Success Rate?

[ladypheesh]

So I feel like I am failing as a fish keeper... we only have a 57% success rate so far with our saltwater fish. ( I wish I could keep them the way I keep guppies... I actually have too many of the darn things!)

anyway, I just wanted to see how everyone else is doing. We have been patient with our tank and do things pretty much by the book, but still have had some trouble. I know it's part of the hobby but it's sad to see them die. So how have you done?

[lightcs4]

I've done well with fish but always get fairly easy to care for species. I had two damsels for a couple years and brought one back to the LFS when I moved up to the 46 gal. tank. I just started with corals and it seems that they will bring my success rate way down .

[ccCapt]

That's sort of a tricky question. How long does the fish have to live before you consider it a success? I had a watchman goby live 13 yrs, lawnmower blenny 9 yrs, coral beauty 6 yrs, but I've had anthias that mysterously died after a year.

[ladypheesh]

Good question.... I guess it's open to interpretation but I mostly meant in the short term, like maybe a year? I know there are different lifespans for different fish etc. etc. and lots of other factors.

[yote]

I consider myself fairly lucky with my fish.I've only lost:
1 foxface to carpet surfing
1 yellow tang,Brought it home from the LFS still in the bag it was shipped in.
and
1 copperband butterfly.I think a rock slide got him,but cant be 100% sure of that.

[cthegame]

This poll confuses me. How do i determine the % of success?

[Altohombre]

thread fail! jk, I think it is a fun question, just needs the details to be set.

[Melonbob]

I am a failure in my eyes when it comes to fish. I've lost one clown, two gobies and an anthias in 10 mths. Corals however, I've only lost one frogspawn, one aussie gorgonian and a plate. Two of those were victims of a nasty coral beauty

[Bifferwine]

I've lost wayyyyy more corals than fish. I seem to do okay with fish. Very few of mine have died of "mystery" causes. For example, most of the ones I've had that have died have been jumpers... Overall, I haven't lost that many in the grand scheme of things (considering I have 30 in my tank now).

[ladypheesh]

okay let's just say that a success is a fish that lives until the end of a fairly normal lifespan or is still alive now. If it died before you think it should have or there was illness or accident = fail. If it died because it was old = success.