Hey everyone. I was hanging around the lfs earlier today and overheard a conversation between an employee and a customer. The customer had apparentley set up their system about 2 weeks ago. He was in the store to have is water tested. Ammonia = .25ppm Nitrite = 2.0ppm Nitrate = 15ppm. The problem is the guy had placed a lionfish, damsel, and bicolor blenny in is tank. After hearing there disscussion I interjected and asked the employee to take the fish back until the persons cycle had completed. The employee replied that it was against their policy, and she could not. I would house the fish myself but my tank is only two weeks old itself. Neither the person nor I now any other reefkeepers in the community. My question is could we control the tank through aggressive water changes? Or do the fish have to come out? I grabbed his number so I could help him find a solution. Thanks
Help Emergency!!!
- Thread starter abbeyspal
- Start date
It is a difficult situations, but reasonable water change should be able to alleviate the problem. For fish only tank, it is the ammonia that kills. With nitrate of 15ppm, sounds like there are some bacteria working in the system.
You are lucky to come out of the store alive, and you even got his phone number?!? In my neighborhood, I would have someone punch me in my face right there on the spot, either by the employee or the customer!
You are lucky to come out of the store alive, and you even got his phone number?!? In my neighborhood, I would have someone punch me in my face right there on the spot, either by the employee or the customer!
First off, I think that those fish arent even compatable to begin with. Someone feel free to crorrect me if im wrong but the lionfish isnt compatible with the blenny or the damsel. If a fish can physicly fit in the lions mouth he will eventually eat him.
You would have to be VERY agressivly changing the water because the lion can wreak havok on your water params. Feed as lightly as posible so your ammonia doesnt skyrocket....
You would have to be VERY agressivly changing the water because the lion can wreak havok on your water params. Feed as lightly as posible so your ammonia doesnt skyrocket....
Hey thanks for all of the help. Apparentley it's a dwarf lion. I don't know if this really matters but the damsel and blenny are actuall bigger than it. I guess were just going to go with the water changes. This guy feels real bad so im gonna help him. I think he might even give me the lion for helping out! This is great cuase I was looking into them anyway. Any other advice would be awesome.
Well I guess if the little dude makes it until my tank is finished I might just take it of his hands for him. I would be a favor reall the guy was really interested in those litlle "nemo's". I don't know how well they would get along with the lion. He was looking into a blue tang as well but I think I talked him out of it. The tank is only 30 gallons. BTW what could I house with eel and the lion?
My tank is a 60 gallon fowlr. The eel I am going to aquire is a freebie also. A kid I met from a town abot 70 miles away from here is going to give him to me. He is a 29 gallon now and about 8" long. He keeps eating up the false percs the kid wants. So what do you think about the dwarf lion and the eel. I wanted a trigger but that I think is way too much for thye tank. I want something that actively swims during the day since the eel and lion are pretty lazy night hunters.
420puff":316fb5bf said:
Care to elaborate on the lion affecting the water parameters?? I fail to see how this fish would have any unusual effect on the water. Lion fish aren't sloppy as most people seem to believe. If you give them a piece of food that he can swallow whole, there is no problem.
Lions and damsels are great tankmates, we always kept about 10 damsels in my wifes predator tank
the lion would hunt all day long tryign to get those damsels, it was great entertainment.
Every few months we would just restock with a few more damsels, the lion would corner the damsels and snatch them, not too often though, they had plenty of rock to hide in.
the lion would hunt all day long tryign to get those damsels, it was great entertainment.
Every few months we would just restock with a few more damsels, the lion would corner the damsels and snatch them, not too often though, they had plenty of rock to hide in.
Lions and damsels are great tankmates, we always kept about 10 damsels in my wifes predator tank
How big was your tank? I was also thinking about doing this. I guess the only problem is that the lion I will be getting is only about a 3in. Dwarf fuzzy. And, the eel has such a small mouth it doesnt look like he could eat something as big as a damsel (although he is about ten inches long) :twisted. I worry that I would have tank full of nasty damsel's. Maybe I could just pick out some small ones. :twisted:
How big was your tank? I was also thinking about doing this. I guess the only problem is that the lion I will be getting is only about a 3in. Dwarf fuzzy. And, the eel has such a small mouth it doesnt look like he could eat something as big as a damsel (although he is about ten inches long) :twisted. I worry that I would have tank full of nasty damsel's. Maybe I could just pick out some small ones. :twisted:
.25ppm ammonia is not THAT bad for just fish. Why not do huge water changes, use some amquel, stop feeding entirely for a few days and then feed very lightly, and add some LR and LS from an established tank. All much easier than trying to relocate the fish or setting up a few QTs that will also require water changes and constant care.
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