The Puffer Forum

Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:<20ppm
SG: 1.022

80 Gallon with various snails, 2 Tomato Clownfish, 2 4-stripe Damselfish (10 days), and 2 GSP. Major aquascape overhaul and filter maintenance 2 weeks ago.

Suddenly this afternoon my smaller GSP looks lethargic and belly is staying black. Of the 2 he is always the active one patrolling the whole tank, and bullying any and everyone. He seems to be covering the whole tank now, but definitely preferring the top of the tank and dark corners away from the other fish. When I first noticed him, he was on his side in the top front left corner of the tank, and barely moving, enough that I could reach in and touch him. He may be okay, but I haven't seen this type of behavior from him in 3 years and I'm hoping someone has some insight as to possible causes or things to double check. I just don't want to not take action if I should be worried.

The only change you made was the "major overhaul". What exactly does that mean?

It had been a while since I rinsed filters and removed green hair algae. So I removed 90% of the aquascape, scrubbed algae, and rearranged aquascaping upon placing back in the tank. I also cleaned both filters and the protein skimmer, and replaced 50% of the poly filter as it was starting to lose it's effectiveness. I didn't realize till I had the filter apart that I'm out of bio pellets. So, they are on order. Adding the Damselfish is also a recent change. I typically quarantine, but adding fish was the wife's idea and I was sick. So, I kind of just acclimated and added them without thinking through my process. I also shut down my quarantine tank about a year ago. So, it wouldnt have been cycled in time to use if I wanted to go that route.

What filter are you using polyfill for? Usually not necessary for a SW system. How much live rock?

Aquaclear 110 and Fluval 404, as the water polishing media. And I haven't weighed live rock, but about 80lbs.

Protein skimmer? You'\ve got this SW filtration all wrong.

I thought a protein skimmer was beneficial? How would you set up a sumpless filtration system?

Yes, it is but you shouldn't be using FW filtration for a marine system unless you want to continue doing 50% weekly WC, which will cost you a ton in $alt. Live rock (1 1/2-2lbs per gal) with powerheads & a skimmer should be all you need. Good thing your tank isn't overstocked. Totally up to you, if you want to add a sump but I'd suggest a drilled tank for that.

I don't have any real FW filtration. Just poly pad to remove detritus and bioballs for beneficial bacteria, same as you use on a sumpless reef/FOWLR tank. There are 2 powerheads and a Reef Octopus 150 EXT. The only thing I have to watch is food getting trapped in the canister filter occasionally and spiking phosphates, but for the most part the polypads in the Aquaclear remove large particles before they can go anywhere, and that gets rinsed/swapped at a minimum every other day.

I haven't really wanted to deal with it, but he finally passed on Friday. Still clueless as to what caused it. I did a make shift necropsy, and all I could fish was extreme bruising on his left side. Not sure if he got blown around by the powerhead or got in a fight with my female clown, or ? I hate losing fish, but its even worse when you have no idea what happened to prevent it next time... RIP Bob...

So sorry...