Another Death!

[goodgreef]

Good morning,

I feel saddened as I found my five day old sail-fin tang laying on the bottom of the tank. Prior to dieing, it was acting strange by hanging around the bottom and seemingly swimming in rather erratic patterns. It definitely was not eating. I served up about five different varieties of food but none seem to work.

This is the second fish in a row that has died this way. I bought one about two months ago that did the same thing. My wife is adamant about not buying any more fish as it is heart-breaking to see them not make it.

If you have any advice, it sure would be appreciated. I have four other fish that are doing great. My water parameters are good and I bought this fish from a very well known and respected shop.



tanks,

goodgreef

[jimsflies]

Sorry to hear about your fish.

What are the other fish did you have in the tank? How long did you have it? Was there any aggression occurring?

[goodgreef]

Hi Jim. Thanks for the response.

I have a Blennie, clown, flame angel and anthias. No aggression at all. When I first put in the anthias about four months ago, the flame gave it a hard time but they're now compatible. The flame did not show any aggression toward the sail-fin. My tank is almost six months old.

[adalius]

Just for thoroughness, can you give us a run down of your water parameters?

[MizTanks]

Truly sorry for your loss. I feel your sadness and the frustration :( did both fish come from the same LFS? By 5 days old is that the actual age of the fish or the length of time you had it? Just curious.

[iyachtuxivm]

Couple of things I do when purchasing a fish no matter where it comes from.1 Have them feed it, watch how it reacts to the person feeding it and how it eats especially if its by itself. If its shy but eats it may not get food if you have more aggressive feeders. If it doesnt eat well ..... dont buy it good chance it wont eat for you either. It shouldnt show fear it should be happy to be getting food.2 if its doesnt have a date on the tank of when it came in ask how long they have had it. If they dont know or its been less then a week I stay away from that purchase. 3 if other tanks are tied into the system how do the other fish act, look, great breeding place for parasites. Find out if they run copper or any meds in the holding system. And the one thing I have not done and should also do is set up a QT.
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I have had good success following those steps. I did bring ich home with a fish once and the lfs I got it from QTs everything for at least a week before it hits the floor so a QT is always a good idea.

[iyachtuxivm]

+1, all very good steps/ things to do when even considering purchasing a fish..... although I always forget to do those things. Thankfully Mike (from Reef Paradise) usually offers up that info when I am talking about considering a fish, and has a nack for feeding fish he knows I like when I am there LOL

Yeah its because he knows that its going to be a better chance of you buying it. lol

[MizTanks]

I've made the habit of watching a fish at the LFS for at least a week or two. If it's still happy and healthy then I'll buy. If it's sold then I wasn't meant to have it. Nor will I buy any on the day a shipment arrives, although cheaper they arrive totally stressed.

[CableGuy]

How big was this fish? Do you have enough surface water movement?

[Sir Patrick]

I have to agree with seeing the fish eat at the shop. Not only does it let you know the fish eats, but it also gives the fish a full belly and energy when its released into ints new surroundings. If it takes a few days to get comfortable before it eats, its got that last meal to fall back on for a few days.

Sounds like stress to me. Tangs are pretty suseptable.

[goodgreef]

Hi folks,

Thanks for all of the good advice. Here are the parameters from my tests today:
Alk. 3.7
Mg 1350
Ca 475
PH 8.1
Am 0
Ni 0
Ntra 3
Salinity 1.024

[adalius]

And how about acclimation, what did you do to acclimate them before putting them in? I'm assuming you used the same if not very similar method for both fish that died?

[goodgreef]

Fish was about an inch and a quarter. I have tons of flow.


tanks

[iyachtuxivm]

And how about acclimation, what did you do to acclimate them before putting them in? I'm assuming you used the same if not very similar method for both fish that died?

Thats a good point acclimation is very important. I always drip acclimate from slow to fast over about 30-45 min until I double water volume. I then temp acclimate the bag for about 15 min, then release. Acclimation deaths usually occur faster though like over night.
Its possible one of your other fish killed him. I had a tang that killed two other fish but would act like nothing was wrong when i was around. I caught him in the act by sneaking to the doorway and watching from the hall where he couldnt see me.

[goodgreef]

Yes I used the same acclamation process. I float the bag for about 20 minutes, open the bag and add a small amout of existing tank water. I do this 2 or 3 times and then dump the bag water and get the fish into a bowl with tank water. The fish is then gently placed into the tank.


tanks

[Chelle's Ocean]

I am sorry for your loss. (I just recently lost a sea hare :angelsad:, so I share your sadness)
May I add to the mix of questions:
-do you possibly have any hitchhikers from live rock?
-a lettuce nudi I know I have read are toxic, will kill fish. tangs would go to it thinking it was seaweed, possibly nibble and spit it out.
-any scratches noticeable on the tang? mine like to 'play hide and seek' in the rockwork. they swoop so quickly at times I get nervous. Could there be a possiblility the fish were harassed / stressed, and scratched themselves where you may not have noticed? And just didn't heal?
-do you have an anemone? (not funny but true: my sailfin AND hippo are freakin bold enough to go into Monti and try to grab his food. (Monti is my huge carpet) a sting would definitely cause problems.
-Do you have a picture of your tank .....I have a thought.....?

[Chelle's Ocean]

Sorry! Found a pic of the biocube. :duh: My bad....it's been awhile since I have been on.
Ok, my thought, (only from what I have done, take either a small terra cotta pot or a pvc elbow tube and create a cave. I made the pvc (bought at lowe's) into a cave with rock/coral to be surrounding it in the right corner, and I have a small orange terra cotta pot (bought at walmart garden center) on the bottom back of my tank facing the front glass, with the rock built around it = giving the tangs (and other fish) somewhere to sleep or hide and feel safe.
Try it and see if it works.............. good luck and keep us posted.