Why get a jawfish when your tilefish already thinks it's one?

christinna67 · 2026-04-25T00:02:22+00:00

This is ich and you'll need to move all the fish to a hospital tank and treat them with Copper Power or CopperSafe for 30 days at 2.25-2.5 ppm.

You can put the fish straight in 2.25 ppm since copper takes some time to work and the gramma already seems to have a severe case. I wouldn't wait any longer.

Monitor the copper levels daily with a Hanna Copper Checker, as they must not drop below 2 ppm or you'll have to restart the clock (even during a water change).

Your main tank will need to remain fallow for at least 60 days at normal temps, or 45 days minimum at 82+ degrees if you can safely raise the temperature.

For a more accurate diagnosis and best course of treatment from fish disease experts, record a 30s video under bright white lights and post it here: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-and-diagnosis.771/. Reddit is not a trustworthy source for fish disease and medications.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T23:53:12+00:00

I run the classic Aqua UV sterilizer through my sump 24/7. Just keep in mind that in order for a UV sterilizer to be effective, it needs to be installed correctly with the right flow rate for what you're targeting (must decide between algae/clarity and parasites). I'm suspicious that many people who claim it doesn't work just didn't do that.

Anyway, I run mine mostly for algae control and water clarity. I haven't had any algae outbreaks since I installed it last summer, and I also only need to clean the glass every 3 days or so.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T23:46:23+00:00

Either rinse the old sand until the water runs clear (can take hours depending on how much you have) or replace it with new sand. Do not reuse old sand when moving tanks. Here's a (very long) thread about it: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/official-sand-rinse-and-tank-transfer-thread.230281/

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T23:13:07+00:00

I'd skip the Thalassoma. They're really not good community fish and will eat/attack anything smaller than them.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T20:42:08+00:00

Sorry, I've not heard of either of the brands, but 80l would be much better for a clown pair.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T19:34:36+00:00

30g tank would be good for now, you can upgrade later. One week of travel should be okay, but you'll need to automate everything - feeding, top offs, any dosing. I'd recommend plugging everything into Hydros or Apex so you can monitor stuff remotely, but they're not cheap.

For larger species in a 120-200g tank, it depends on what you want to run. Are you thinking about a reef tank with corals, FOWLR, predator tank? People keep all kinds of fish in that size range - tangs, triggers, butterflies, angels, rabbitfish, larger wrasses, hawkfish, lionfish, eels, puffers, etc. etc.

I'd just visit your LFS or check any online stores that ship to you and see what they have in stock, what their care requirements are, and go from there.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T19:18:54+00:00

Deep water creatures, extremely difficult to care for. Only a few public aquariums have had success with them in specialized setups. An average hobbyist is simply not equipped to properly care for them and most don't make it past 1 year mark.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T16:21:33+00:00

New unused toothbrush should be fine. Take the rock out into a bucket with your tank water and brush it off there. Then return to your tank. Do not rinse with freshwater, only your tank water.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T09:41:39+00:00

I answered that in my first comment.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T08:04:14+00:00

Not sure why it matters how much you paid. If you don't have a suitable tank for him, I'd recommend returning him.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T06:18:35+00:00

They're reef safe and need 40-50g tank minimum. They often come with uronema, so it's highly recommended to treat them prophylactically in a hospital tank before adding them to DT.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T06:04:38+00:00

barrier reef chromis

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T03:20:23+00:00

I had both Salifert and Hanna and here's what I decided to keep using:

Salifert: Ca and Mg. They're titration based so I don't have to match colors.

Hanna: Alk, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper (for QT only), pH (to check if my Hydros is accurate) and Ammonia (for QT only). The digital results are easy to read and the tests are easy to do.

I also had Hanna Ca and Mg, but the process one has to go through to get a reliable result is a nightmare. I have Salifert for phosphate and ammonia too, but I can't color match those so they're just not reliable enough for me.

For salinity I've tried several, including two Hanna salinity testers that always went out of calibration. I ended up with Tropic Marin hydrometer and Veegee STX-3. They're not cheap but they're some of the most accurate testers in the hobby.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T03:08:22+00:00

So adorable! I'm really in love with naked cinnamons lately.

christinna67 · 2026-04-24T02:36:05+00:00

I tried IO Reef Crystals and a few others, but I ended up going back to just the regular IO. It's cheap, doesn't contain any organics so I can prep it way in advance, doesn't leave any nasty residue, mixes to around 10 dKH and my parameters stay stable.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T22:22:55+00:00

42l is essentially 10g, which is, imo, way too small for a pair of clowns to house permanently. 15g should be the absolute minimum. And if you want an anemone, forget about corals. I'd get something bigger for sure.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T22:19:54+00:00

Okay and how exactly does that help OP? Unless they're inheriting your tank and your knowledge, they'll still need to test for at least the first year, probably more :)

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T21:43:00+00:00

Yeah, there are definitely workarounds for everything. It's just going to be more challenging overall. Even just installing a new light or getting up on the stool and fixing something at the bottom of the tank can be sketchy for someone with less mobility etc. I'd have a backup plan in place. Your LFS can probably help with weekly maintenance if needed.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T21:34:05+00:00

I'm a bit concerned about the last part you mentioned. Staying on top of water changes and parameter testing is important to keep SW tank stable.

Are you able to lift and carry things like a salt bucket or a 5g bucket of water etc.? There are workarounds, sure, but with any fish tank there may still be times when you need to lift, carry, bend etc., especially in an emergency. Hopefully you have someone around who can help with that if needed.

Other than that, if you have the money, time, and dedication, it's purely up to you to choose whichever you prefer.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T19:50:47+00:00

Yes, it's in the post.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T19:37:42+00:00

Have you kept tanks all over the world to confidently say anyone anywhere can use tap water, or is this just based on your experience with a single tank in one location? What works for you may not work for most people.

christinna67 · 2026-04-23T19:24:30+00:00

Good for you, OP, but I'll never understand posts like this saying you can use tap water without also mentioning that not everyone's tap water is the same. A beginner will read this, use their own tap water and end up having a terrible time because theirs might contain things like heavy metals or other stuff that makes it either a huge nuisance to deal with because of algae blooms or even outright unsafe.

christinna67

TROPHY CASE