I waited 6 weeks to put anything in the tank (except live rock and sand..snails etc). I bought 2 chromas and 5 yellow damsels from some store and the chromas started gasping and died within 12 hours (it was part of a new shipment). The damsels were all breathing very quickly and have been dying slowly (they turn blue on the top and then croak). I have 1 left and he is turning blue :cry: .

I also added a (from a new shipment) a couple of clowns, a wrasse , a coral beauty and a sebae. The anglefish looked good, was eating and lasted 1 day...and the sebae keeps squiggling away and getting stuck in dark spots of the tank it is looking unhealthly.
I have my eye on another coral beauty and a couple of yellow tailed damsels that I am going to try. They have been in the store for just about 2 weeks and they seem to be breathing ok and look good.

I'm not hoping for a repeat performance.

I appreciate you coming to Ross' defense Bob, but I lost 2 fish over 6 months, not 8 fish in 2 weeks. Perhaps some extra caution and patience should be advised?

Ross, sorry to hear of these losses. As a guideline, I waited 2 months to add a pair of tiny clownfishes. My first 3 corals also came at about that time. This was in a 90 gallon. Even though your large tank should have an easier time adjusting to a new bioload, even one fish can offset the balance of a system, established or not.

Yes, adding a bunch of fish at once is almost a certain recipe for disaster, especially in such a young tank. :cry:

Good point Alan. Sounds like lots of "new-comers" in a short period of time. Sorry to hear you had some losses Ross. Hey Bob, where did ya' buy the Royal Gramma ? Is it that store at the end of Edmonton Tr. ? :?
(everyone seems relucctant to mention names anymore... :wink: ) I was at Pisces and Big Als last night in search of a R.G. and Big Als had none and Pisces had a couple. I didn't take one home as they both appeared to have "equilibrium problems". Looked fine otherwise. These fish do display some rather "odd" antics(Sp?) though in defense of their territory. My recently bought Lemon Peel and Yellow Tang from Pisces are both doing great.
ps. Alan, let me know what you'd like for some "blue 'shrooms".

A good home for them. :wink:

You got PM.

.

Must have been there just before you, as they had three when I got mine. He acted normally when I got him home, he ate right away, and did not hide. Today of course he is in hiding or dead. :x

Just something to consider Bob, since you are not skimming, oxygenation can be a real issue and might be something to consider if you continue to experience fish losses.

Good point Deb! I never thought of that

Just something to get a good flame thread going :wink: Gas exchange happens at the surface of an aquarium. I have forgotten what that layer is called. No matter how many bubbles you pump into a tank, you will not increase oxygen levels. That as I said is done with surface agitation. In addition I do not believe adding one small fish into a no-fish 20 gallon well aerated tank is likely to cause oxygen starvation. But hey, thanks for the thought anyway. 8)

Oh and BTW he is not dead, just hiding. I saw his head peeping out from a rock, and he is still breathing. :D :D

Why would you see it as that Bob ? :? Are you totally closed to any information that may be beneficial for your livestock? :? That seems to be an odd position to take. :cry:

Do you think I just make this stuff up ? :?