And what isn't?
Not a comprehensive list, but among the frequently asked questions
FAQ...
Worth mobilizing and dealing with:
1. a parasite on a fish, including ich. Isolate, fallow tank 72 days, treat fish in qt. For BACTERIAL film, fuzz, etc, seek advice and specific treatment.
2. a persistent out-of-parameters reading from your alkalinity or salinity tests: affects overall tank health and can lead bad places. Ask.
3. a pistol or mantis you didn't buy: these can kill fish.
4. a crab with large claws. Fisheater.
5. appearance of caulerpa algae (forget hair: this stuff is awful and spreads)---seek advice for removal. If it's on one tiny moveable rock, toothbrush it, peroxide the area in small bowl on kitchen counter (30 seconds dip), and rinse rock well before putting rock in tank.
6. things that look like the Star Trek triangle with a notched tail. Flatworms. Seek advice.
7. crack anywhere in the glasswork or separation on a seam (acrylic, particularly)---start using Prime and tapwater (if you don't have enough ro/di) and a mixing pump to create salt water ASAP and look to replace that tank immediately: in a tank failure, you WILL have a cycle on moving fish to new tank: keep them qt'ed and plan on a cycle in about 5 days: it's quickly done. A tank that is not set up 'on the level' can suffer stress over time; and if a tank goes, it can go catastrophically, as in the blink of an eye.
8. isopods: bugs that attach to fish as a parasite: bad: seek help.
Not a panic.
1. little white sponges (transient)
2. hair algae (fairly normal stage---get GFO reactor, toss media monthly)
3. low salinity: raise it via topping off ONLY with salt water topoff, nothing radical. Rapid rise is deadly. Take it over days. Seek advice.
4. worms---harmless, usually; unless it has several very distinct tentacles on its head (you won't have to wonder are they or aren't they) then catch that blighter (eunicid) and get it out.
5. little white bugs: copepods; little things like grey bugs, usually amphipods---both ok. Isopods (look it up) aren't ok.
6. red film on sand or rock: cyanobacterial sheet, aka cyano: go on room lights only for 3 days, 4th day on blues, and skim like mad or do water change at end. It's common, usually due to sunbeam hitting tank: its byproduct is oxygen and it doesn't hurt anything unless extreme and neglected. Just try the lights-out once monthly (not oftener, because of coral and fish)---and look for it to leave.
7. bubble algae: usually leaves on its own.
8. a few aiptasia. These can't spread without being fed. If they are spreading aggressively, move them to the Problem category, reduce feeding or change type, and seek advice. Pep shrimp juvvies eat them; matted filefish eat them; and there is a treatment for them.
Not a comprehensive list, but among the frequently asked questions
FAQ...
Worth mobilizing and dealing with:
1. a parasite on a fish, including ich. Isolate, fallow tank 72 days, treat fish in qt. For BACTERIAL film, fuzz, etc, seek advice and specific treatment.
2. a persistent out-of-parameters reading from your alkalinity or salinity tests: affects overall tank health and can lead bad places. Ask.
3. a pistol or mantis you didn't buy: these can kill fish.
4. a crab with large claws. Fisheater.
5. appearance of caulerpa algae (forget hair: this stuff is awful and spreads)---seek advice for removal. If it's on one tiny moveable rock, toothbrush it, peroxide the area in small bowl on kitchen counter (30 seconds dip), and rinse rock well before putting rock in tank.
6. things that look like the Star Trek triangle with a notched tail. Flatworms. Seek advice.
7. crack anywhere in the glasswork or separation on a seam (acrylic, particularly)---start using Prime and tapwater (if you don't have enough ro/di) and a mixing pump to create salt water ASAP and look to replace that tank immediately: in a tank failure, you WILL have a cycle on moving fish to new tank: keep them qt'ed and plan on a cycle in about 5 days: it's quickly done. A tank that is not set up 'on the level' can suffer stress over time; and if a tank goes, it can go catastrophically, as in the blink of an eye.
8. isopods: bugs that attach to fish as a parasite: bad: seek help.
Not a panic.
1. little white sponges (transient)
2. hair algae (fairly normal stage---get GFO reactor, toss media monthly)
3. low salinity: raise it via topping off ONLY with salt water topoff, nothing radical. Rapid rise is deadly. Take it over days. Seek advice.
4. worms---harmless, usually; unless it has several very distinct tentacles on its head (you won't have to wonder are they or aren't they) then catch that blighter (eunicid) and get it out.
5. little white bugs: copepods; little things like grey bugs, usually amphipods---both ok. Isopods (look it up) aren't ok.
6. red film on sand or rock: cyanobacterial sheet, aka cyano: go on room lights only for 3 days, 4th day on blues, and skim like mad or do water change at end. It's common, usually due to sunbeam hitting tank: its byproduct is oxygen and it doesn't hurt anything unless extreme and neglected. Just try the lights-out once monthly (not oftener, because of coral and fish)---and look for it to leave.
7. bubble algae: usually leaves on its own.
8. a few aiptasia. These can't spread without being fed. If they are spreading aggressively, move them to the Problem category, reduce feeding or change type, and seek advice. Pep shrimp juvvies eat them; matted filefish eat them; and there is a treatment for them.
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