Is my saltwater toxic?

[Abcde123]

What type of gobies?

Most starfish are not suited for 20g tanks that are new or even old. They should be in very large established tanks. Your tank doesn't have what it needs to eat.

So what should I get the clean the tank up? Just snails? And I am not 100% sure the exact type, one may have been a diamond goby. Both sandshifting

 

[Tamberav]

So what should I get the clean the tank up? Just snails? And I am not 100% sure the exact type, one may have been a diamond goby. Both sandshifting

Sandsifting gobies should have larger tanks with established sand bed that is old and live with food (worms/pods). They will often eat frozen but still many perish even eating.

A hippo tang gets huge.. HUGE.. it can not live long term in a 20g when it needs 180g later.

Three clownfish are okay as babies but when they mature, two pair off and kill the other.

As I said, most starfish are not appropriate for 20g and sandsifting gobies are not either.


The fish chosen are not very good nano tank inhabitants so death is a likely result. Either sooner or sometimes later.

 

[Abcde123]

@Ach
Welcome.
I agree with the above. Honestly the tang will be ok for a short amount of time but it will outgrow the tank very quickly. As it does it will likely be more aggressive to everything else. Also as a newbie, I’m guessing you’ve yet to run into fish disease but smooth skin tangs like the hippo are ich magnets.
You either need two clowns or many clowns in any tank. One will likely be an outcast and killed.
As for the star fish… no one honestly knows what they eat. But unless you have an established aquarium it will likely starve. Even a sand sifter. Serpent stars however may work, as they eat detritus and even fish food like mysis or brine.

the tank should not be toxic at the bottom with flow and filtration. My guess is more towards parameters of the water chemistry, food, temp, or aggression from tank mates

Thank you! What minimum size tank should the tang be in? I was told since it is a 20 gallon, it may not grow as much. The only thing that comes to mind is the water chemistry. I am assuming the PH and nitrite are the main culprits

 

[saltyfins]

My tank is 20 gallons Long!

still too small! did you at all research the care of these animals, before throwing them into a 20 gallon tank???? I research coral for MONTHS

 

[Tamberav]

Thank you! What minimum size tank should the tang be in? I was told since it is a 20 gallon, it may not grow as much. The only thing that comes to mind is the water chemistry. I am assuming the PH and nitrite are the main culprits

Fish do not grow to their tank size but they can become stunted from improper tank conditions, size being one of them. Stunting is obviously a health problem which leads to premature death. Hippo tangs probably live 30 years or more.

Whoever is telling you this doesn't know anything. Sound like they knowingly sold you all those fish. They will eventually die and then you have to go buy new fish... who wins? Who's pocket is line with money?

 

[Lavey29]

It’s 20, what in my post is making it seem like it’s 5g? I’m new to this

Because you wrote 20L in your first post and now you have edited it to read 20 gallons.

Your nano tank is way to small for all those fish and inverts which is why they are dying off. You need to rehome the blue tang or it will die too.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Oh got it! I was told the fish would be fine due to them being small and the tank beinf relatively wide. Is there a reason why the goby died?

Saltwater can crash quickly. If anything dies in the tank such as the starfish, it will spike ammonia and only extremely hardy fish like clowns and damsels have a chance at surviving.

I would take back that hippo or trade to a fellow hobbyists for a beginner coral or something and just let your tank mature with the remaining small fish.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Because you wrote 20L in your first post and now you have edited it to read 20 gallons.

Your nano tank is way to small for all those fish and inverts which is why they are dying off. You need to rehome the blue tang or it will die too.

20L means 20 long not liter...

 

[Abcde123]

Sandsifting gobies should have larger tanks with established sand bed that is old and live with food (worms/pods). They will often eat frozen but still many perish even eating.

A hippo tang gets huge.. HUGE.. it can not live long term in a 20g when it needs 180g later.

Three clownfish are okay as babies but when they mature, two pair off and kill the other.

As I said, most starfish are not appropriate for 20g and sandsifting gobies are not either.


The fish chosen are not very good nano tank inhabitants so death is a likely result. Either sooner or sometimes later.

I was planning to remove the hippo tang once it grows a little.

I was not aware/informed of two clownfish pairing off and killing the third. Is there anyway to avoid this or musy they be separated?

if starfish nor sandshifting gobies are appropriate, what do you recommend to clean the sand?

 

[davidcalgary29]

What type of gobies?

Most starfish are not suited for 20g tanks that are new or even old. They should be in very large established tanks. Your tank doesn't have what it needs to eat.

I'm going to add that most species of desirable sea stars have an extremely poor survival rate in many tanks run by people who are not expert aquarists. The only sea stars that I've been able to keep going for more than a year -- and in good health -- are pacific tile stars in the fromia family. If you want to add sea stars that are suitable for a 20g tank, get some asterinas. Or don't -- they're probably going to colonize your tank quickly enough in any case.

 

[Abcde123]

Saltwater can crash quickly. If anything dies in the tank such as the starfish, it will spike ammonia and only extremely hardy fish like clowns and damsels have a chance at surviving.

I would take back that hippo or trade to a fellow hobbyists for a beginner coral or something and just let your tank mature with the remaining small fish.

Makes sense, thank you!

 

[Tamberav]

A 20g should house about 4 small fish that reach a max size of around 3 inches.

Examples of types of fish (just listing the popular ones but there are many):

Perc or occy clowns (max 2)
Royal Gramma
Shrimp gobies (Yellow watchman shrimp goby is a popular choice)
Springer damsel
Tail Spot Blennies
Yellowhead Jawfish

 

[Lavey29]

20L means 20 long not liter...

Unless you reef in Europe

 

[mrpontiac80]

Thank you! What minimum size tank should the tang be in? I was told since it is a 20 gallon, it may not grow as much. The only thing that comes to mind is the water chemistry. I am assuming the PH and nitrite are the main culprits

Tangs are swimming fools. The bigger the better but I would not put one in anything smaller than a 4’ long tank. I feel the gallons size can be a gray area. I’ve seen 100 gallon tanks that are only about 2.5’ square.

 

[davidcalgary29]

20L means 20 long not liter...

That's not a common reference in countries using the metric systems.

 

[Abcde123]

Tangs are swimming fools. The bigger the better but I would not put one in anything smaller than a 4’ long tank. I feel the gallons size can be a gray area. I’ve seen 100 gallon tanks that are only about 2.5’ square.

What do you mean 4’ Long?

 

[Abcde123]

Or it died from high nutrients/fluctuations something starfish can’t handle and you should feed them regardless. What kind was it?

I am not sure, it was a fairly small red starfish. Any thoughts?

 

[Abcde123]

Fish do not grow to their tank size but they can become stunted from improper tank conditions, size being one of them. Stunting is obviously a health problem which leads to premature death. Hippo tangs probably live 30 years or more.

Whoever is telling you this doesn't know anything. Sound like they knowingly sold you all those fish. They will eventually die and then you have to go buy new fish... who wins? Who's pocket is line with money?

Glad I’m here, going to trade these guys in for some corral!

 

[AydenLincoln]

I am not sure, it was a fairly small red starfish. Any thoughts?

Maybe a red linckia or red fromia two very hard/sensitive species to keep. It could’ve been a red knobbed star too. Google it and let me know.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Glad I’m here, going to trade these guys in for some corral!

That sounds like a great plan. I’d recommend starting off with some soft corals or mushrooms.