Fish question

[reeftofishonly]

Question regarding one of my wish, someone with close knowledge or having owned one are encouraged to reply!

I have had a clown tang for about a month now. He is roughly 5 inches long, and eats everything in sight. Loves seaweed, Mysis and squid. My tank has two pumps running from sump at 600 gal an hour. Both return lines break the water surface to create a tumultuous, wavy top water. I also have bio balls that seem to help oxygenate the water a little more by breaking, or shattering the water as it is falling.

Question is, given those circumstances, is there anything else I can do to avoid these fish from the apparent drop dead out of no where syndrome?

Ive heard they need high oxygen, which I feel I have, but as far as the whole cyanide deal where they come from, any other precautions.

I bought him from a store that had him two months, and he was clearly an aggressive feeder. He still is now, and kills the algae I put in, sometimes a 1 inch by 5 inch piece a day. I hope that helps keep immunity up to avoid other tang issues (ich, etc)

Thanks

 

[humaguy]

sounds like you are doing the right thing...once these fish are comfy and eating, ime, they are almost bulletproof...just keep you eye on her aggression as they can become real pits...
high 02, high flow, eating properly and a variety of foods are exactly what these fish require...

 

[reeftofishonly]

sounds like you are doing the right thing...once these fish are comfy and eating, ime, they are almost bulletproof...just keep you eye on her aggression as they can become real pits...
high 02, high flow, eating properly and a variety of foods are exactly what these fish require...

Thank you. In your opinion, I am going to start a general thread here soon about it, but in your opinion is my feeding schedule okay.

In the am, around ten or so when the lights come on (no corals or inverts) I hang 3 pieces of 1 inch by 5 inch seaweed pieces on a clip. Both tangs, and Koran angel, hammer that out by lunch time. Around 3, I use pellets, which all fish eat, including puffer and trigger. The only time they eat this is when I offer no frozen before hand.

A few hours later I use frozen stuff, mixing alternating Mysis, squid, clams and cut krill. So basically two feeding times, different foods, and daily greens (seaweed)

 

[humaguy]

Thank you. In your opinion, I am going to start a general thread here soon about it, but in your opinion is my feeding schedule okay.

In the am, around ten or so when the lights come on (no corals or inverts) I hang 3 pieces of 1 inch by 5 inch seaweed pieces on a clip. Both tangs, and Koran angel, hammer that out by lunch time. Around 3, I use pellets, which all fish eat, including puffer and trigger. The only time they eat this is when I offer no frozen before hand.

A few hours later I use frozen stuff, mixing alternating Mysis, squid, clams and cut krill. So basically two feeding times, different foods, and daily greens (seaweed)

I don't think there is one correct way to feed our fish...
each of us knows our fishes preference better than anybody so do what works for your fish...

I feed frozen food (a few different kinds) a 3-5 times each day and also give nori 2-3 times per week...fresh clam/shrimp 2 times per week...I do not feed and dry food...I have used the semi-soft spir pellets and like them...

 

[Dmorty217]

I would keep a eye on your tank with the bio balls, they trap nutrients and can and will cause problems long term

 

[reeftofishonly]

I would keep a eye on your tank with the bio balls, they trap nutrients and can and will cause problems long term

I have had the bio balls for 12 years or so, I inspect them weekly, and they are just as blue as the day I got them. The way sump is designed, there is absolutely no way of getting them out, it is completely contained, and unless I cut open acrylic, they are sealed in there. There is a filter sock in each corner overflow, and that is it as far as a sponge filter material. There is no blue filter pad or cloth above bio balls like some set ups have. I believe that is keeping the bio balls clean, because the water comes crashing down on them, creating a cleaning stream. Any detritus I have had in sump accumulated below bio balls on the acrylic sump floor, which I then vacuum or siphon out. Looks to me by design, the high flow rate on bio balls, does not allow settling on them. Perhaps if there had been a pad above it, it would slow flow rate down on them, and it could sit on them I suppose. When you look at it, it looks like heavy rain constantly crashing on them. When the pumps are off during water change, I take a flashlight and look at all of them, and see no build up or debris. THe second I see that, I will act accordingly. Thankfully in 12 years, I have yet to see any.

 

[dppitone]

If the tang suffered in the capture or transit, it'll be weakened to some extent. Keeping good parameters serves to strengthen their system to facilitate them overcoming and getting stronger.

I'm a big believer in setting up the system so the water saturates with Oxygen. First there needs to be oxygen available in the room(s) that the system is in. Second, there needs to be gas exchange in the system and a IMO a 3 part approach is best: (1) surface turbulence, (2) skimming bubbles and (3) growing macroalgae. I think the best place to get turbulence is the drain-down to the sump. If the output tube is not in the water and a few inches above the surface, then all the draining water must pass through the air and splash into the sump. That's a very efficient method for gas exchange.