Condy looks wrinkled

[Carmen]

Bought a condy last week. The color is good, but it looks like it's slightly "under inflated" so to speak. What should I be feeding it?? I have misis shrimp that I've been feeding it. I'm not sure it's getting anything. I am a newbie.

 

[NanaReefer]

Water parameters & lighting info? How big is it? Try Silver Sides?

 

[Eienna]

Krill and bits of clam tend to go down better than silversides.
Look up some YouTube videos on target feeding nems.
Can we see a photo?

 

[NanaReefer]

Mine preferred Silver Sides. Speaking from experience ya know?

 

[Carmen]

I get the tank prams tomorrow. Last I took them there were no alarms. The condy has taken a liking to the back of the tank so photo will be hard, but not impossible. Just misis and brine soaked in selcon. Thanks for the utube info. I will look into that.

 

[Eienna]

Mine preferred Silver Sides. Speaking from experience ya know?

Yeah. Maybe it was bubbletips that don't care for silversides...

 

[Carmen]

Here are some pics of the condy..the ends look curled. When the tentcials move to the current they tend to look bent. Still working on getting water prams.

 

[NanaReefer]

What lights are you using?

 

[Carmen]

I have 75 gal tank with 40gal+ sump and Octopus PS rated at 170 gallons. Maxspect Razor M16000 LEDs.

Took these measurements yesterday: Cal., 500; Kh/ALK, 13.4 & 4.79; Mag, 1470-1500; Nitrites, 0; Nitrates, 100; Ammo, .25; Salin., 1.025.

The measurement I don't understand is the Alk. Normal Alk I our water is about 8.0. I have a koi pond that's always between 8-8.2. I have an RODI system from BRS. The condy gobbled up two tiny chunks of raw clams today. My attempts at feeding of the condy and a bubble tip that I also have (also not doing well) may account for the rise in rise in amm. since I've never had it before.

I have two small clowns, a randall goby, a by-colored basselet (forget name), lawnmower blenny and a corius wrasse.

 

[Carmen]

Bump!

 

[Carmen]

I'm very anxious to get some input on my tank pramaters, anyone?

 

[Eienna]

Well, I can start by saying the nitrate is waaaaaaay too high. It should be down around 5 or less, not 100.

I'm confused - are you using the RODI unit? If you are, your source water should have nothing to do with your current KH and alk. Make sure your TDS on the product water is 0 (ideally, but no more than 2) before adding your salt mix.

You didn't mention your phosphate at all.

Are you cleaning out your skimmer regularly (the whole unit, not just the cup)?

 

[Derbird]

The Condy looks fine to me, but a picture of the mouth would tell us more about the health then the tentacles. Mine seems to enjoy sea scallops from the grocery store. I feed it about every two weeks to a month. Same as my RBTA's.

What test kits are you using? All your numbers seem pretty elevated. Are you really reading ammonia? Any ammonia in a reef is a very bad thing

 

[Carmen]

The condy is behind a rock facing the back of the tank..I did put a mirror back there and it appears the mouth is fine, for as much as I could see. I took the picture from the side of the tank.

I'm using the Salifert test kits. I do have a RODI system and it's reading 0. I'm a real newbie, I thought if the source water was high in alk the aquarium water would be too. Is the KH/ALK okay? I forgot to get the phospates reading! Just took it and it reads .03. I've had the system running since late Sept. I clean the skimmer cup whenever the neck of it gets gummed up, about every other week. I have never cleaned the whole unit before.

I think I know what's happened. I was so anxious for the condy and bubble tip to eat I have overfed the whole tank. I have quite a bit of new saltwater mixed up, so I guess a large water change and cleaning of the PS is in order for tomorrow. I don't have any algae in the refugerium to absorbe the nitrates, either. I gotta get ahold of that too.

 

[Eienna]

Phos is fine...KH is a bit high. Those nitrates have to come down and I would suspect more of a problem than just overfeeding to get nitrates thst high. A hefty regimen of water changes seems to be in order...about 15-20% twice weekly until the number's where it belongs ought to do it. Blow your rocks out with a powerhead and check for dead critters. Did you cure your rock before use?

 

[Carmen]

Yes, I cured the rock. Okay. I will put the water change days on the calendar, that way I won't forget. Thanks for your help, I will get on this.

 

[Eienna]

Best of luck. Feeding them is good. Chunks of krill, squid, clam, and silversides (for the condy, not the bta) seem to go over well.

 

[Carmen]

So good news I think. I did a major water change on Tuesday, took out the skimmer and cleaned up everything. Sucked out all the detius from the sump. Found out that a shop vac was invaluable for this... Today did water tests. I didn't do Cal, Mag or Nitrites because they were not issues to begin with. But I did do the following and got these results: Nitrates, 10 (was 100); Ammo, 0 (was .25); KH/ALK 15/5.36 (was 13.4/4.79). They were not an issue, but I also did salinity, 1.025 and Phos., .03, for the heck of it. I have questions...

---In the KH/Alk there is a bottle with the lable: Standard Check Solution. Nothing is said about how to use this in the Salifert directions..what the heck is this for? Also, before it was mentioned that my KH/Alk was a little low. Besides water changes, how do you increase it if you needed to?

I was very excited today when I saw that the bubbletip that's been hiding in a cave is standing tall on its stem like it wants to peek out. First time I've seen this. It has to be a direct result of the water conditions improving. I fed the tank some cyclops today. The bubble tip opened its mouth to take the stuff in when I squirted some its way. I felt like a new mother! Also, I just found out today after reading on the web that duncans like to feed on meaty bits. I was like, thunderstruck! I had no idea. It really liked the cyclops I put in the tank today. Its little tenticals just swelled up and turned inward toward the mouth. It was loving them.

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[Carmen]

Bump!

 

[Eienna]

Ah, I believe the check solution is a liquid with an exactly known level of what you're testing for with your kit; it's to test the kit's accuracy. Test the solution as if it was your water and it should be a certain value - if it doesn't state what that value should be, you may need to call the company - if it is, your kit is testing accurately. If it is not, either you're doing it wrong or you need a replacement kit.