Dead fish...any ideas?

[Washburn82]

Ok yes i am new to SW tanks but im not a complete idiot. I just got my firefish yesterday and he was fine. I came home today he seemed fine swimming around normally i fed my tank and he ate a bit and kept swimming. Well an hr gores by out of the corner of my eye i see him swimming very eratically. Bouncing around, looking like he was having trouble staying upright.Eventually he just stopped and floated motionless and got pulled to my filter intake. He died :(. I checked all my water parems Ammonia-0, PH-8.2, nitrite-0, and nitrate around 30 id say. A little high i know could this be the cause? Salinity was fine 1.022. That at the moment is all i have tests for. I have a clown and goby and other inverts living in there happily so i figured if something killed him it would effect the others as well. My acclimation process is as follows i submerge the bag still sealed into my aquarium for around 20 mins for temp to adjust. I then pour the bag water and fish into a large jug. I then drip acclimate for around 45 mins to an hr with around 2-4 drops per second. After that i gently place him into the tank making sure not to add water from pet store to my tank then top my tank off with salt water i premixed with same PH and temp. Then i turn light off for around an hr or so for him to calm down and adjust. Am i doing something wrong here?

 

[Marines_Wife]

Sometimes fish just die, your levels from what I can tell arent really off and if nothing else seems affected then I would guess it was something with the fish. I like to keep my salinity a bit higher then that but it seems you were pretty careful...other more experienced people will chime in though

 

[wontonflip]

+1 MW -- it happens, and sometimes you never know why. Maybe your LFS had just received him, and didn't give him time to relax before the next move to your tank. Sometimes you never know why. Sorry to hear.

 

[little_fish]

+1 Everyone

Sorry about your fishie :(

 

[Washburn82]

Thanks all i took his body back to the fish store where he looked at him. Apparently his gills were covered in a thick mucus. Not a good sign. He blamed it on previous care and not mine since i only had him for a day. Really sucks was a great looking fish. Gonna miss him. Ive had some bad luck already, dead clown (due to my devil emerald crab) and now this. ugh.

 

[Smitty]

Sorry to hear that about your fish...but don't blame yourself, you've done everything right. So +1 everyone.

 

[TRAUMA]

It happens got a flame angel he died with in 24 hours. I was verry sad that is one of the main fishes I wanted. hang in their.

 

[JustinsReefTank]

Sorry to hear about your loss! I would raise your salinity a lil bit to maybe 1.024 to 1.025. Just my opionion

 

[Washburn82]

Thanks, i think i will. Actually i had my friend check the accurcy of my hydrometer with his refractrometer and it was out by .0015 so i guess it is more around 1.023. I will gradually raise it up with some water changes.

 

[little_fish]

you can just top off with saltwater to raise your salinity. Also you can get a good refractometer on ebay for around $20, which will pay for itself in a year because you need to replace hydrometers every 6 months or so.

 

[MikeG]

Sorry to hear about your Firefish. I have two in my 36g bowfront and I think they are really neat fish. +1 to everyone else's response as it seems there was something wrong before you ever got it. I added mine (unfortunately) last to my tank and they were mildly bully'ed for about a week by the resident fish before all settled down and now everything is peaceful in the tank. Maybe try adding a pair, but don't give up on Firefish cause they are a great addition to a tank. My :twocents:

 

[Washburn82]

thanks little_fish i didnt realize they were so cheap on ebay. Around here they are like $60 plus taxes. (yes im canadian) damn taxes. But that was on my list for up coming purchases. So im looking at around 1.025 for salinity? And thanks MikeG , and dont you worry im not giving up on firefish i love them they are so cool looking and fun to watch. Ill be getting another one. :)

 

[little_fish]

Thats is about what they sell at the LFS around here too, but you can trust a broke college kid to find a good deal ;)

 

[MikeG]

WOW are we just talking about regular Firefish, NOT Purple Firefish or Helfrichi Firefish. $60 is that US dollars? I live in PA and prices are relative cheap for saltwater fish here, especially compared to where I work (1 hour 20 minute) drive in Maryland where the price for the some fish goes up about $10 - $20. My Firefish were $16 each. Maybe u might want to try adding two, I had good luck with that, as both of mine get along with each other and with their other tank mates.

 

[Washburn82]

lol no Mike i meant for a refractrometer. I think i paid like 17 for my firefish. It was sick before i got it im pretty sure. 60 for a firefish is a little steap unless it does some cool tricks or something.

 

[MikeG]

Sorry I must have mis-read a post. $60 for a refactometer is what I paid for mine too. I feel like a dumby for misunderstanding. Dah I'm stupid :frustrat: . Hope you give the firsfish another try..

 

[JasonLee]

lol here in Australia firefish are priced from about $30 - $60 each..... I get annoyed that fish cost so little everywhere else (pulls depressed sad face)...
Fish seem really expensive here in Australia compared to everywhere else in the world but I'm guessing it's because of our extremely strict importation laws....

Damn living on a huge island!! lol

 

[MikeG]

thanks jason, I dont feel as stupid now as i thought he was talking about a firefish instead of a refractometer. i just paid $90 for a Majestic Angel a week ago and I dont feel quite as bad now.