QUESTIONNAIRE  2/4/08
Hi crew, and thanks to Bob for his recent advice re: Ich, Hypo, Copper, Moray, Formalin. Everything is back in the reef tank now and no sign of ich as yet (5 days later). I am tackling the HLLE that developed on my A. Lineatus while in QT with a 'super dooper enriched vitamin home made food' that cost me a small fortune in supplements from my local health shop! I'm sure I can see an improvement already - he's been munching on sponges, algae's and the like that have grown in my tank over this period as well. I'm feeling pretty positive at the moment!
<Good>
Only thing is that the sudden introduction of all these fish has caused a bacterial bloom and my water is cloudy. Should I leave this to sort itself out, or should I drag my old U.V. out of hibernation and employ that for a few days?
<Up to you>
I have filled in your questionnaire,
<Thanks>
Thanks very much,
Simon, England
Question #1:
List the common and, if available, the scientific name each of the fish and/or invertebrates that have lived at least three years in your aquarium. (If more than three, choose the longest living three in your tank.
Three years Niger Trigger (Odonus niger), Green Bubble Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Four years Green Wolf Eel (Congrogadus subduscens)
Five Years Clown Tang (Acanthurus lineatus) Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus Imperator) Volitans Lion (Pterois volitans)
More than five 2 Clarkii Clowns (Amphiprion clarkii), Giant hermit crab (blue legged, species unknown)
Question #2:
Please indicate current water parameters for the following:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2 ppm
PH (I'm having trouble measuring this. My test kit shows 8.1 (Salifert), my meter shows 8.8. I think that both are wrong, as when I calibrate the meter (it's a Hanna meter) it goes to 8.5 for a while then back up again. I still think that 8.5 is still too high as after calibration I test it with borax and it still reads high).
Total Alkalinity 8.3 dKH
Calcium 520
Question #3
Please fill in the following blanks:
Tank Size 180gallon US
Water Changing: Bi monthly (every other Saturday)
Water Changing: 20 percent
Finally one admittedly unrelated, but in the author's opinion, extremely important question that should be of interest to every aquarist who buys sea salt:
Please indicate the nitrate content and brand of sea salt you use.
(Use I/O water only and check 12 hours after mixed but prior to adding to tank. Also check I/O water for nitrates first. Only if zero nitrates are indicated should you continue with this test)
Product:
Gro-tech Coralmarine Reef salt
Nitrate Level After Mixing Salt w/R/O water
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0.03 (trace)
Etc....
<Again, thank you, BobF>

Survey 1-22-08
Question #1:
List the common and, if available, the scientific name each of the fish and/or invertebrates that have lived at least three years in your aquarium. (If more than three, choose the longest living three in your tank.
I started about 5 years ago. It took a few months of failing then finding WWM to get things right.
Four years Spotted cardinal- Sphaeramia nematoptera Green Clown Goby Gobiodon atrangulatus
Question #2:
Please indicate current water parameters for the following:
PH 8.2 (field 16)
<Thanks for the input Sam. Bob Fenner>

Survey  01/22/2008
Question #1:
List the common and, if available, the scientific name each of the fish and/or invertebrates that have lived at least three years in your aquarium. (If more than three, choose the longest living three in your tank.
3 years-Blue Hippo Tang
(Paracanthurus hepatus)
Pink Skunk Clownfish
(Amphiprion perideraion)
Acanthastrea Echinata
4 years-Banded Coral Shrimp
(Stenopus hispidus)
5 years-Candy Cane Coral
(Caulastrea furcata)
Green Mushroom Coral/Anemone
(Rhodactis sp.)
Ocellaris Clownfish
(Amphiprion ocellaris)
Question #2:
Please indicate current water parameters for the following:
Ammonia-0 ppm
Nitrite-0 ppm
Nitrate-Unknown
PH-8.0
Total Alkalinity-8.0 dKH
Calcium-430 ppm
Question #3
Please fill in the following blanks:
Tank Size-125 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump half full
Water Changing: Slightly more than bi-monthly
Water Changing: 10-20 percent
Finally one admittedly unrelated, but in the author’s opinion, extremely important question that should be of interest to every aquarist who buys sea salt:
Please indicate the nitrate content and brand of sea salt you use.
Red Sea Coral Pro used with DI only water-not sure about nitrates of mix
P.S.-I apologize in advance if I've filled out this survey incorrectly or submitted it to the incorrect email address. Wasn't quite 100% sure how to do it. Thanks though-these surveys are so important and MANY, MANY more should be done. Thanks so much.
<Thank you for your participation/input. Bob Fenner>

Re: Fall 2007 Sea Scope Article... now marine livestock longevity   1/1/08
Thanks for the suggestion. It seemed to me he was describing an on-going process rather than an isolated phenomena, but either way, I will pursue further reading on the subject and read Hovanec.
<Ah, good>
Also, a suggestion: I find there to be very little info. on the longevity (real life) of various marine species in salt-water aquariums. I wonder if you would consider adding a brief survey to your website on this issue.
<You pen it, I'll place it! And make a folder, links to archive input>
I realize the vast disparities in equipment and upkeep make the effort less scientific, but if, say, basic parameters were asked for in the survey, it might improve the value of responses. I also think most readers who fill out the survey probably could be considered serious hobbyists.
<Good points... there are some hard data re for public institutions, but much of this is not published, and/or very hard to find>
Since there is no possible way the aquarium industry will ever produce such data, perhaps you can do this as a service to both hobbyists and fish. Just a thought. Thanks for all your information and commitment, it is genuinely appreciated.
<Thank you for your input, participation. Bob Fenner>

Lifespan of aquarium fish
Hello,
I just found your site. Anyway, where can I find information about the lifespans of various saltwater aquarium fish. 
<The most readily data here are posted (at times) by Public Aquariums. You can find links to many of them here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marlinks.htm>
I have or should say had a small brown Scopas tang for about 1 1/2 years. This morning I found it
dead. Basically I would like this information just so I can tell if it is just old age or other problems.
<Mmm, not old age... Zebrasoma Tangs have been kept in captivity for teens of years>
I had it in a 50 gallon tank with 60 lbs of live rock. All of the water parameters are fine. Also in the tank are 2 small clownfish, a blue damsel and a yellow tailed wrasse. These fish are all fine and very active. The Brown Scopas has always been very active up until this morning. Thanx, Rod
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Rapid gill movements?
REM...er, RGM: rapid gill movements?
Hello guys, hope things are well. 
<and to you the same with thanks>
This is a quick one (I think/hope!).
I've seen many warnings against improper gill movements, but a description of what that is hard to come by. 
<each species is different... but 60/min is close for many>
I agree that this along with other observations is a very good indicator of health, and I'd like to know where my fishes' breathing should be at. Right now, the fish I'm researching are the ones I own...one of each of
Centropyge tibicen (4-inch)
Pomacanthus semicirculatus (2 1/2-inch)
Zebrasoma flavescens (4-inch)
Ctenochaetus strigosus (5-inch)
Pseudochromis diadema (2-inch)
2 Amphiprion frenatus (2-inch)
Thanks for the input Matt
<yes... a lazy and deliberate once per long second is "normal" for many fishes. Labored breath is fairly obvious and indicates impending infections of parasites in gills, low dissolved oxygen, etc. Best regards, Anthony>

Fish Lifespan
How long can I expect my fish will live if the conditions I give them are good? Yellow tang?
<Easily 10-15 years or more.>
Blue devil and Yellow tail damsel?
<Well over five years, perhaps as much as ten.>
Boxing shrimp (red banded)?
<I don't really know about this one. Easily over five years, but I don't know the maximum. What I can say, is just about any fish will live longer in captivity than in the wild, given appropriate care and conditions. In aquariums, they are free from disease and predation. The predation is the real killer. I remember seeing a study on Jawfish which showed they only lived about a year in the wild. They eventually get eaten. It is like this with many smaller fish. They are food for someone else.>
Thank you, Carlos Díaz
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Life expectancy?
>What are the life expectancies of salt water fish.  I have a regal tang, percula clown and a bi-color blenny in a 30 gallon tank.  Thanks.
>>All species are different, but the fishes you've mentioned should live at least ten years, with the tang possibly having a lifespan of 20 years.  Marina

Aussies discover world's tiniest fish
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — They must have needed a really small hook, but Australian scientists say they've caught what they believe is the world's smallest and lightest fish.

Fishies won't come out and play 1/20/07
I have a quick question for The Crew.
<and I might have an answer for ya! Graham T. with you tonight.>
I just bought a Foxface and Blue Spotted Puffer a week ago and they seem to be uncomfortable in the tank.  
The puffer is a little better then the Foxface but they pretty much just hide in the back and come out every once in a while to eat (if I'm not standing by the tank).
<Normal for the Foxface, and not a cause of concern for the puffer, either.>
Does this mean they're not feeling healthy, therefore they don't feel strong enough to take on a challenge like "get used to humans"?  Or does it mean they are simply not social?  Appreciate the help!!
<It means you may have to give them more time to acclimate to their surroundings. Consider what they've been through.>
Jon
<-Graham T.>

Behavioural Question, SW fishes    6/13/07
Hello Bob & Crew,
<Mike>
I have a question regarding the curious behaviour of the inhabitants of my aquarium. I read all the compatibility info on these species that I could, but nothing on "group behaviour" though.
<Wouldn't it be great to have such...>
Set-up: Three month old 72gal. Bowfront with 80lbs LR, 1-2" Reef Sand, Eheim Pro-ll Filter, Hang-on slightly oversized Skimmer, and now a new Maxi-Flo 1200 Powerhead. Thanks for that advice Bob.
(I knew your name sounded familiar. Small world. The Conscientious Marine Aquarist was one of the first books I bought at start-up. Served me well, thank you)
<Ah, welcome>
Stock: Various Snails and Hermits, smooth Brittle Star, Conch, Feather Duster, Colt Coral, Blood Shrimp, Coral Beauty, 2 Percula Clowns and a Pixie Hawkfish.
Water quality tests well weekly. PH 8.2, no sign of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, I'm slowly raising SG from 1.021 to 1.023 as per Bob's advice.
I do have a little trouble keeping temp stable though. The heater keeps the temp up (mid 70's) and I occasionally have to use my home A/C to bring it down. (from low 80's)
<Small vacillations, changes here should not be a problem in this good-sized volume>
Here's the situation that I find odd.
The Blood Shrimp set up shop at one end of the new (but cycled) tank in a crevice between two rocks with a nice view and a bit of beach in front. (Lucky Shrimp!)
I noticed when I added the two young Clowns, they liked to "hang out" on the beach in front of the Shrimp's luxury accommodations. They might only take the occasional stroll up and down the beach.
Then I added the young Coral Beauty and, sure enough, she likes to hover around in the same crevice above the shrimp when she's not cruising the length of the tank swimming in and out of all the tunnels.
I just added my Hawkfish, and now he seems to want to hang around with the crowd at the same bottom corner of the tank when he's not rock climbing all over the tank.
(Don't ask why the Coral Beauty is a "she" and the Hawk is a "he". It's either a mental thing or just lack of knowledge, or both)
<You are to be congratulated for such self-awareness>
Ok, it may not be a 210gal tank, but 72 gallons is looking huge the way these inhabitants are treating the available real estate.
I don't understand. I did my research and built all the tunnels and hideouts to accommodate my stocking plan and now everyone seems to want to live at the same address.
Trust me. The rest of the beach front properties are equally nice. I know. I built them.
I do not limit feeding to this end of the tank, and there are no Sharks, Triggers or nets at the other end.
Is it the draw of the Shrimp's "cleaning station"?
<Likely to a large degree, yes... This Lysmata has probably "set the dynamic" here>
He is only doing minor detail work on the Coral Beauty at present.
I do have short bursts of tiny air bubbles intermittently coming out the filter output tube at the opposite top corner of the tank. Are they trying to keep away from this?
<Perhaps>
They certainly don't mind cruising the area.
Where they congregate is right beside the entrance to the room they are in.
Do they just want company? Ours; theirs?
<Heeee! Hard to state... there could possibly be many factors at play... Would it not be neat to have several such systems? Or this one on a set of casters to rotate, move around... to investigate whether it's some aspect of ambient lighting, perhaps the dipole moment of our planet... That may be influential here?>
I can not see anything inside or outside the tank at the other end that I can recognize as a problem (but I am not a fish). Again, they do cruise the area regularly.
Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with this. Frankly, it makes observation easy. But is it normal, or is it extremely unusual and should I be looking for something.
<Maybe there is some sort of predator... perhaps a crustacean hitchhiker toward the other end...>
Everyone seems to get along so far. Only one tiny Clown occasionally tries to play tough guy with the new, but larger, Hawkfish. This is just too funny to watch. It's half the size of the Hawk!
Just wanted to check if there is anything to worry about here.
(I'm sure you are accustomed to all novices worrying too much)
Thank you for your time and any words of wisdom you may offer.
Mike
<Likely no worries... and the stock will "spread" out in time... Esp. with the Clowns growth... Bob Fenner>

Re: Behavioural Question – 06/14/07
Hello Bob & Crew,
Just a thank you note. No reply required.
Funny, we had the same thought of being able to turn the "tank on casters" to test the attraction to that one end of the tank.
<A friend who was studying fish physiology... orientation to polarized light... actually had a tank on a record player... to slowly rotate...>
I will not be attempting this any time soon.
<Heeee!>
For what it's worth, I am very impressed with the crew's knowledge, patience and the level of service you are providing to baffled, head scratching, nervous mother aquarists of every skill level.
<So am I!>
I can only imagine how grateful the surviving fish are!
<Ah yes my friend... Karma works in many ways... perhaps the antithesis of that "pay back" thing>
I may not know anything about fish, but I do know a great deal about service and yours is excellent.
My fish thank you.
Mike
<And we gladly accept them cosmically. BobF>

I know certain fish can transition from freshwater, brackish, and saltwater.    5/11/07
Hello Crew,
I hope everyone is having a good day.
<So far, so good!>
I know certain fish can transition from freshwater, brackish, and saltwater.
<Indeed. Such fish are called "euryhaline fish" as opposed to "stenohaline fish" that are confined to freshwater or saltwater habitats their entire lives.>
Does their food need to change also?
<A good question. It depends upon on the fish. Certain fish live in one environment for part of their life cycle, and another environment the next part of the life cycle. In many cases, there are dietary changes along with these ecological changes. Atlantic Salmon for example live in freshwater as hatchlings and for the first few months of their life, feeding mostly on insect larvae. They then go to sea for a few years where they feed on crustaceans of various kinds and small fish. Once they reach a certain size they will migrate back into rivers to spawn, but during this spawning run they don't feed much, if at all. They then return to the sea and begin feeding again, in preparation for the spawning run the next year. Other fishes, like scats, simply eat whatever they find wherever they go. These fish move between freshwater and the sea all the time, and what they eat depends only on what they encounter. For the aquarist, one of the striking things about brackish water fish is their greediness. The problem is making sure you don't overfeed them and compromise water quality as a result. Some brackish water fish are predators, and need a primarily meaty diet, but most are omnivores and take a variety of foods including algae, plant matter, frozen foods, and pellets.>
I know the salt levels change, but what other effects does it have on their bodies?
<The change in salinity is the main thing euryhaline fish have to deal. So in freshwater a scat (for example) will be pumping out excess water while conserving salt, but doing the reverse when it is in the sea. Secondary issues will be differences in temperature (the sea varies more slowly than neighbouring rivers so may be cooler or warmer depending on the season), pH, hardness, and other aspects of water chemistry. Salt water also provides more buoyancy than freshwater, and euryhaline fish also need to adjust the amount of gas in the swim bladder to keep the same level of poise when swimming.>
I am particularly interested in mollies.
<The relationship between mollies and brackish water is complex. Mollies are naturally found in freshwater, brackish, and marine environments. But in aquaria they tend to do poorly in freshwater, being very prone to fungus, finrot, and the "shimmies". It is not 100% clear to me that they need brackish water, and some aquarists have suggested that it is the ambient level of nitrates that matter. In brackish water nitrate is less toxic than in freshwater, so the mollies will thrive even if the nitrate levels are quite high. It certainly seems to be the case that people who have luck keeping mollies in freshwater aquaria also keep the nitrates at very low (practically zero) levels. In ordinary community tanks where the nitrates are around 20-100 mg/l, mollies just don't do well.>
Thank you,
     Ann
<Cheers, Neale>