Total Novice!

[Kerri]

Hi there, we have a saltwater tank with a cleaner shrimp, couple of snails and a hermit crab what is missing.... fish! Every fish we purchase we kill!! Not on purpose, we check nitrites, phs etc (this part is left to my partner as i am not very technically minded, i just like to look at the pretty tank lol) A friend of ours also keeps saltwater fish and he is baffled as to why we are totally useless at this hobby. We recently purchased some live rock and since this has been in the tank we have a few more little friends appearing, little bug like creatures that look like minature shrimps, thin thread like worms, a coating of reddish webbing on the sand and what looks like a thin caterpillar (are these things harmful??) My partner wants to get rid of the tank (we've had it 6 months and i have grown attached to crabby and shrimpy) so i thought i would seek some advice so please any assistance would be greatly received.

Thanking you in advance.

 

[Lynden]

Well, I can't be sure as to what your problem is, but if you feel you just can't keep fish, why not have an invertebrate-only set up? Could be just as interesting and colourful as any other tank. Then, after the tank is fully established, you could try another fish. Just make sure it hasn't been cyanide-itized and is healthy on purchase.

-Lynden

 

[Kerri]

Well, I can't be sure as to what your problem is, but if you feel you just can't keep fish, why not have an invertebrate-only set up? Could be just as interesting and colourful as any other tank. Then, after the tank is fully established, you could try another fish. Just make sure it hasn't been cyanide-itized and is healthy on purchase.

-Lynden

Ok, cheers for that. Think we rushed into setting up a tank and not looking into things properly! I am going to sit on my computer (not literally) this afternoon and collate as much information as i can. Thanks again.

Kerri.

 

[Matty P]

Yeh invert only tanks are just as good as tanks with fish. Good luck.

 

[Kerri]

Yeh invert only tanks are just as good as tanks with fish. Good luck.

Thank you will give it a go.

Kerri.

Yeh invert only tanks are just as good as tanks with fish. Good luck.

Thank you will give it a go.

Kerri.

 

[karmagl]

You said you just got live rock was it already cured. And don't give up hope I have the same problem with my freshwater tank I can't keep a betta alive. Good luck

Ok one more thing. All of the things you are seeing in your tank are totally normal. What is your salinity specific gravity readying and what kind of fish have you tried so far? But I have all of those things in my tank little worms bugs the whole package.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

if you give us some more details of the tank we may be able to get to the root of the problem. can you give us the tank size, equipment used, amount of LR, filtration method, turnover of powerheads, water stats. that's a good start!

 

[afmo]

a coating of reddish webbing on the sand

could this be cyanobacteria?

 

[wflash3]

inverts like snails, hermits and shrimps are more sensitive to bad water than fish, it could just be the place where your getting your fish, try a new lfs store and see what happens, they may no be taking proper care of their fish

flash

 

[gigmeyer]

I agree with flash. Check out your lfs. The first additions to my tank were a dismal failure with no plausible explanation other than the care a large local chain vendor was taking of their tanks. I've been back to that store to browse many times and seen deplorable conditions in there tanks.

Since switching to a reputable lfs, I've had absolutely no problem with either fish or corals.

After failing with my first fish, I let the tank sit idle for 3+ weeks to help insure no parasitic problems as parasites should die off without hosts. Though it is not likely any were in the tank, it is probably a good idea anyway.

You'll read it often, but patience is key. Hang in there.

 

[Kerri]

Thanks for all the advice it is much appreciated and we are not going to give up!

 

[kkyyllee]

a coating of reddish webbing on the sand

could this be cyanobacteria?

sounds like cyano