Fish Shipment Found after 4.5 days with fish alive

[mattgumaer]

Just writing to give a thumbs up for working hard to make the best of a bad situation and save the fish.

In my limited experience with tangs, adding them at the same time potentially makes a big difference. Your choices probably are: 1) play it safe and sell one; or 2) try to quarantine them independently and then put them both in the 140 at the same time, being prepared to remove one in the event of excessive aggression. There is probably going to be some sparring to establish which is the dominant fish. I suppose you could try them together in the 40B tank, but, the likelihood of problematic aggression would be higher (although its likely easier to one of the fish quickly in the smaller tank). I'm sure others with more tang experience will offer advice. But, I'm not sure there is a definitive way to anticipate how they will react to each other short of putting them together and being prepared to separate them if it looks like one is doing substantial harm to the other. I don't think this is likely a situation where people can definitively say either: 1) they will fight to the death; or 2) they will get along.

Good luck.

Matt

 

[kennytze]

Tang Quarantine

Tang Quarantine

Two years ago I quarantined a Black Tang and a Sailfin Tang together. I cut a piece of eggcrate and placed in my 40Gal breeder quarantine tank. The Black Tang seemed to not notice but the sailfin Tang just stared at Black Tang for about a couple of weeks and then ignored the Black Tang. After quarantine I added both to my 180 display tank with them getting along Okay. Lately though I've noticed serious aggression starting up with Sailfin. I am going to Take Sailfin back to my local fish store as 180 gal is getting too small for my tank and probably the cause of new aggression. It worked out for me but sorry to say as a warning you never know with Tangs.

 

[Uncle99]

I think two in the 140 should work, but not in a 40, the risk is not just losing one, but potentially all if the stress results in an outbreak of Ick, especially tangs. I would vote for the sale of one. Tangs eat much and poop more, I doubt the denitrifying bacteria is up to the task at this point.

 

[no1bubba]

Same thing happened to me over the 4th of July my fish sat in the UPS facility in Kentucky. Two were DOA. The other four including one yellow tang and 4 banggi's Lived 4 weeks in qt tank the day they were to go into DT I woke up to dead tang. Put the 4 banggi's in DT and one died each day. Liveaquaria told me to drip acclimate them double the normal time. It is so sad when you have done everything and still loose them. No more tangs, no more UV sterilizers I resolve to be happy with what I have now. And starting a new cichlid tank on Saturday. I had a blue, purple, sailfin and. Blondie naso QTed them together and worked out fine. Wanted to add a yellow so while it was in QT I cut out 18 yellow tangs and taped them all over the outside of the tank. Held them on with tape only on the top then set a fan to blow them and look real. I moved the rocks around , Added the tang after four weeks and they all lived. How lucky was I?

 

[TheCamaroShow]

the red sea refractometer is the best one

 

[LQT]

the red sea refractometer is the best one

Not in my experience... I literally would calibrate it before a test, test my salinity and calibrate it again just to verify. By the third step, it would already drift out of calibration. That thing lost calibration if you looked at it funny.

 

[slief]

the red sea refractometer is the best one

You are literally the first person I have ever heard say anything good about the Red Sea Refractometer. LOL They are about the worst ones you can buy. Even the cheap Amazon refractometers hold their calibration better than the Red Sea ones. The best refractometer hands down is the Vee Gee STX-3. It's actually a lab grade refractometer at a somewhat reasonable price. If you buy a Vee Gee, it will be the last one you buy because they are great and are built to last. They also hold their calibration far better than any other refractometer on the market.

 

[moondoggy4]

To test the water in the bag use a syringe and then tape the bag and do your test.

 

[hkgar]

the red sea refractometer is the best one

Opinions without facts are nothing more than unsubstantiated opinions and everyone has one.

 

[OrionN]

So how are the fish? Hope they are doing well.

 

[TheCamaroShow]

I’ve had mine for about 6 months and calibrate it every time and have never had a issue

 

[LQT]

Next time, after you calibrate and do a salinity test, calibrate it again. I woundn’t be shocked if you found that it has already lost calibration in that short span of time.

 

[OrionN]

I’ve had mine for about 6 months and calibrate it every time and have never had a issue

Why do you have to calibrate it every time?
I had a Milwaukee MR100ATC for 17 years. I calibrated it at least 15 years ago and never have to recalibrate. I check it sometime with standard solution once in a while. It have been spot on ever since.
This refractometer have mechanism to lock the calibration so that it look the scare where it is and not move. Great cheap piece of equipment. I expect nothing less from any other refractometer that I ever buy in the future if I ever drop and break this one.
BTW, all metal parts are stainless steel and no rust other than slight discoloration of the pin and the screw that hold the flab. The box is well padded, styrofoam cut out fit the refractometer well, high quality that does not break down after 15 years, and protect the refractometer well when not in use. Function great, no problem, feel solid and firm in my hand when use. I have a second one in my office to use for my office tank, so I don't have to bring it from home when needed.
I highly recommended this refractometer.

 

[Rover88]

Orion,

I know my Red sea Refractometer states it needs to be calibrated every use.

It does not hold a calibration period. I'm talking I can't even trust it to hold a calibration for 2 hours, I will get dramatically different readings if I let it sit.

When I first got it it ****ed me right off, but a bunch of reviews state its because of temperature compensation or something of the sort. Thats why the manual says to calibrate first, then take your reading.

Now that I do it, it adds less then a minute to the process, so its really not that big a deal to me anymore.

 

[TheCamaroShow]

Just to be sure it’s on point and it always is it take about 3 weeks for it to drift out

 

[brianbrainstein]

I'm curious about the fish as well, hope some recovered.


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[Joe0813]

I want to try out that vee gee refractometer. Another note do you have an update on the fish?

 

[OrionN]

I too would love an update on the fish.

 

[dnh828]

Sorry for belated update.


The yellow tang is the only long term survivor. It was touch and go for many days but matching quarantine water to the bag water and then bringing it up to normal parameters made the difference.

The flame angel had a ton of spirit but even with all the care I could give didn't hang on. None of the other fish were very lively and didn't live long after putting in to quarantine.

The yellow tang hasn't grown a ton but will be going in to a 225 soon so he will have a bit more room to spread out.

Interesting that they were alive at all and I'm very glad I got one long term survivor but this definitely reinforces the need for timely shipping with fish. Hopefully no one else needs to go through this with a fish shipment.


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[OrionN]

I am glad that at least the Yellow Tang live. Hope he will be with for a long time.