Dying Cardinal

Kelz88

Kelz88

Got Reef?
Hey Guys,
Well i haven't been having much luck with my 30 Gal FOWLR I got a Bangai Cardinal and a flame angel yesterday and the flame has already died.

The cardinal i've gotten hasn't been doing very well either. I had one before and he is doing fine, but the new one is at the bottom of the tank. He is breathing (gills moving) but he hasn't been moving. Any help would be appreciated.

Water tests:

Ammonia : 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: about .10
 
How did you acclimate? Did you see the fish eat at the store? If you ordered online, I would let them know about the problems you're having. Heck, if you got them at the store, I would call them and let them know too.
 
I acclimated the two the same way i acclimate all my fish, i float them in the bags and slowly add water from the tank and after about 45 mins to an hour I let them free.

I ordered them online from the same store I got my lionfish from, and they are my favorite store to deal with. Which is the worst part, well besides the 200$ they cost.

Perhaps it was too much stress from being on the bus, or something careless on my side, but i am bummed :c
 
You did good by checking chems. That's important. Next time you should try a cheapo fish a like a Blue/Green Reef Chromis (under $10) and acclimate slowly. Pour out most of the water in the bag and then slowly acclimate. Test the water in the bag against the tank until salinity is equal to the tank. If that doesn't work, I would suspect some heavy metal in the water, maybe? Also, did the fish look sick? Ich?
 
What is your temp and salinity? And what types of tests are you using to measure your parameters? I'm sorry that you lost the fish :(
 
Nutrafin Tests and the temp is 80 f.

I hope the poor little guy makes it, doesnt look too good though, he is just kinda hopping around on the sand.
 
And just to be sure, are you measuring salinity with a refractometer? And I'm not familiar with nutrafin tests - they aren't the test strips, right?

And one other question - what else do you have in the tank? Is your lionfish in the tank? If so, could it be beating up on your new additions?
 
Last edited:
no im using a hydrometer, i was going to get one with the fish but they were out of stock.

hagen makes the tests, and no they arent the strip ones i made sure too keep away from them.
 
With a hydrometer, your salinity might be really different than 1.023. Not saying it is, but it might be. I think Leon's post from last week about discovering his salinity was actually 1.016 is a good reminder of the problems with hydrometers! If you have a local LFS you might call them and see if they can test your water with a refractometer just to be sure that your salinity is really okay!
 
you might want to change your drip method.. I use a container large
enough for the fish a lenth of air line tubing with a knot in it. Tighten
the knot until you get 1 or 2 drips a second. Start the syphon and
adjust the knot. set the tube over the water as to make ripples in the
water. I double the water level 3 times before adding the fish
 
were the fish delivered to the store and you picked them right up? or were they at the store for a time before you bought them?

And were those the water parameters for the bagged water or your tank water?
 
Sigh it was a sad day for the 30 gallon. I feel worse because it was the bfs tank and he bought the pretty little flame for himself for his bday :/

The params were for my water, and like waddi said, they go from the bus to the bus station (5 mins tops) to home.

I never even thought of the bag water. Thanks hannah ill remember that next time i get a new fish.

Odds are this is somehow my fault, because ive never had a problem with their fish and i really really doubt Dave would send me bad fish.

and yes the cardinal didnt make it, and the healthy one died this morning, it must be the tank. :c
 
Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that Kelz :( Since your levels are fine, I am really thinking that your salinity is not 1.023 - that is the only thing I can think of, esp since your healthy cardinal died too :( Do you have anything left in the tank still alive?
 
Snails.. lol

I think it might have been my sand. Sugarfine, i think i sandblasted the poor things gills :(
I had live sand in my other tanks but this one had oolite or something like that.

Threw in a new powerhead and it was adios.
 
The sand wouldnt cause that issue, and i think there was something that the fish brought in if the healthy one died as well. I would wait around a month before adding another fish in case the deaths are from a parasite introduced from the new fish. But there is no reason you cant add corals!

But you never said if they were bagged at the store or if they were still in their primary shipping bag. Did you see both fish eat and swim normally at the store?
 

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