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I am bawling my eyes out right now. Since I posted the note I came down with a terrible virus (102+ temp for the last four days…) While I couldn\’t get my head out of the toilet my poor seahorse died…but let me back up..
First…I did the 25% water change out….this killed my anomone…no great loss due to my now having knowledge that anemone and seahorses aren\’t good tankmates….however…in the process of panicing to get the decaying anomone out I managed to suction out 30% of my tank water. I don\’t have any \"seasoned water\" to go into the tank so I tank…so I think…well…I\’ll just let what will be …. be. And then I get really really sick. That was last Sunday…today is the first day I have been able to sit at the computer and I am posting this because I just scooped out my precious little seahorse. I just tried to target feed the other one and it wouldn\’t eat.
To top it all off….even if I did start to get \"cycled\" water into process…it would be at least three days from now before I could put it in the tank and I am supposed to fly out to the west coast in two days…I won\’t be back till this Sunday. The people I have staying at my house know NOTHING about saltwater tanks.
I am thinking of calling the LFS and asking if they would just take everything back. I know they won\’t…
As for my tank cycling issues….I tried damsels and they died fairly early in the process…(put them in around 4wks cycling) Then I waited 7weeks and tried another damsel and it did great for a week so I took it back and got a yellow tang….it is still living in the tank and seems well.
I don\’t know why I thought I could handle a saltwater tank muchless seahorses.
🙁
deb (who is going back to bed)
Dear Deb:
I’m sorry to hear about all the problems you’ve been having lately. It sounds like you’ve really been going through a difficult situation, much of which was completely beyond your control. Try not to get too discouraged by all the adversity. You can’t help it if a serious illness laid you up at the worst possible time.
Cycling problems are very commonplace, Deb. In fact, it is so common to lose specimens to ammonia and/or nitrite spikes when cycling a new aquarium that the phenomenon has a name — such deaths are ascribed to "new tank syndrome." Once your aquarium has cycled properly and the biofiltration is well established, you are going to find it much easier to keep seahorses and other marine fish healthy and happy in a mature, stable aquarium.
When making water changes to combat ammonia spikes, it’s more important to get clean, freshly mixed saltwater with zero ammonia and zero nitrites into the aquarium quickly than it is to make sure that the water is well reached beforehand. Dangerous ammonia levels are an emergency situation, so don’t hesitate to take shortcuts if it proves necessary. Just go ahead and complete your water change if you are up to it before you leave for your trip and hope for the best. Your biofiltration may well have adjusted to the heavier bioload by the time you return, and then you’ll have a cycled aquarium all ready to go waiting for you when you get back. Once that happens, all your problems will be minimized.
Hang in there in the meantime, Deb. I can assure you better days are ahead for you and your seahorses.
Respectfully,
Pete GiwojnaHi Deb,
I agree with all the others!! A few bad circumstances came together and "all H*LL broke loose!".
Believe me, I’m sure almost all of us has had casualties at one time or another for various reasons!!
Last year when I started I did great in cycling my tank, had everything running great!! I was so excited as a newbie and still got things going. BUT…. than one fish after another died. I got more, again, deaths…. it took me like 4 months and 150 dollars worth of sushi to find out it was my coral banded shrimp that was preying on my fish. Everywhere I read it said they are harmless, yeah right!! My LFS was helpful and took him back, after that no deaths…
Except for my scooter blennies…. they seemed to be starving to death. I even had one expert tell me that would always eventually happen. Til I talked to my LFS guy and he said try this.. and gave me some blood worms… I’m like, you do know this is a salt water tank… he said "trust me.." The little guy LOVES them and eats like 6-7 a feeding and has a round little belly (compared to the sunken in ones the others always had when I was feeding them shrimp). I have to be careful as to make sure the worms don’t make my water go bad. But, I take out the excess and have a huge clean up crew in the tank to get what I missed and up until now everything seems to be fine. I know a few people out there will be crinching at the thought…
Than of course my first two seahorses…… they were wild caught and I didn’t know it. Well, you probably know how that went.
My advice, yes bring back what is still alive to your LFS. Go on your trip, and when you come back take a deep breath and start again. The people on this site are great and there is sooooo much knowledge here!! They walked me through it and we’ll all walk you through it one step at a time.
You will need a bit of patience in the beginning, but believe me it is worth the wait!!
Hope you are feeling better!!
Christine
and she was not very nice about it… made me feel like it was all my fault…which I guess ultimately it is.
Whatever. Anyway, my trip out west is canceled…I am just to sick. The LFS said they would take back all animals…my husband is going to help me bag them up and he is going to drive them back over to the store today.
🙁
I am going to get well first…then see how I feel about trying again. You guys are so good to write back to me and help me understand what went wrong and that sometimes the dam just breaks.
Luck and love to all. I’ll post again when I get well enough to start thinking about ANYTHING other than tylenol and ice.
deb
Hey Deb,
Don’t worry about them… if they get bitchy about taking them back than I wouldn’t have much confindence in them. My LFS is always willing to take things back. I just had an incedent where I am afraid one of my corals might not make it. They said if I see signs of deteriation to bring it in right away and they will try and help get it back on its feet.
I haven’t had to yet, but it’s great that they are willing to do that. You’d think they’d all be more concerned that the animals live…
Anyways. I wanted to post and forgot the first time I wrote. I don’t mix my own salt water, I buy it from my LFS. Just incase you didn’t know that. A lot of LFS offer the service.
I worry that I don’t do it right and also I can go get it right when I need it and don’t have to wait a few days til it’s ok to use.
Just thought I’d let you know.
Hope you’ll be back soon.
Christine
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