Lost 1 New Fish; Another Not Looking Good; Really Bummed

[Hitch08]

Ordered fish on-line. The fish were received last Saturday.

One fish was a McCosker's - it looked really bad when I first took it out of the bag. It spent the first two days in QT hiding, jamming itself between PVC and the side of the tank, not eating. On the third day, it started to eat and seemed like it was doing very well. This afternoon, I found it dead on the bottom of the tank.

The Orange-back doesn't have good color, but was eating the first day in QT. However, with each passing day, it is swimming more and more vertically. It will sit on the bottom, especially when it's dark. However, it largely swims vertically and it's back fin isn't nearly as full/long as the photo on Live Aquaria's website. It almost looks like his back is bent in a way that it shouldn't be. It continues to eat fairly well, but less than it first did.

I did not do TTM. For some reason, maybe an irrational one, I was concerned that would stress them even more.

I did add some prazi last night. I do have an ammonia badge on there and have been watching it. I've added some Prime here and there. I've also done water changes. It's a ten gallon QT, so it will take out about 1.5 gallons and replace.

I also bought a hi fin red banded goby and a firefish. They both seem fine.

When the fish arrived, the water was at 1.019. I matched that in the QT. I floated the bags for over an hour (left the bags sealed) to try to match temp.

Any thoughts/suggestions? I'm really bummed.

[sailoracu2]

Did you drip acclimate the fish?

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[Hitch08]

No. I matched the salinity between the bags and the QT.

[Dkuhlmann]

How long after opening the bag, were the fish in an open bag before you put them in your tank?

How exactly did you match the salinity?

[gone fishin]

Sounds like you may have just got a couple fish that already had some issues.

[Bent]

Originally Posted by gone fishin

Sounds like you may have just got a couple fish that already had some issues.

X2 sounds like you did everything right. Use the live aquaria return policy and sleep well.

[firemountain]

Just thinking outloud...did you use a refractometer or a hydrometer when measuring the salinity. They can be notoriously inaccurate.

Did you add an air bubbler after dosing Prazipro. If not...your oxygen level is depleted.

Minus some things the guys have punted out here....it sounds like you did everything right. Like Bent said.....call LA and use their refund policy. Don't sweat it....sometimes you just get a sick fish. That's why I have lately been using the divers den section.....quality control is better and the fish have already gone through some rounds of medication

[Hitch08]

Thanks to all for the questions, thoughts and suggestions.

I've had the tank up for a good year now, but this is only the second time that I have bought fish. I don't want to make mistakes and want to be home for at least a three to four week QT. The first time I bought fish, I screwed up and one fish died. With that order, I bought non-fish. Not wanting to open the bags with the fish, I tested the water in the non-fish bag (1.025). Yes, I assumed that the salinity was consistent and set the salinity in the QT to match the water in the non-fish bag. I added a goby to the QT and then realized the issue. I removed the goby within a few minutes and put it into the bag that another fish came in. I then fixed (lowered the salinity) in the QT and added all three fish. The goby was the only one who didn't make it.

This time, I setup the QT the night before and set the salinity to something like 1.014. When I got the fish, I floated them for a while. I then opened one bag and tested salinity (the poor goby was the guinea pig again). I set a timer on my cell phone for 30 minutes, so that I didn't go over. I then upped the salinity to 1.019 (which was what I tested the water in the fish bags to be). I tested by using both a Milwaukee refractometer and a regular refractometer.

It took me just over 20 minutes between opening the bag, getting the salinity correct and adding the goby. The others were opened added within just minutes, as I tested each bag with the Milwaukee just to make sure.

The Orange-back did not eat when I fed last night. I've largely been feeding LRS. I did feed flake two times earlier in the week, but they didn't go after it like the LRS.

I did not add a bubbler when I added the Prazi. The three remaining fish were all alive when I turned the lights on this morning. I added a bubbler.

Again, thanks to all. Any comments and thoughts are appreciated.

[Sk8r]

So you adjusted the salinity in the qt to 1.019 after you got the fish. Right?
It may be that the fish had a really rough shipment. Sometimes this does happen. Do use the phone to ask LA or any other dealer about the salinity at which they ship a particular fish (it may not be all 1.019). They get these calls. They can tell you. It would at least eliminate one anxiety.

[anthonys51]

honestly that's is why i prefer to buy my fish at lfs. i want to see the fish, how it acts and watch it eat myself.
now yes i am lucky to have a lfs near me that is a direct importer of fish and corals. sometimes he must get over $20,000 worth of fish and corals at one time. so normally i just wait 3 weeks after they arrive and go get the fish i want. now i am not saying you cannot get lots of good fish online. but i feel the stress of getting ship around the world, sitting at LA for a week or 2 then getting shipped to me has to put the fish under a lot of stress. plus like most wild fish do have parasites and ich already. not worth it IMO.

[Sk8r]

That's a wonderful resource.
Another thing you can do, if you get on REAL good terms with your lfs is to ask to receive fish 'in the bag,' ie, just as they come in. You pay lfs prices, but it saves them work, and lets the fish go through just one adjustment.

[anthonys51]

he would let me do that, probably spent like 10,000 there in last 2 years like we all have. but worried the fish would still be under high stress and still at higher risk of dying then after waiting a few weeks to purchase them. thing with outline shipper is they give you a free fish, but still have to pay like 60 bucks for shipping. plus i think i am offically old, i like seeing things i buy

[Hitch08]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

So you adjusted the salinity in the qt to 1.019 after you got the fish. Right?
It may be that the fish had a really rough shipment. Sometimes this does happen. Do use the phone to ask LA or any other dealer about the salinity at which they ship a particular fish (it may not be all 1.019). They get these calls. They can tell you. It would at least eliminate one anxiety.

Yes, the salinity in the QT was 1.019 before the fish were added.

I called LA to report the McCosker's. They said that I could send an email with a photo of the other one and that they might be able to extend the warranty if its still not doing well later this week.