Damsel and Chromis questions

[anniebanana267]

Hello, I’m cycling my tank and the ammonia’s ranging between 2-4 ppm. I bought a damsel fish and a chromis from my local fish store because the worker said they were hardy and would be fine through the cycle. I purchased a bottle of “complete bioculture - for establishing biological filtration and rapidly improving water quality in all marine and freshwater aquaria”. I also purchased a small container of fish pellets. Picture of both included. I just want to make sure I’m doing everything right. Please help! 

(I also have a trochus snail, 2 stomatella snails, and a baby peppermint shrimp.)

[RayWhisperer]

Well, mistakes have been made. 

 

Cycling a tank with fish is pretty much a no no. They are hardy species, but it’s just cruel. Best advice, take everything back. This may not be something your lfs will do. In which case, I’d suggest daily water changes, to keep the ammonia levels tolerable.

 

Now, the good news. Your peppermint shrimp will probably die if you don’t do anything. Good news? Yep. They are pretty useless, as far as shrimp go. If you ever get corals, you’ll understand why.

 

the trochus will probably die, too. That’s bad news. 

 

The microbacter wont hurt. My question is. What kind of rock do you have? Was it uncured live rock, or dry rock?

[Clown79]

Don't trust lfs advice. They are sales people not educators.

 

Ya, cycling with fish is an old school method that is cruel.

 

Ammonia kills. At 2-4 ppm you have a ways to go for the ammonia to process.

 

That's a lot of livestock in a new tank, let alone one cycling.

 

Daily waterchanges will reduce the ammonia or use seachem prime to detoxify it.

 

 

[anniebanana267]

Thank you both for all your help. My lfs did not accept returns. The two fish are doing fine, but my I found my baby shrimp dead on the sand when I got home yesterday ); I’ve added the bacteria and I checked my ammonia and it’s down to 1-2 ppm. Either the bacteria is working or I’m just really lucky. I’m worried about the nitrite, which is at the max my test kit would read which was I think 5. 

The rocks I bought were 16 lbs live reef rock from a tank at my lfs. I don’t know if it was cured or not, I assumed it was cured for the price it was and it being from a fish store. I didn’t know there was a possibility it could be not cured. 

I didn’t know it was cruel, I’m sorry. I love animals and I would never do this if I knew it was torture for them. 

If I can’t trust fish store employees, who can I trust? How exactly do I find a fish educator? 

Thanks in advance. 

[RayWhisperer]

First, let me start by saying LFS’ get a bad rap. (This isn’t just for you, it’s more for everyone, because we all love to bitch.) In truth, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I used to see it everytime I walked into my LFS. Someone comes in, wants everything in one day. Owner says “ Sorry, you can’t do that.” Customer walks out, goes to petco, or petsmart down the road and walks out with everything in one day, never to return to the original LFS. Or, even worse, only goes back to ask why everything died, gets the advice, and goes back to petco, or wherever, and buys what they want cheaper. Does this 3, maybe 4 times, then gives up. Why shouldn’t the LFS take your money, if you’re willing to throw it away? They are struggling. Between big chain pet shops, online sales, and swaps, LFS’ are a dying breed. We all love to window shop, but that doesn’t pay their bills. In my area alone, at least 50-60% of the LFS’ have gone the way of the dinosaur, in the last 10 years. 

 

As for your questions... You came here seeking advice. We can help. However, you’ve got some learning to do, first. And I doubt anyone has the time to type out paragraphs of info for you. Save your questions for specifics. First, do some light reading to get yourself up to speed. Some of these are quite dated, but contain relevant information, some are brand new and being updated as we speak.

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/livestock/live-rock-selection-r12/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/cycling-your-tank-r8/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/maintaining-a-nano-reef-r6/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/the-basics-of-setting-up-a-nano-reef-r30/

These, and several other articles can be found in the library, here. I suggest you read these, plus a few others located on page 3 of the library. As I said, some are dated, but it doesn’t make them less relevant.

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, RayWhisperer said:

First, let me start by saying LFS’ get a bad rap. (This isn’t just for you, it’s more for everyone, because we all love to bitch.) In truth, they are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I used to see it everytime I walked into my LFS. Someone comes in, wants everything in one day. Owner says “ Sorry, you can’t do that.” Customer walks out, goes to petco, or petsmart down the road and walks out with everything in one day, never to return to the original LFS. Or, even worse, only goes back to ask why everything died, gets the advice, and goes back to petco, or wherever, and buys what they want cheaper. Does this 3, maybe 4 times, then gives up. Why shouldn’t the LFS take your money, if you’re willing to throw it away? They are struggling. Between big chain pet shops, online sales, and swaps, LFS’ are a dying breed. We all love to window shop, but that doesn’t pay their bills. In my area alone, at least 50-60% of the LFS’ have gone the way of the dinosaur, in the last 10 years. 

 

As for your questions... You came here seeking advice. We can help. However, you’ve got some learning to do, first. And I doubt anyone has the time to type out paragraphs of info for you. Save your questions for specifics. First, do some light reading to get yourself up to speed. Some of these are quite dated, but contain relevant information, some are brand new and being updated as we speak.

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/livestock/live-rock-selection-r12/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/cycling-your-tank-r8/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/maintaining-a-nano-reef-r6/

https://www.nano-reef.com/articles/beginners/the-basics-of-setting-up-a-nano-reef-r30/

These, and several other articles can be found in the library, here. I suggest you read these, plus a few others located on page 3 of the library. As I said, some are dated, but it doesn’t make them less relevant.

I agree they get a bad rap. Sometimes it's not their fault but the consumers fault.

 

It's a business and to stay afloat, they need to sell. That's how all business is. 

 

If someone chooses to go into a lfs without researching anything prior, its not the store or it's employees fault  ppl purchase the wrong items or do things incorrectly.

 

Stores are busy and there is far too much in depth info on reef keeping for them to educate properly in a  10mins conversation.

 

6 hours ago, anniebanana267 said:

Thank you both for all your help. My lfs did not accept returns. The two fish are doing fine, but my I found my baby shrimp dead on the sand when I got home yesterday ); I’ve added the bacteria and I checked my ammonia and it’s down to 1-2 ppm. Either the bacteria is working or I’m just really lucky. I’m worried about the nitrite, which is at the max my test kit would read which was I think 5. 

The rocks I bought were 16 lbs live reef rock from a tank at my lfs. I don’t know if it was cured or not, I assumed it was cured for the price it was and it being from a fish store. I didn’t know there was a possibility it could be not cured. 

I didn’t know it was cruel, I’m sorry. I love animals and I would never do this if I knew it was torture for them. 

If I can’t trust fish store employees, who can I trust? How exactly do I find a fish educator? 

Thanks in advance. 

With the internet and the amount of forums and articles, there really isn't  need to rely on the lfs advice or education. The amount of info on reef keeping is far too much.

 

The best advice is research and do lots of it.

 

There is the forum; read beginners section, sticky threads, journals

 

Brs videos, articles online.

 

 

Cycling 

Water chemistry 

Maintenance 

Lighting

Testing

Corals

[anniebanana267]

Thanks so much. I’ve done tons of research but I guess I’ll just have to continue looking.  

[WV Reefer]

3 minutes ago, anniebanana267 said:

Thanks so much. I’ve done tons of research but I guess I’ll just have to continue looking.  

Research, research, research. Most times when someone mentions how much research they have done, it’s not nearly enough. lol  Every topic in the beginner thread starts with, “I’ve done my research and.......”

 

@Clown79 has given you a great list of topics to start reading and I agree that the BRS video series is a great tool as well. 

 

Good luck and just keep asking questions.