So 2 days ago I pickedup a small cherub angelfish and he has some pooping problems. throughout the whole day yesturday he constantly dropped his load every half hour leaving it for me too pick up. He is also barely even eatimg since I put him in. his poop is green and I dont even feed him algae. I dont even hVe much algae in the tank. Mostly just diatoms because it is a newely cycled tank. My clownfish eats a ton and barely ever poops. What in the world is going on?
Poop Issues...
- Thread starter Wick2416
- Start date
reefjunkie42
Wrasse junkie
you shoudlnt have fish if ur tank is cycling. how old is the set up? how long have u had all the fish? what are you feeding? Pellets? Mysis? Both? is this a QT or DT? AND how large is it?
The tank is cycled. Its about 2 months old. It is a 20 gallon long. I have 3 snails. 3 small hermits. A clownfish. A cherub angelfish and a small colony of zoanthids. I just cant stand how much this fish is poopimg. My nitrates are allready high and I domt want them to go higher. I dont know what to do
My guess is he is pooping because he's eating all your microalgae.... With high nitrates there will be more algae of one kind or another, so this pooping will continue.
This is just a personal opinion, but IME even small Centropyge are very active and I think your tank is too small for this fish. My advice is to rehome this fish and improve the system so that you facilitate nitrate reduction, if that is your main concern.
HTH and good luck!
reefjunkie42
Wrasse junkie
yes that fish is doomed in a 20l. just because the fish is small doesnt mean u can just put him anywhere. rememebr he had unlimited space to swim...
returnofsid
New member
2 Clowns and a Dwarf Angelfish, in a "newly cycled" 20 gallon tank? Might I suggest you rethink this plan and return the Dwarf Angelfish to the LFS?
Prior to purchasing any fish, you need to be prepared to properly house and feed said fish. You clearly admit to not feeding your Dwarf Angelfish any algae OR having any algae in your system, for the Dwarf Angelfish to graze on. You need to be aware that algae should make up a large portion of a healthy diet, for most Dwarf Angelfish, including Cherubs.
Your high nitrates are because your tank is overstocked. Honestly, I wouldn't even put 2 clownfish in a 20 gallon tank.
Prior to purchasing any fish, you need to be prepared to properly house and feed said fish. You clearly admit to not feeding your Dwarf Angelfish any algae OR having any algae in your system, for the Dwarf Angelfish to graze on. You need to be aware that algae should make up a large portion of a healthy diet, for most Dwarf Angelfish, including Cherubs.
Your high nitrates are because your tank is overstocked. Honestly, I wouldn't even put 2 clownfish in a 20 gallon tank.
reefjunkie42
Wrasse junkie
we are not trying to beat up on you, but please research intended purchases
petenick
New member
I had a small (less than 2 inches) cherub angel in a 30 gallon long (3 foot) tank and it used every inch of swimming space. He decimated the SPS corals in short order. It's now in a 40 breeder which is what I would personally consider the minimum tank size after seeing it use all space in this tank, too. Think of them as a "miniature tang" - zooming around and might need way more space than you think as they are always on the go.
I think you will see a lot of aggression between the angel and clown before long with so little swimming space. My cherub is now in the 40 breeder with a tomato clown I have had for 6+ years....and they still get into some small spats at feeding time. The angel will even chase the clown and she's not a very nice clown.
You didn't say what kind of clownfish you had, but if it's a true or false perc maybe return the angel and get it a partner? A pair in a 20 long might be pushing it, though.
Mine picks at the rocks and even algae on the glass constantly. I feed pellets twice a day, but it is continuously picking and eating and pooping. It's normal and all of the waste could be causing a bit of a nitrate spike, too.
Just my observations from a couple of years of owning a cherub.
I think you will see a lot of aggression between the angel and clown before long with so little swimming space. My cherub is now in the 40 breeder with a tomato clown I have had for 6+ years....and they still get into some small spats at feeding time. The angel will even chase the clown and she's not a very nice clown.
You didn't say what kind of clownfish you had, but if it's a true or false perc maybe return the angel and get it a partner? A pair in a 20 long might be pushing it, though.
Mine picks at the rocks and even algae on the glass constantly. I feed pellets twice a day, but it is continuously picking and eating and pooping. It's normal and all of the waste could be causing a bit of a nitrate spike, too.
Just my observations from a couple of years of owning a cherub.
planedoc
New member
You are the one with poop issue's. Anyone who documents a fish's bowl movements has issues. If your tank is cycled and you have proper filtration you don't need to keep track of your fishes bowl movements.
