Requesting Live Rock Cycle Advice

[ultness]

Alright I have a 28 gal Nano Cube. Started the tank about 3 weeks ago with 18 lbs of live rock.

I decided to migrate one of my brackish figure 8 puffer fish into this tank to help start the cycle. He has been extremely happy. I was going to keep him in the tank until I noticed the ammonia level start to pick up, then migrate him back to his other tank.

So far I have seen 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, and a PH of 78 - 80.

This past week has been very big on algae growth and I'm seeing algae on the rocks and glass.

The last day or so, my puffer has been acting very timid and I'm wondering if its something to do with the algae? Still 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate.

Does anyone have any clues about my puffer's timid behavior lately?
Also, what would you recommend I do with the algae growth that is starting to accumulate?

 

[seffieuk]

Figure 8s are brackish fish - put him back where he belongs

You seem to be uanaware that we do not cycle tanks with fish anymore, it is considered cruel!

We would love to see your tank and know a bit about you - I am sure the above is just a glich and as soon as you are aware you will put it right and start your salty journey fishless

Seffie x

with those stats, it looks like your tank has cycled - I suspect you used cured rock whcih wasn't out of water for long if at all

 

[ultness]

Figure 8s are brackish fish - put him back where he belongs

You seem to be uanaware that we do not cycle tanks with fish anymore, it is considered cruel!

We would love to see your tank and know a bit about you - I am sure the above is just a glich and as soon as you are aware you will put it right and start your salty journey fishless

Seffie x

with those stats, it looks like your tank has cycled - I suspect you used cured rock whcih wasn't out of water for long if at all

As I said, he would be removed at first inclination that ammonia levels were rising. If there is 0 ammonia there is zero cruelty, is that correct? Is there something about the cycle that I am missing or not understanding? It was my understanding that the fish are fine if the ammonia and nitrite are 0 or very low.

 

[SkiFletch]

I don't know enough about figure 8 puffers, but are they known to tolerate full marine salinity?

 

[ultness]

I don't know enough about figure 8 puffers, but are they known to tolerate full marine salinity?

I've read mixed interpretations from people. Many people believe they thrive in marine water salinity, others say a more brackish water is better. From my personal experience, I had the puffer in a fresh water tank at first, and he never seemed quite alert. When I put him into a brackish tank he seemed to become more alert and happy. Now that he is in the marine water tank he is the most alert and happy I have ever seen him. So I'm inclined to think marine water is fine for the figure 8. He's been happy for 3 weeks until just yesterday he started acting timid, ammonia and nitrite at 0.

 

[seffieuk]

I don't know enough about figure 8 puffers, but are they known to tolerate full marine salinity?

Tetraodon Bbiocellatus = F8 are known to live in freshwater and brackish upto and including SG of 1.005 but certainly below 1.010, as Neale Monks writes 'Fresh to moderatly brackish water (specific gravity below 1.010 ideally at 1.005). Now as far as I am concerned, Neale is THE guru for brackish fish and if he says they are not marine fish, then they are not marine!

having kept them myself, first in freshwater as that is how they had been kept at the lfs and then later at 1.005 I can observe that in freshwater, their colour was not so vibrent and they were not as active. When I slowly increased the SG, their colour intensified and they zoomed around the tank forever hunting. I once accidentally allowed the sg to creep up, they lost colour and became lethargic, hardly hunting at all.

So, you have the reason why the f8 is not acting as before - the SG is too high, as I said before, take him out and start to slowly bring the sg back down before it is too late - do this slowly or he will suffer from osmotic shock, this will need to be done over at least a week not a couple of days.

I am glad your intention was to remove the fish if the ammonia started to increase and apologise if I misunderstood that part of your post, however the fact still remains that you are keeping a brackish fish in marine conditions.

Please do something about it and then lets hear all about your journey to the salty side

Seffie x

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, if Neale Monks says 1.005-1.010 I'm also in. As Seffie says, he's "the man" on brackish stuff, so I'd tend to agree that the raised salinity is likely the culprite