Perculas not eating.

[ZGast]

Hi,
I am not a total novice but I still have so much to learn. I have on very successful 29g cube. No problems at all. Fish, crabs, snails, shrimp...all good. My issue is my 37g tall. It used to have the Marineland Hood Filter system (which I loved but apparently I was in the minority) so now I have hang-ons. All parameters are checking out. No problem with inverts, copepods are thriving, coraline growing on the rocks...fish not eating and dying. What am I doing wrong? I have not checked phosphate or calcium levels...I need a different test kit. Any insights? I am wondering if the hang-ons are just a losing proposition. Thanks for your input.

 

[Dexter]

I don't think that fish that's not eating is related to water parameters. When you got the fish did you qt them? Or maybe treated for internal parasites? It's a bit difficult to answer. Fish don't eat for many reasons. I had a tang before that stopped eating because he was bullied. Removed the bully and he started to eat again. Have you maybe tried feeding different foods?

 

[ZGast]

First, I am so grateful for your reply. Thank you! Tragically, this is my second set of Perculas for this tank. Lots of live rock, coraline growth, snails, shrimp, crabs and polyps are all thriving. These fish were the only ones in the tank. Could it be the lighting? I have an led set panel that duplicates penetrating blue light as well as (to the human eye) a white light that illuminates the tank. Is it possible those are overwhelming the fish? Also, since this is a 37 tall, I can only use hang-on filters. Not my favorite but the circulation is good along with my jets and algae blooms are minimal. My 29g cube...no problems. BUT a different filtering system. I don't use charcoal in the 29 and I have maintained that with the 37 because I assumed with the amount of live rock, it was not needed. In the 29 I have a Tang, an Oscellaris clown and a left over blue damsel I could not catch. I keep up with the 29 but I have not restocked it in over a year.
I had emerald crabs, skunk shrimp, an enormous blood shrimp for over two years ( he actually at out of my hand---ridiculous---I was so sad when I lost him) etc. I cannot understand what seems to have been such ease with this 29 and such total failure with this 37, which is such as nice 'portrait' style tank and easy to keep. Your insights are so appreciated and I look forward to applying any remedies you suggest. Take care.
Zaan

 

[Dexter]

I actually don't have any other thoughts...Clowns usually take easy to food. They not the most difficult to get eating. Maybe the only other thing is to try other fish and see what they do. Do you know if the fish ate before you bought them? Did you maybe ask the place or person to feed the fish before you bought them?

 

[ZGast]

I actually don't have any other thoughts...Clowns usually take easy to food. They not the most difficult to get eating. Maybe the only other thing is to try other fish and see what they do. Do you know if the fish ate before you bought them? Did you maybe ask the place or person to feed the fish before you bought them?

Hey Dexter,
I mail ordered these from LiveAquaria. I have ordered in the past and have generally had good luck...some losses but no more than local sellers. This is the second time I have had terrible outcomes. I did not qt them, assuming I did not need to but the tank was cycled with other inverts doing just fine so I thought there would be no problems. What is your take on the efficiency of hang-on filters? My wife feels it may have something to do with this. She was actually the one that turned me on to the salt hobby, and I really enjoy it having had general success. Just can't figure this out. In addition to the perculas I also lost my yellow head jawfish. Now the tank is back to an ammonia spike. Any other thoughts are appreciated. Take care.
Zaan

 

[Dexter]

We don't really use hangon filters here in SA. I would say almost all the tanks i know of use either a sump system or has some form of filtration build into the back of the tank. But i guess any type of filtration would do as long as it's setup properly and doing the job you would like it to do. Is it possible that you can post your water parameters if possible? Maybe theres a hidden message for us to figure out?????