Pump Malfunctioned- Help!

[Sancho]

I'm so so sorry, M. This stuff happens and in many cases, it's just beyond our control. I had a pair of Coral crouchers - Dot and Bob. They needed target feeding so I really enjoyed them. Well, one day, Dot jumped and I found her crispy on the tank stand . Then a few weeks ago, I found Bob laying on the sand bed with sting marks all over him. My Pom Pom crab had been hanging out close to Bob and I didn't think much of it, but with the sting mark, I'm pretty sure the pom's anemones got him. It was sad and heartbreaking so I can totally understand your pain!

Seriously Bob is dead?

 

 

I am going to 100% - Gosh these learning lessons are the WORST. After the crappy Ich 7 months ago I thought I finally was in a good place. Fish happy, corals thriving and most important Picassa eating frozen. Just when I was feeling confident... BOOM slapped down to 0 :-(

I just wish each learning lesson didn't mean fish dying. Yesterday was such a sad day and I kept hoping Picassa would pull through. Removing her today was certainly my saddest fish moment :-(

This sucks.......I am sorry to hear about it. Did you figure out what caused the hose to come off the pump? I use these on my tanks

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9227&cmpid=11cseYY&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnKzABRDy2pb7nPSazdsBEiQAI4lZQAhG0EdnHs4PxUBF506IK2nb5ixdh8hRBNBUic9ittEaAh1R8P8HAQ I have had issues with the soft tubing comming off pumps in the past. You might want to look into a more rigid return hose. they sell all sizes at Aquatic Warehouse.

[Clown79]

You are so right. We only have so much control. Its a whole ecosystem, where things happen that we can't control.

 

I lost my blenny over night. It was healthy and I really enjoyed the interaction with it. Quite a personality on him. I still wonder if my pom pom did him in because he was fine until i saw the pom pom drag him outta his home. I was very unhappy at the loss.

[ReefWeeds]

Seriously Bob is dead?

 

 

 

This sucks.......I am sorry to hear about it. Did you figure out what caused the hose to come off the pump? I use these on my tanks

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9227&cmpid=11cseYY&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnKzABRDy2pb7nPSazdsBEiQAI4lZQAhG0EdnHs4PxUBF506IK2nb5ixdh8hRBNBUic9ittEaAh1R8P8HAQ I have had issues with the soft tubing comming off pumps in the past. You might want to look into a more rigid return hose. they sell all sizes at Aquatic Warehouse.

 

Yes it bothered me so much I haven't posted in my macro build. He would swim to the surface and visit me whenever I was near the tank. He would see me when I walked in the room and start swimming in circles. That fish was awesome.

You are so right. We only have so much control. Its a whole ecosystem, where things happen that we can't control.

I lost my blenny over night. It was healthy and I really enjoyed the interaction with it. Quite a personality on him. I still wonder if my pom pom did him in because he was fine until i saw the pom pom drag him outta his home. I was very unhappy at the loss.

Yeah I now wonder if those are like super anemones or something! I'm sorry about your blenny

[msparklym13]

I'm so sorry you lost Picassa. Its not dorky, most of us get attached to our fishy friends.

Thank you. I was just so proud of her. Fighting tears again because when I (wrongly) got Picassa I thought she would thrive. When she didn't I began spending nights reading how to properly care for a Mandarin. I bought over 25 bags of pods the past few months, every food anyone recommended and then she finally decided to begin eating prepared food. As of last week she moved to the best milestone which was consuming preferred food in. No need for hand feeding anymore! Picassa would swim to the front, steal from a snail and get her fill until she was happy. I was just so thrilled I had finally found something plumping her up. When I woke up Friday morning I found her with my Neon Dottyback. He was dying and Picassa was also but had her flutter wing over him. She was the first in my tank and last to die.

Attached- shit picture but stayed next to my Dottyback. When he died he moved to a different area but my heart burst that she stayed near him.

[msparklym13]

I'm so so sorry, M. This stuff happens and in many cases, it's just beyond our control. I had a pair of Coral crouchers - Dot and Bob. They needed target feeding so I really enjoyed them. Well, one day, Dot jumped and I found her crispy on the tank stand . Then a few weeks ago, I found Bob laying on the sand bed with sting marks all over him. My Pom Pom crab had been hanging out close to Bob and I didn't think much of it, but with the sting mark, I'm pretty sure the pom's anemones got him. It was sad and heartbreaking so I can totally understand your pain!

OH NO Bob!! I am so sorry. I was just so upset Friday I tried to call in sick to work and cancel all my plans for the evening (My two best friends birthday). Mike (hubby) stepped in and said- OK you can't put your fish in front of your friends and life... I bucked up and made it happen but most people don't understand. Losing Picassa was definitely the hardest. The only good thing about losing the clowns (my own pep talk) is Cleo was a bastard. He had a bacteria infection a few months ago, I treated him and thought we would be BFF(Best fish friends- obvs). Instead he became Cujo in my tank - Biting me every time I was in the tank and it was stressful. I have been trying to combat the Aiptasia blooms and every time I was focusing he would be circling my arm ready to bite. My hand would be shaking watching him and trying to spot treat.

Those nasty pom's! I am really sorry about Bob. :-(

[ReefWeeds]

OH NO Bob!! I am so sorry. I was just so upset Friday I tried to call in sick to work and cancel all my plans for the evening (My two best friends birthday). Mike (hubby) stepped in and said- OK you can't put your fish in front of your friends and life... I bucked up and made it happen but most people don't understand. Losing Picassa was definitely the hardest. The only good thing about losing the clowns (my own pep talk) is Cleo was a bastard. He had a bacteria infection a few months ago, I treated him and thought we would be BFF(Best fish friends- obvs). Instead he became Cujo in my tank - Biting me every time I was in the tank and it was stressful. I have been trying to combat the Aiptasia blooms and every time I was focusing he would be circling my arm ready to bite. My hand would be shaking watching him and trying to spot treat.

Those nasty pom's! I am really sorry about Bob. :-(

Yeah just think of it as a new slate!!!

 

And thank you!! Sometimes there are just fish we get really attached to

[msparklym13]

Seriously Bob is dead?

 

 

This sucks.......I am sorry to hear about it. Did you figure out what caused the hose to come off the pump? I use these on my tanks

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9227&cmpid=11cseYY&gclid=Cj0KEQjwnKzABRDy2pb7nPSazdsBEiQAI4lZQAhG0EdnHs4PxUBF506IK2nb5ixdh8hRBNBUic9ittEaAh1R8P8HAQ I have had issues with the soft tubing comming off pumps in the past. You might want to look into a more rigid return hose. they sell all sizes at Aquatic Warehouse.

I haven't figured it out. The only thing I can think of is I turned the pump off when I was dumping a bag of pods in for Picassa. It was late and I turned off the pump to make certain the pods made it to the rock and the seaweed ball I have in the back. I was drowsy and turned everything back on an hour later only to face plant into bed. My guess is it came off then but we have a loud fan in our bedroom due to the heat. Clearly I am moving to a powerhead in tank for numerous reasons but this would have saved them.

You are so right. We only have so much control. Its a whole ecosystem, where things happen that we can't control.

 

I lost my blenny over night. It was healthy and I really enjoyed the interaction with it. Quite a personality on him. I still wonder if my pom pom did him in because he was fine until i saw the pom pom drag him outta his home. I was very unhappy at the loss.

So sorry about your Blenny :-(

Yeah just think of it as a new slate!!!

 

And thank you!! Sometimes there are just fish we get really attached to

A friend of mine asked me-- sooooo are you going to start again?

I just laughed. I am not a quitter!!! New slate, new learning lessons each time- You are fabulous!!!! :-)

[BulkRate]

I've personally seen a pom-pom crab take down a fish (in this case my ruby mandarin). Depending on where the crab was collected, it could be packing one or two tricnias - tiny anemones with a sting strong enough to cause issues for humans. Only way I'll ever stock one again is if it comes sans-anemones. A pity since the mutualism is half the appeal, but I care for my fish more.

 

Sorry to hear that things went so bad, so fast. It happens, and sadly you're not alone in terms of sudden significant setbacks due to seemingly insignificant malfunctions. Know that you're also not alone in folks wishing you well in your future reefing endeavors.

[lkoechle]

I'm sorry to hear about your fish. I think we get so attached to our fish because so completely reponsible for them in a way thats different from our other pets (heck, even our kids). We control the very oxygen they depend on. So, being that powerful over their lives, imo, gets us very, very attached. Not to mention all the hard work that goes in to a reef tank and the emotional attachment that begins with any difficult project.

 

I've cried and hated myself for lost fish. Even when it isn't my fault.

 

I haven't looked at your thread, so I don't know what your tank set up is, but like stella said, you can think of this as a new beginning.

 

I would build a new stand thats at height for an adult to look at (I think my stand was like 46 inches tall) and get a screen window kit from Lowes and make a screen top for your tank. Then you can leave the hood off, kids can't get in with massive effort, your dogs can't drink it, and your fish can't jump).

 

If it was me, I would also just build an entirely new tank for my "grieving" period

[msparklym13]

I'm sorry to hear about your fish. I think we get so attached to our fish because so completely reponsible for them in a way thats different from our other pets (heck, even our kids). We control the very oxygen they depend on. So, being that powerful over their lives, imo, gets us very, very attached. Not to mention all the hard work that goes in to a reef tank and the emotional attachment that begins with any difficult project.

 

I've cried and hated myself for lost fish. Even when it isn't my fault.

 

I haven't looked at your thread, so I don't know what your tank set up is, but like stella said, you can think of this as a new beginning.

 

I would build a new stand thats at height for an adult to look at (I think my stand was like 46 inches tall) and get a screen window kit from Lowes and make a screen top for your tank. Then you can leave the hood off, kids can't get in with massive effort, your dogs can't drink it, and your fish can't jump).

 

If it was me, I would also just build an entirely new tank for my "grieving" period

Thank you so much- I completely agree. I have dogs and kids. Of course they are my everything but I know everything in my tank depends on me in a different way. I went to my LFS today to have them check my perimeters again(I didn't trust myself). Everything came back fantastic- I had a small spike in Ammonia but everything else was in the correct zone. When I started talking about it I was fine but then I started choking up over my Mandarin. Lucky I was in the right company and they had been helping me for months. The guys were quick to give me their stories to make me feel better.

A bigger tank is the game plan. We will be moving into a new house in the next two years and instead of a new dining room table I asked for a large tank. Goal fish- Porcupine Puffer. It will be a big leap but at least I am learning and by then will be ready! The all in one systems (my BC) are great to start with but I keep upgrading and swapping out. I am so happy I went with AIO a year ago because I was overwhelmed with the "stuff" and probably wouldn't have moved forward, That said, I have visions of my bigger tank and creep on all the threads to find the right set up.