my first fish death

[fishforlife]

I woke up ithis morning to one of my clownfish laying on thebotton of teh tank, gills opening and closing rapidly. He would try to swim, but it was erradic and unnatural.

All my peramiters are good. Does this just happen in the salt water hobby where are fish was healthy and eating one day and the next dead?

[Kyle46N]

If all your parameters are good and your tank is not brand new, I usually chalk it up to a disease or something the fish had before hand. I have had fish eat well, and then all of a sudden die a week later. There are stomach/intestinal parasites that can eventually kill a fish. Its part of the hobby sometimes.

[Bill S]

I think the tank is new...

[Bill S]

Just noticed on the other thread that the tank is 6 weeks old.

Rule #1: In this hobby in particular, the more you rush things, the more shortcuts you take, the more expensive and deadly it gets.

Rule #2: EVERYONE tries, at some point in time, to prove Rule #1 is wrong. So, don't think you are alone here!

Sooo. Let's start from the beginning. What are your water parameters?

[Mr Cob]

I tried to prove rule #1 to not be all that true when I first started and proved to myself that I didn't know anything :)

Once I joined MAAST I began to listen to others, asked a lot of questions, and read my arse off!!!

Good luck. Take your time and enjoy every minute of this challenging hobby :)

Read.

Oh and read, google, search MAAST, ask questions.....

and Read.


Did I say "read"? Well, keep reading...LOL, you will never master this hobby, so keep reading... LOL. That's how I feel, I just keep reading.

[RayAllen]

How long was the fish in the aquarium before it died?

Clowns being that they are in the damsel family are very hardy strong fish they are usually somewhat tolorent to someone who may not take the best care of their tanks if you know what I meen. So for it to die out of no where is a little odd.

Post your water parameters for everyone to see so that we can help you solve your mystery.

[Mr Cob]

A clownfish was my first fish within 6 weeks of my first tank and it died the same as yours... and I tried it again with two thinking they would be happy together the following week and they also died, so I don't think it is odd that your clown died with the tank only being 6 weeks, and I bet the fish was showing signs of stress by possibly gasping or even hanging around the surface of the tank that a new hobbiest might not catch because the fish was still eating.

In my experience with clowns, I think they require a mature stable tank to thrive. Of course this is based on my own experience with clowns, True and False Perculas. I never have found clowns to be hardy and in my experience they are some what particular about their environment.

[RayAllen]

Another example of differences between hobbiest and our experiences, which I think is what makes the hobby so interesting. What may work for one doesnt work for another.

Ive never lost a clown and have always been usually the first fish Ive added to a tank. Ive always added my first fish around the 4 week mark as well, water parameters checked of corse. Ive kept Tomatos, True percs, False, Maroon and cinnamons all diffrent in the own way, but very easy to keep in my tanks.

[Henny]

I tried to prove rule #1 to not be all that true when I first started and proved to myself that I didn't know anything :)

Once I joined MAAST I began to listen to others, asked a lot of questions, and read my arse off!!!

Good luck. Take your time and enjoy every minute of this challenging hobby :)

Read.

Oh and read, google, search MAAST, ask questions.....

and Read.


Did I say "read"? Well, keep reading...LOL, you will never master this hobby, so keep reading... LOL. That's how I feel, I just keep reading.

ditto...

Also I agree with RayAllen Clown fish tend to be very hardy. With my first attempt at SW the clowns and green chromis I had were the only fish that survived. After my first powder blue tang died and starfish and an seemingly long battle with diatoms. I had no clue what to do so I just let the tank go and waited for them to die but they never did. I eventually moved to Texas and turned them back in to the fish store. Alive and apparently healthy.

[Mr Cob]

Another example of differences between hobbiest and our experiences, which I think is what makes the hobby so interesting. What may work for one doesnt work for another.

So true... reminds me of Xenia, some people have it growing as a weed and others can't keep it!

[fishforlife]

my paremeters are
Nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph 8.2
salt 023 (or ..022)
amonia 0
That is off the top of my head from a check two nights ago....what else should I check on?)

The tank is about 7 weeks old...the clowns were given to me by the person I bought the rock from...she said she was going to flush them so I took them(true story). that was 3 weeks ago. My tank was seeded with 40 lbs of live sand from a MAAST tank, and 120 lbs of live rock from a MAAST Tank. The other clown is doing well and eating healthy. My corals are starting to reproduce....

thoghts?