 Fish (cont.) |
| the
reef. And by and large, reeftanks don't
cotton real well to fish medicine.So
last Spring, I ventured to a lps (local
pet store) and purchased a 15 gallon
All-Glass aquarium that came with a
fitted top, fluorescent light (I don't
even know the wattage as I never use
it) and a wrought iron stand. I also
purchased an AquaClear 150 hang-on
filter, a heater and a thermometer. |
| Once
I set it up (no substrate), I threw
in a couple PVC 'tubes' for
hiding and one of those free plastic
plants that come with buckets of IO
for aesthetics (just kidding). Next,
I 'seeded' the filter's
sponge by letting it float in the sump
of my reef for a few days, dropped
in a pinch of mysis to keep things
live, and I was good to go. |
| When
quarantining a fish, I will change
about 1/3 of the water daily and replace
it with tank water as opposed to new
water. Also, I will only medicate if
the fish shows signs of disease. If
not, I will keep the fish isolated
for about three weeks. This seems to
work very well as my 'new' Copperband
came in a little beat up and not eating
(Apparently, FedEx now interprets 'Priority' as
meaning whatever they deem as their
own). For the first 24 hours I simply
covered the tank with a towel and let
the poor guy chill. Then I began a
feeding program beginning with gooseneck
clams, oysters, and mussels. Once I
got it eating, I gradually weaned it
to PE mysis soaked in Selcon. After
a couple weeks, it had totally regained
its strength and by the time I added
it to the |
|
reeftank, it could
easily handle the abuse heaped upon
it by the 'welcoming committee
(Tangs). I'm convinced that
without quarantine, this fish also
would've died. It has practically
paid for itself already. Unfortunately,
my workroom is so cramped, I can
only get a shot of the tank in its
place.  It's
the smaller one there in front of
the refugium. |
In other news, I have given up
in my quest to keep fairy wrasse,
hogfish, and any other fish that
jumps or can be made to jump by my
Pseudochromis. This is due to the
death of my Peppermint Hogfish whom
I discovered baking ATOP my eggcrate
one morning late last Spring, having
managed to jump through it somehow.
This is not the first time one of
my fish has done this (see Spring '03
update; Fish). I've also removed
the eggcrate by the way. The tank
is noticeably brighter.
Otherwise… |
Anthias Go!
Anybody know how long these guys live in the wild? I'm asking because
after keeping my shoal for nearly four years, I've had an unusually
high number of losses in the last six months. At last count, I now have
7 Bartletts and 3 Bicolors, having lost 3 and 1 respectively. My 'unidentified' (squamipinnis
color variant) Anthias has also died. The remaining fish are doing as well
as ever, which makes me wonder if my casualties are due to old age rather
than disease. |
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