Need help w fish info. (possum wrasse)

[FLipp]

I HAVE LOOKED ALL OVER THE WRASSE THREAD AND COULDN'T FIND INFO ON THE POSSUM WRASSE.
I HAVE A 12GAL THAT HAS BEEN SET UP FOR ALMOST A YEAR. I'VE HAD PLENTY OF DIFFERENT FISH IN THERE BUT REALLY HAD NO LUCK.
THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO GET ICK, AND DIE A COUPLE DAYS LATER. I FINALLY GOT MY SALINITY, NITRATES, AND PHOSPHATES PRETTY STABLE.
MY LAST FISH DIED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, I HAVENT HAD ANY FISH IN THERE SINCE.
I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD WAIT ABOUT 8-10 WEEKS TO ADD ANOTHER FISH IN SO THAT WOULD HAVE TIME FOR THE ICK TO LEAVE THE TANK.

ARE POSSUM WRASSE HARDY?
WILL A SMALL POSSUM DO GOOD IN A 12 GAL?

I PRETTY MUCH LOST MY HOPE IN FISH,SO I'VE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON CORAL.
SO IF I CAN GET SOME HELP FROM YOU GUYS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

COMMENTS, IDEAS, AND QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME.
THANKS GUYS.:tongue:

 

[Mimmrfr]

Hello FLipp! You mention that you've had your tank up and running for almost a year and water parameters are "finally" stable. What issues have you experienced with that over time, if you don't mind sharing. On one note, I would say, yes to the possum wrasse, but on another I would definitely wait to find more about why this keeps happening. I take it you are not using a quarantine tank? How many fish, and what types, have you attempted so far? What do you have for corals and for how long (this would lend a better glimpse regarding water quality)? It seems odd that in a year's time that not one fish has survived. I would venture that you want to know for sure if there are any other stressors in the tank that cause fish immune systems to break down and succumb to the parasite. Many times fish can overcome ich on their own. It seems you might find an answer with a little more research and more questions and answers from fellow hobbyists on this site. Good for you in the asking of help.

 

[FLipp]

the problems i had been having in the tank was high phosphates and nitrates, also my salinity would range from time to time since i dont have an auto top off.
im thinking about waiting it out for a couple more weeks before i try adding anything in there. i usually have good luck keeping coral alive, im usually not able to keep montipora caps or chalices. right now i have a couple cyphastreas, duncan, zoanthids, blasto, palys, frogspawns, trumpet. havent had the best luck w acros or branching sps. fish i can name all day, from cardinals, clowns, gobys, damsels, blennies, royal gamma. i was able to keep a damsel in there for a while but got ich over time. also i had a bi color blenny in there for about 3 months. i had a gold coral banded shrimp but that guy is always good. i would usually keep 1-3 fish in there at a time. before i had the tank one of my friends had it running for about two years. so i really dont know where im not taking the right care.

 

[FLipp]

and i havent lost a coral in about 4-6 months.

 

[Mimmrfr]

Okay, so I like to use the KISS theory, always keeping it simple. With that list of fish something should have thrived by now. I'm thinking it's not your care efforts, but rather something unseen like, stray electrical currant?? Years ago, I experienced something of the sort. I came home to all dead fish except the clowns, which were in an anemone. I discovered it was electricity shooting into the water from a $12 power head. The clowns stayed in the anemone which by some miracle held them in a grounded state. All my corals survived and continued to thrive. Certainly worth considering. Even new equipment can be flawed, and unfortunately we don't find this out until we've suffered a loss. Do you have or know someone that has the meter to test with?

 

[FLipp]

meter to test the stray electrical currant?
if so ill look into that. its so frustrating coming home to dead fish.
so i basically gave up on that idea. lol

 

[Mimmrfr]

Never give up! You will experience success!

 

[Knarf]

What is a safe phosphate level?

 

[Mimmrfr]

What is a safe phosphate level?

. You had mentioned that you've experienced phosphate and nitrate troubles. I personally like to keep phosphates at 0.0ppm. If I see it sneak up to .25ppm I know I am in need of changing my GFO.
It is more difficult with a tank your size to keep water parameters balanced. I would think that you must find yourself doing daily or multiple weekly water changes? If not the chance of an algae bloom certainly increases as the tank will naturally move in a direction to clean itself out/use up the excess nutrients.