Help! 911

seanslice

Save Taiji Dolphins!
So the LFS in the area does water changes & cleanings. The only place in town actually that has SW fish. They changed the water and cleaned the tank today.

They also suggested getting a bubbletip anemone and recommended we look at some new fish they were actually just getting in. So I did, got a bubbletip, yellow tang, and feather duster. Seemed fined. Bubbletip seemed great!

That was at 2 pm today. It's now 10:30. the Anemone is dead with bits and pieces of it EVERYWHERE. My blue tang is acting VERY STRANGE. Cannot hold herself up and leaning on rocks.

WHAT SHOULD I DOO?
 
Anemones do not usually survive in tanks that are young, or tanks that have insufficient lighting. They usually won't survive in tanks that have been set up for less than a year. Your tank has been set up for only a month or two.

Unfortunately, when anemones die, they release all their stinging cells into the water, which oftentimes crashes the whole tank and kills everything else in it. It sounds like that is what is happening to you. That sucks! Anemones are very dangerous animals to keep, especially if you are inexperienced in the hobby.

You need to do some severe water changes. I'd do at least 50% of your tank's volume. Fish out any pieces of the nem you can. Run carbon in a filter if you have some available.

From now on, you should probably take charge of your own tank. If someone else is doing the work for you, you never really know for sure what is going on. And then they'll give you bad advice like this, in order to sell you stuff. It's not your fault that you followed their advice; you trusted their professional opinion. But it is always prudent to remember that LFSs are BUSINESSES, out to make MONEY. And if your tank crashes, chances are you'll have to go back to their store to replace all your animals that died! It sounds harsh, but unfortunately it's true. There are plenty of LFSs out there wanting to sell you stuff that they know is not right for your tank just so they can make money off of you. You will save money and learn so much more about your tank if you do your own water changes and maintenance. And always research any new animal you are thinking of adding! So many people add anemones without researching how difficult they are to keep, and then they experience bad stuff like you have because of that poorly thought out addition.

There's no way any legitimate LFS would have tried to sell you an anemone for a tank that was set up less than two months ago. No way.
 
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Find a new LFS!!!!
Anenomes are very dificult and can kill everything in a tank if they die. You tank has been set up since march? They need a very stable environment to survive. Usually only well established tanks of a year or so will allow anenomes to live.

Sounds like the LFS is just trying to sell you stuff, not help you understand what is going on.

Sorry to hear about your loss. If you can, do a waterchange and get the bits of the nem out.
 
I have metal halide lighting. and it seemed thriving. I don't think I can do a 50% change tonight. I just did 30% today.
 
+1 on biff & BJ

Will the company take any responsibility for this?? You should tell them that after you did research they should not have set you up lilke that. I'd complain like crazy. If you rely solely on your LFS for advice without doing your own research, they will take advantage of your lack of knowledge. It is about the bottom line with them. You should have them come back out tomorrow and fix this mess. SOrry to hear about your troubles :( Hang in there!
 
hopefully you can turn everything around Sean, that really sucks and can be tough especially when you're first starting out.
 
Should i dispose of the piece of live rock that the anemone was on? Any idea if there is any place to get salt this time of night? Wal-mart?
 
Sean run carbon ASAP, that they do have a walmart. Even if you just hang a bag of it in the tank its better than nothing.
 
I pulled the anemone off the rock. The rock is sitting in the utility sink. Not sure if it is ok to put back in the tank or not.
 
It should be fine to put in, just make sure that none of the parts that came off the anemone are still on it before you do
 
Dori.jpg


I love her... She seems to be in really bad shape. She was in the corner with her face down in the sand. I moved her where she is perched against a rock. It is so hard to watch her suffer.
 
I'm sorry your fish is doing poorly. This must be heartbreaking for you. :cry: We are all pulling for her! Hopefully she will turn around.

If it does get to the point where you are sure she is not going to make it and she is just needlessly suffering, I am an advocate of euthanizing fish as humanely as possible. I've had to do it to a couple fish of my own, and it's a tough thing to do, but much better for the fish than to let them suffer.
 
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