday 11AM - Put in tank
7/19 - Sunday night - First Transfer - 58 hours
7/22 - Wednesday night - 2nd TT ~72 hours
7/25 - Saturday night - 3rd TT ~72 hours
7/28 - Tuesday night - 4th TT ~72 hours
7/30 - Thursday night to QT ~48 hours