Need Help, New Brackish Tank Cycling w/ Fish.

[invertebrater]

Hi All,

Yesterday we decided to clean out my old fish tank a 10g with a Whisper 10i. Added about 6 gallons of water and some NovAqua Plus water conditioner, StressZyme+, and Amquel+Plus. We then let the tank sit there for about a few hours running before deciding to go get some fish (forgetting that we had to cycle the tank first :headshake2. So, we purchased a Dwarf Puffer, a Moon Crab, 15 guppies, and 8 ghost shrimp added some Aquarium Salt enough for 6 gallons of water. We let the tank sit over night and this morning the water was a cloudy white. And the Dwarf Puffer seemed stressed with it's tail curled in the corner of the tank. So worried, I tested the water it read high Ph, low to no chlorine, and read high in ammonia (does the Amquel+Plus affect modified nessler reagent type of test?). So I then did a 50% water change, and the water is not so cloudy anymore. From what I've read this was a bacteria bloom, and I'm not so sure if it's a good thing or bad thing from what I've been reading. Do I keep changing the water? Keep adding aquarium salt as I change change the water? Keep adding Amquel+Plus? As for the Ph I have added the Ph down and will keep testing every day and adusting it for 7.0. Please give any tips you think will help save the fish. Thanks in advance! :help:

 

[Sploke]

First off, the dwarf puffer is stressed because it is not a brackish fish. They are one of the freshwater puffers.

Second, you can't make brackish water with aquarium salt - you need to use marine mix salt.

Third, don't monkey with the pH with chemicals. You are likely to cause more problems than solve.

Start off with reading this: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125699 It should give you a good idea on how to properly go about getting a brackish tank going.

The moon crab should probably go, as they are mainly land dwellers.

If you want to keep the puffer, I would turn the tank into a full freshwater tank. The ghost shrimp and guppies will do fine in full FW. If you want a true brackish tank, I would look into more appropriate species.

 

[jpappy789]

I agree with sploke completely. All AQ salt does is treat ich and raise TDS. Other than that its necessary IMO.

 

[evelyn80]

agree with sploke everything he said

 

[crazyryceman]

I agree also. But your puffer kind of looks like a green spotted puffer, which is a brackish (eventually salt) puffer

 

[invertebrater]

it could be a green spotted puffer, ill take a better picture of it later and see what you guys think. thanks for the advice! i will be moving my moon crab to another 10g im currently setting up with a sand environment for him and another one ill be purchasing soon.

 

[Mokomon]

It looks like a GSP to me, too

 

[JamieR]

Owww it is a GSP. Just like mine. (I'll try to post my pic of Puff G) Use a refracotometer for your SG. He or she should be in BW...start out at SG of 08. I feel that you have a GSP as I do that there is a smaller species of the GSP puffer family. It's my thoughts, along with others who keep these lovable lil guys. either way... we are very fortunate....

Just make sure, no matter what, to give them very small crunchy stuff,...snails for etc.

 

[invertebrater]

update..

hey again,

i want to start by thanking you for your replies. i recieved a good deal of information on the new pets i have acquired. here are some pictures of my crab and better pictures of the green spotted puffer. i moved the ornament to extend the cliff for the crab for the time being. he seems to enjoy it up there. i will soon be putting together a better habitat for him in another 10g tank by making a dam with some pond pebbles. i'll be using aquarium sealant to hold the pebbles together and general sand as a substrate to create a shore like environment. my old whisper 10i will be used as the filtration method and to create some water flow for the crab tank.

as for the green spotted puffer's tank, i'm going to use a new whisper 10i and will be buying a refracoto meter, marine salt, and maybe even an ammonia monitor. i have both filters in the green spotted puffer's tank so that both can be cycled. both the whisper 10i's now have substrate from my 125g tank to speed up the beneficial bacteria growth.

*can you see the ghost shrimp right in front of the GSP? they arent scared of her at all. :thumbsup:

 

[Sploke]

Alright, with those pictures, yes, your puffer is a GSP. I keep mine in a 75gal, at a specific gravity of 1.012. They can go full marine as adults (there is come debate as to whether this is absolutely necessary or not - mine will be making the transition).

Also, your crab is not a moon crab - its a regular red-clawed crab, Perisesarma bidens. Care for them is similar to fiddler crabs - brackish aquatic environment with access to land. However, if you keep it with the puffer it will end up being lunch sooner or later so if you plan on keeping it for a while, a new tank will be required anyway. The puffer will also end up eating the ghost shrimp as well.

Check out this care sheet on GSPs for a crash course. Its good that you're willing to get an appropriate habitat for them, I would look at getting the marine salt and everything as soon as you can.

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/