New tank, got some ???s

[chugga]

Hi all, been a while since I've been here, but I've just bought a 240 gal set-up from a guy who had to get rid of it because he has just bought a small apartment and hasn't got room for it. He had it set up with about 5 feet on one side, which housed a miniatus grouper, a small lion and a big blue lobster. There was a divider in there and the other side had a few smaller fish, namely a few chromis, a large clown, a still-to-be-identified black fish that looks like a s/w oscar?? and a harlequin tusk that he had tried to put in with the bigger fish but had been beaten up by them.

I've moved everything here and set up in my basement (No room upstairs), all the smaller fish, including the harlequin, are in a 55 gal tank I already had, and the grouper and lion are in the big tank, without the divider. The lobster has some issues and has been quarantined, unsure if I'll get him or not. I have a few questions:

I was thinking about putting the divider back in and putting the small fish back in where they came from. They will have more room than they have in the 55, will make the big tank more active, will decrease the workload for me and decrease the power bill. Plus then I'll have a spare 55 gal qt/hospital tank and some spare filters and heaters. Would this be a good move or not? I'm already finding that the 55 is playing second fiddle to the 240. Or am I better off to keep it the way it is?

Do you think I could re-introduce the harlequin to the big tank, with the grouper and lion? He's a bit big for a 55 IMO, but still quite a bit smaller than the grouper. The grouper and lion have been back in the tank for 2 days, so I'm assuming they already would have claimed territories? I don't want to put him in there if he's going to be eaten!

Lastly, the grouper still hasn't eaten. I've offered him silversides, prawns, squid, etc., but until last night neither fish would eat. The lion has now started eating, but the grouper still hasn't. Do you think He's just still a bit p#$$ed iff at being moved?

Anyhow, here's a link to some pics;

240 gal "Agressive" tank;
chuggstas - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

55 gal "Communal" tank;
chuggstas/communal1 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

BTW, anyone know what the black fish in the communal tank is?

[120gallons]

Try some live food for the grouper. Never hurts to try.

[leebca]

Would this be a good move or not? I'm already finding that the 55 is playing second fiddle to the 240. Or am I better off to keep it the way it is?

Either way you want it. It will work either way. Personally, I never thought a divided aquarium was attractive to look at. But. . .It's yours.

Do you think I could re-introduce the harlequin to the big tank, with the grouper and lion? He's a bit big for a 55 IMO, but still quite a bit smaller than the grouper. The grouper and lion have been back in the tank for 2 days, so I'm assuming they already would have claimed territories? I don't want to put him in there if he's going to be eaten!

You indicated the HT was 'beaten up' but it isn't clear by what other fish or fishes. If it was not accepted before, it most likely will not be accepted again. The fishes will recognize the HT. If the HT could be put into the 240 first and the others added later, it may stand a chance. But I would doubt the other way round would be successful.

Lastly, the grouper still hasn't eaten. I've offered him silversides, prawns, squid, etc., but until last night neither fish would eat. The lion has now started eating, but the grouper still hasn't. Do you think He's just still a bit p#$$ed iff at being moved?

The large predatory fishes can and do fast. If the fish is in good health and has been eating properly nourished foods, it should be fine not eating for several weeks. Basically, fish stop eating because of the introduction of a stressor, or it's time to die. The move certainly is one such stressor, but if you are keeping the water quality proper, and reduce/remove as many stressors as you can, the fish should come around. Be sure to watch ammonia, nitrites and organics. A move can interrupt the biological filtration system.

[chugga]

Thanks for the replies. We put the HT in last night, with a divider, because we want to do a bit of work on the 55. The grouper is eyeballing him big time, I don't think there's any way they can ever live together!

[chugga]

The grouper's still not eating - over a week now Seems happy enough, just not hungry! I've tried prawns soaked in garlic, squid, silversides, even crab meat - nothing. I even let a small damsel in there with him - it's been swimming round in there now for 3 days!

He responds to me very well, put my fingers in and he comes straight over and rubs himself against them like a cat. I put a divider in this morning and put my smaller fish in 1 end so I could put my eel in my 55 (Refer to my tesselata thread) and He's hell bent on killing the HT that's in there. Charges at the divider and tries to get over/under/around it, like a dog at a fence. He's digging holes, swimming through rocks and things, doing everything normal except eating!!??

[leebca]

You're doing about the best that can be expected. If you can find any discomfort or stress on the fish, try to remove it. The rest will be up to the fish.

Sometimes a very large water change will 'shock' a fish into eating again. You can give that a try. You want to make about a 60%+ water change at one time, if you can handle that. You want to follow the general guidelines listed here for that water change: How to Make a Successful Water Change

[chugga]

We would have done a 60% water change last week, when we did the move. i was wondering whether maybe that was why he isn't eating? I suppose He'll eat when he gets hungry enough - they don't starve themselves to death, do they? I think He's healthy enough, seems perfect to me.....

[leebca]

Unfortunately, the 'They'll eat when they get hungry enough' doesn't work with marine fishes. Surely you've heard of marine fishes that do die from starvation. ;;

It is usually a matter of stress. I'd say, since the fish ate before, that it will eat once again. Just look for and reduce/remove any stresses/stressors you can think of and keep on trying to feed.

[chugga]

Finally, He's eating! I had a divider in the end of the tank, with a few damsels and a HT in there, (Which is the way the tank was before I bought it), the grouper hated the HT and charged at the divider every time He saw it. I put the HT in my 55 and took out the divider, thinking that if the grouper eats the damsels it will be ok because I was getting so worried about him not eating, and he's my prize fish. Nothing happened last night, but this morning all the damsels were gone. Not sure if the V.lion ate them, or the grouper, or both, but I dropped in a frozen cube of "Fish Dinner" and he ate it! Still turns his nose up at silversides, prawns and squid, but at least Her is eating SOMETHING! Maybe the divider and the Harlequin were stressing him out? Maybe eating just 1 damsel got him in the mood again...I don't know..

[leebca]

I can assure you that "I don't know" is the right answer!

What stops and starts a fish eating is still a big mystery. You'll find hobbyists claiming to try this and that, because their fish may have begun eating that very food. But in the end, when the fish feels comfortable enough, it will eat and whatever food is there for it, will be the first food it eats.

Glad to hear the news. BTW, forget silversides. Not a good food.