mandarin died - the reason ?

joaovieira · 11/02/2011, 11:01 AM

My mandarim has died after being 1 week in my tank. he was eating and behaving normally untill the day before. No lesions on skin were visible.
What are the known major causes of early death without skin lesions.
Thanks

mwilliams62 · 11/02/2011, 11:06 AM

How long has your tank been setup?
Maybe not enough pods in the system to sustain him or her which I believe to be the main reason for them dying on people. I could be wrong but that is what I have been reading alot lately.

Sugar Magnolia · 11/02/2011, 11:07 AM

Need more info about your tank. Size, how much live rock, how old is the tank?

joaovieira · 11/02/2011, 11:21 AM

Some more info: My tank has 10 months; Volume = 184 gallons; Live rock = 100 pounds

username in use · 11/02/2011, 11:22 AM

What about the ammonia, ph, s.g., nitrates,, nitrites?

njudson · 11/02/2011, 11:23 AM

not a lot of info to go on but I would guess either cyanide caught or acclimation didn't go well. Seriously doubt it starved in a week although its possible it was at the LFS not eating for an extended period.

Psirex · 11/02/2011, 11:26 AM

sorry to hear...

sporto0 · 11/02/2011, 11:26 AM

They are very tricky critters to keep, I would guess that wherever you purchased him from did not have enough pods to sustain him & he probably was past the point of no return by the time you got him. I have had the most success with them by handpicking them from my LFS after careful observation of their behavior & if they were actually eating, not just going through the motions. I'm sorry for your loss, they are an extremely awesome fish to have, don't give up & good luck to you on the next one.

Khemul · 11/02/2011, 11:32 AM

Maybe it learned to count, realized how many harmless cute little pods it had wiped out, and couldn't live with itself anymore.

What condition was it in when you got it? Not skin-wise. Size-wise. Fat? Skinny? Stick-figure? About the only way it'd starve in a week is if it was already very starved at the stored. If it was skinny or worse then there is probably the answer.

Otherwise, as the others said, more details needed. To add to their detail requests, tankmates? Is it possible another fish in the tank attacked it?
There is a whole list of things that can go wrong. Even simple acclimation shock can take up to a week to kill.

joaovieira · 11/02/2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by username in use

What about the ammonia, ph, s.g., nitrates,, nitrites?

PH- 7.35-7.40; amonia 0; nitrite 0; nitrate <15 ppm

mkengr45 · 11/02/2011, 11:36 AM

I have only had luck buying mandarin from peoples established tanks. With my last tank I went through 3 of them from the LFS, they all died, but then got one from a local reefer and it lived until I sold the tank. This was in a 250 cube with a 125 gallon refugium.

joaovieira · 11/02/2011, 11:40 AM

That was my first fish. Besides corals (mostly LPS) i have four cleaner shrimps and some hitchhikers crabs. Anyway, since no skin lesions were found velvet and ich may be excluded, right ? Otherwise i had to wait six weeks more before introducing a new fish...

Could it be some fatal toxin coral-related ?.

I must add that a 10 % change of water was done 2 days before he died, apparently without problems.

Thanks

Sk8r · 11/02/2011, 11:43 AM

More than likely you bought a fish already on his way out. Once they get too starved, even food won't save them, because they've lost the ability to digest. Feeding, they should make about 1 hit at least every 10 seconds, all day long. They go through a lot of pods. Buy only fish that are very round-bellied, no pinch at the gut.

Toddrtrex · 11/02/2011, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joaovieira

PH- 7.35-7.40; amonia 0; nitrite 0; nitrate <15 ppm

What is your salinity/SG? Your pH is very low, when/how was it tested?

joaovieira · 11/02/2011, 12:51 PM

Ph is 8.35-8-40 not 7.35 that was a mistake

Could it be a death caused by neurotoxin ? i found i have a Protopalythoa... - how do i know if it is danger? should i get rid of it ?

Thanks

Southreef · 11/02/2011, 01:13 PM

I'm assuming you bought a young mandarin... We took on a huge mandarin and the best we can figure is that he died of old age... He was close to 5"

snorvich · 11/02/2011, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

More than likely you bought a fish already on his way out. Once they get too starved, even food won't save them, because they've lost the ability to digest. Feeding, they should make about 1 hit at least every 10 seconds, all day long. They go through a lot of pods. Buy only fish that are very round-bellied, no pinch at the gut.

Yup. Also the fish may have been captured with cyanide in which case there was never a chance.

snorvich · 11/02/2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southreef

I'm assuming you bought a young mandarin... We took on a huge mandarin and the best we can figure is that he died of old age... He was close to 5"

I had one that probably died of old age. I replaced him with a male/female pair that are clearly youngsters.

11/02/2011, 11:01 AM	#1
joaovieira Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 377	mandarin died - the reason ? My mandarim has died after being 1 week in my tank. he was eating and behaving normally untill the day before. No lesions on skin were visible. What are the known major causes of early death without skin lesions. Thanks

11/02/2011, 11:07 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Need more info about your tank. Size, how much live rock, how old is the tank? __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

11/02/2011, 11:22 AM	#5
username in use Sciencing Daily Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,560	What about the ammonia, ph, s.g., nitrates,, nitrites? __________________ Joshua "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?" - Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: multiple nano's sprinkled around the house

11/02/2011, 11:23 AM	#6
njudson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 610	not a lot of info to go on but I would guess either cyanide caught or acclimation didn't go well. Seriously doubt it starved in a week although its possible it was at the LFS not eating for an extended period. __________________ Barebottom Nano Radion Pro Icecap 1k Gyre Icecap K1 Nano Skimmer Ocellaris pair / Potter's Angel / BTAs, Zoas and Montis Current Tank Info: IM Nuvo Fusion Lagoon 25

11/02/2011, 11:26 AM	#7
Psirex Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 1,934	sorry to hear... __________________ SALINITY NOW....

11/02/2011, 11:06 AM	#2
mwilliams62 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,056	How long has your tank been setup? Maybe not enough pods in the system to sustain him or her which I believe to be the main reason for them dying on people. I could be wrong but that is what I have been reading alot lately.

11/02/2011, 11:21 AM	#4
joaovieira Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 377	Some more info: My tank has 10 months; Volume = 184 gallons; Live rock = 100 pounds

11/02/2011, 11:26 AM	#8
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	They are very tricky critters to keep, I would guess that wherever you purchased him from did not have enough pods to sustain him & he probably was past the point of no return by the time you got him. I have had the most success with them by handpicking them from my LFS after careful observation of their behavior & if they were actually eating, not just going through the motions. I'm sorry for your loss, they are an extremely awesome fish to have, don't give up & good luck to you on the next one.

11/02/2011, 11:32 AM	#9
Khemul Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 988	Maybe it learned to count, realized how many harmless cute little pods it had wiped out, and couldn't live with itself anymore. What condition was it in when you got it? Not skin-wise. Size-wise. Fat? Skinny? Stick-figure? About the only way it'd starve in a week is if it was already very starved at the stored. If it was skinny or worse then there is probably the answer. Otherwise, as the others said, more details needed. To add to their detail requests, tankmates? Is it possible another fish in the tank attacked it? There is a whole list of things that can go wrong. Even simple acclimation shock can take up to a week to kill.

11/02/2011, 11:36 AM	#11
mkengr45 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: san antonio Posts: 190	I have only had luck buying mandarin from peoples established tanks. With my last tank I went through 3 of them from the LFS, they all died, but then got one from a local reefer and it lived until I sold the tank. This was in a 250 cube with a 125 gallon refugium.

11/02/2011, 11:40 AM	#12
joaovieira Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 377	That was my first fish. Besides corals (mostly LPS) i have four cleaner shrimps and some hitchhikers crabs. Anyway, since no skin lesions were found velvet and ich may be excluded, right ? Otherwise i had to wait six weeks more before introducing a new fish... Could it be some fatal toxin coral-related ?. I must add that a 10 % change of water was done 2 days before he died, apparently without problems. Thanks

11/02/2011, 11:43 AM	#13
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	More than likely you bought a fish already on his way out. Once they get too starved, even food won't save them, because they've lost the ability to digest. Feeding, they should make about 1 hit at least every 10 seconds, all day long. They go through a lot of pods. Buy only fish that are very round-bellied, no pinch at the gut. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/02/2011, 12:51 PM	#15
joaovieira Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 377	Ph is 8.35-8-40 not 7.35 that was a mistake Could it be a death caused by neurotoxin ? i found i have a Protopalythoa... - how do i know if it is danger? should i get rid of it ? Thanks

11/02/2011, 01:13 PM	#16
Southreef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Lake Worth, FL Posts: 188	I'm assuming you bought a young mandarin... We took on a huge mandarin and the best we can figure is that he died of old age... He was close to 5"

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Mandarin died, why...	twiggyb	Saint Louis Area Saltwater Hobbyists (SLASH)	5	06/16/2010 03:43 PM
My Mandarin Died	Juruense	New to the Hobby	19	06/04/2009 01:37 PM
Why did my 2 new mandarins die?	CyanoMagnet	Reef Discussion	27	04/19/2007 03:12 PM
So depressed. My mandarin died. :(	JeffersonReef	Southern California Reefers	29	11/13/2006 05:11 PM
HELP! Green Mandarin Dying!	affan	Reef Discussion	33	04/30/2006 08:49 PM