New fish dying, need an opinion on what to do!!

[TXaggie]

I jus purchased 4 Peacock Gudgeons from a LFS on Saturday and two of them have died. One died on Sunday and one was dead in the tank this afternoon when I was checking, mostly eaten by the other fish. The two that died seemed to be younger and smaller than the others.

I didn't quarantine them, which I know is what is recommended. I simply don't have space or money to set up a second tank and filter/heater etc.

My concern is whether I should pull the two remaining Gudgeons out of my tank and take them back to the LFS. I'm worried that my other fish (6 Gertrude's Blue Eye, Honey Gourami, 2 Mystery Snails) are at risk. Is it too late? Should I leave the healthier two in and see how they do???

I'm also worried about fish TB since that is contagious to humans. Other fish seem ok, one of the two Gudgeons may have a slight curvature to the spine, but I may be imagining it since I'm worried. No other symptoms, no sores/lumps on fish.

Water params were great the day I brought the fish home, 0/0 amm/nitrite, 5 ppm nitrate. I need to test today still.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[librarygirl]

How did you acclimate them? It's possible they weren't acclimated enough and the shock in change of water parameters killed them. They might have been sick when you got them and the stress killed them.

Do the remaining fish have any symptoms? If not, I'd just keep an eye on everythign in the tank and see if anything develops that you can diagnose. If you want to return the remaining two fish that's up to you, but if they do have something that's contagious it's likely already in your tank. Without any specific signs other than the two dead fish I'd just watch what's left closely.

 

[TXaggie]

Thanks so much for the info! I'll take your advice and watch (and test!!) my tank and see how the others do. I spoke to someone at the LFS store today and they said the rest of their Gudgeons are fine. I acclimated them per their instructions, floated the bag for 15 mins then scooped the fish out with a net and released them in the tank.


Edit: just checked my parameters; amm 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 ppm.

 

[Luna09]

Next time, for acclimating. Let the bag float longer than 15, water takes a little longer to either rise or lower. Also, open the bag and add small amounts of your aquarium water to the bag (I do about 3 additions. One every 10 mins or so) it helps reduce stress because they can slowly get adjusted to the new water parameters. Even if the temperatures were the same between bag and aquarium, the pH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all going to be different so the addition of aquarium water will help get them used to it before they are put in with none of the water they are used to.

 

[LyndaB]

I wish the stores would give better acclimating procedures. Sadly, the method they gave you only acclimated your fish to the temperature of your tank, not the water parameters.

You've been given proper information in the post above.

 

[TXaggie]

So even going from a less clean tank to a more clean one can shock the fish? I was not as impressed with the LFS that I purchased this stock from, they weren't as clean or well organized as my usual LFS.

Sadly, none of my fish that I purchased made it. I'm now playing the waiting game with my established fish to see how they do. I was planning on waiting a full month or more before adding other livestock.

 

[aqua_chem]

It's more of a matter of differences between Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and possibly pH than 'cleanliness'.