New To Salt.

[topthrill]

hi my name is josh and im obsesed with roller coasters. ^ my name is short " top thrill dragster" at cedar point.
and i just set up a saltwater tank in my room. i have never had a salt tank before and people tell me its hard but i think im off to a good start.

my tank is 8 gallons wich i know should be bigger, i have grownd coral wich is starting to turn slightly red, i have two peices of live rock, all the chemical levls are close to perfect( exept for nitrate) but all levels are safe, and i have one fish. my fish is a figi devil wich is a damsel
http://www.animal-world.com/encyclo/Articles/Marine/DevilsWeShouldLove/BlueDevil_Similar3_Ap1
thats a pic from google. and i am sort of worrried about this litttle guy and want some advice

my fish is very shy and always hides behind a rock when i even walk into my room. :unsure: is this normal for a fish with no partner ? is there anny way i can help him feel at home? i feed him when i walk in the room sometimes and i sit and watch him eat hopeing he will get the connection that it gave him food and im not going to hurt him. i hope he feels safe soon. this is his 2nd full day with me.

thanks for the advise

topthrill, josh

 

[SkiFletch]

Hey Josh, to the saltwater world. Many fish in the hobby will dart behind rocks or go for cover when they see us enter the room. My bar goby does this all the time. Its a natural response for them so I wouldnt be too concerned. The fish may gradually get used to your presence, but dont count on it. Also, your pic isnt working, might want to see if you can get that going

BTW, fantastic coaster. Got to ride it last year, man was it fun

 

[topthrill]

im hopeing my fish will be happy once i get annother fish. im hoping on getting a clown in maby a week or two. but i wanted to start with a 5$ fish incase i screw up.

i guess you can se why i love TTD, i have been on it 5 times now. and i live 9 hours from cedar point! but i go to six flags grate adventure all the time.

BTW, heres the pic :

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, great coaster, I'm only 4 hours from it . A word of caution about that fish, damsels are VERY territorial and will probably not tolerate another fish added to the tank. It'll harrass a new addition to death in a small tank like yours. Also, you probably shouldn't be adding another fish to a mere 8 gallon tank. You should be sticking to one, MAYBE two.

 

[Chac]

May actually be a better idea removing the damsel & adding either a Single or Pair of Clowns

 

[topthrill]

if i add some more live rock im sure he cant call all of that his teritory. and i dont think he can eat/harm another fish if its just as big as him.

 

[Chac]

8 Gallons aint a lot of territory & the damsel will see it as his domain

 

[topthrill]

i got sorof freaked about a secound ago . i walk into my room and i cant see my fish( as normal) but then i tide to look for him. he was nowhare in sight. . i was like " how can a fish get out of a tank? did he die and get sucked up in the filter? i sure hope not. . but then i saw a ittle head poke out of the live rock it looks like he dug himself a little cave.

 

[boshank23]

i would deffinatly not keep a clown with a damsel, they are seriously teritorial. in the wild they have teritorys of about 50cm square of reef, they have even been know to attack divers for coming into their patch.

 

[callum_parsons]

just thought i would say i love rollar coasters as well alton towers (england) is like a second home just love the thrill of it. best invintion ever

 

[topthrill]

oh alton towers, i wish i could go there one day, when im older. i live in pennsleyvaina so i dont think alton towers would be reasonable dirving distance JK. i know about there problem with hight (the tree level thing) and i think they were prety creative in geting around that. expesaly with oblivion and Reta. your lucky you live near a great park, have you been to black pool or hide park? i know those are in england too