The queen has lost her crown!

[seahorse1]

Last night in my QT, I noticed that the worm in my featherduster had come out of the tube. This morning I checked on it and saw that the crown part had died away....it was all shriveled up and looked "dry". The worm is alive and moving on the bottom. What could do this? I did a 20% water change on friday. There is nothing in the tank except a LR.

 

[dz6t]

The worm will find a new place to attach itself and generate a new crown.

 

[sw300galma]

The worm will find a new place to attach itself and generate a new crown.

Not usually....they Can...but it's like a star regenerating a leg...they can, but not usually in an aquarium...especially a QT.

The other question is why QT a feather duster??

 

[Andy O]

I had a featherduster that blew its top and regenerated a new one. Usually they blow it if they are stressed out.

 

[dz6t]

I have a feather duster not only moved accross the tank, but also replace its crown every three or 4 month.

 

[seahorse1]

Not usually....they Can...but it's like a star regenerating a leg...they can, but not usually in an aquarium...especially a QT.

The other question is why QT a feather duster??

I am not actually QTing a FD, its attached to a piece of LR that I put in the tank for looks.

The worm has died. I woke up this morning and it was shrivelled up. What is going on????? I just did a 20% water change. I have an order from liveaquaria coming on friday so I need some QUICK help!!!

All the parameters are WNL except for ammonia. How do I get the ammonia down quickly? There is nothing in the tank ( no fish or inverts).

 

[nickyblase]

ammonia needs time to convert to nitrite then nitrate. sounds like you're going through a mini-cycle. Can you do a water change & put in some of your established tank water?

 

[seahorse1]

The ammonia is 0.25. Is this high enough to kill a yelow tang and a feather duster?

Yes Nicky, I think thats what I am gonna have to do. For the last water change I filled my main tank and then took water out of that tank and put it in my QT. I checked the numbers on my main tank, and all is good. I think what I might do is just add some fresh RO water to a bucket and then add that to the QT.

How long does it take to go from ammonia to Nitrate?

 

[seahorse1]

Any ideas on how to lower ammonia quickly?

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

You are welcome to come over tonight and take some of my established sand from the old tank if you want.

 

[seahorse1]

Thanks Mark, the QT has been up and running for about 3 months. The sand came from my 90 gallon main tank. Would the ammonia spike be from the sand? Should I take more sand from my main tank and put it in my QT? There is nothing dead or decaying in my QT. I just had a YT and thats it. Now my FD died. Something BAD is happening and I am getting an order on friday!! Is there any drops I can add to lower the ammonia? I will do another water change thursday afternoon anyways.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

As far as I know there is nothing to ADD to the tank to lower ammonia. Waterchanges are the way to go. I know you said you have LR in the qt tank but how much? If there was a die off on the rock, that could have caused the mini cycle. I'd do a small waterchange today and tommorow if you can. What are you getting in Friday?

 

[Andy O]

You might want to try bio spira which is a liquid that is supposed to keep the tank from spiking (not sure if it actually lowers existing amounts). The only place around here that I am familiar with that sells it is Skiptons and Tropic Isle but call them first. I have used it in the past with success though some people will swear by it and others will say that it does no good. IMO it seems to work immediately. I forget but I think that you are supposed to add half the package the day before you are introducing the live stock and the remainder either right after you introduce or the day after.

Here is a link to the manufacturers site

http://www.marineland.com/science/nspira.asp

 

[seahorse1]

Thanks Andy, I will call some stores to see if they have that in stock. I will try anything. I think I have seen it before but never really knew what it was for.

Mark, thats a good point. I did have a LR in the tank, about 1 1/2 pounds, but I took it out monday. Does your store carry the bio spira?

I am getting a cardinalfish and a royal gamma and a conch and a few bumblebee snails for the SW and some snails and a pleco for the FW.

Would a level of 0.25 ammonia enough to kill the FD? The worm just shrivelled up.

 

[sw300galma]

TI has it at the end of one of the isle in the little fridge...Near the Salt section.

 

[seahorse1]

Thanks SW300. Isnt TI in Framingham? I am in Brockton/Attleboro and wont be able to get there this week. If no one around here has it, then I will take a drive there next week. Thanks for the info.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

I don't have it in right now.

 

[sw300galma]

One other thought...if you take LR directly from your display and add it to the QT it should increase your Amonia conversion process..

 

[nickyblase]

It seems odd that after 3 months of having this tank up and running that all of a sudden there's an ammonia reading. It should have cycled quite a while ago. I'd say that definitely yes - an ammonia reading of just about anything can be lethal, so that most likely is what killed your FD.

If the ammonia doesn't come down in time for your shipment (or nitrite, which is what comes next), I'd find another place to temporarily hold your new items. What are you getting? Fish? Corals?

If it's just corals, could you just dip w/Levamisole or something and put them directly in the display?

 

[seahorse1]

I bought a royal gramma and an algae blenny and some snails ( bumblebee, tongan, conch). Yesterday I changed about 80% of the water and took water from my main tank. The order came last night and so far all is well. The blenny is staying in the corner which I am assuming is normal. Do I have to QT the snails or can I put them in my main tank?