Kaudern's cardinal fish died

[firewrangler81]

Both of my cardinals died today, water is perfect according to my lfs. Have a 90 gallon tank with 2 clowns, yellow tang, and tiger striped sea star, snails and hermits.

 

[Bectan01]

Do you know what your readings are? Is it a new set up or are the fish recent additions?

 

[firewrangler81]

They were added on Friday same time the yellow tang and sea star were added, it's been running for about a month now. My dealer won't sell fish without a water sample, took another sample to him today after I found them floating and he said the water is perfect. Been feeding only flake food and haven't seen them eat at all. I'm new to saltwater reef aquariums, had fresh water for many years and didn't think it was unusual not to see them eat.

 

[Bectan01]

I would definitely suggest buying a test kit and testing your own water. My cardinals eat anything but I would suggest a frozen food, mysis or brine shrimp to get them going...

 

[Bray84]

How did you add them? Might of had a spike as your tank is still new and you added quite a lot at same time.

 

[firewrangler81]

How did you add them? Might of had a spike as your tank is still new and you added quite a lot at same time.

Let them float for 15 minutes and put them in, none of the water from the bag went into my tank, my lfs advised against drip acclimation method. Yellow tang, clowns and serpent sea star were all added the same way with no stress at all.

 

[Bray84]

Don't even think 15 mins would match the temp. Did you not add water from your tank to the bag, did you ask why he's against the drip method as never heard that before. Maybe the shock of big change killed them?

 

[firewrangler81]

He says that the fish build up a lot of toxins in the bag and it's best to get the fish out of it as soon as possible, not to quarantine because then you're shocking your fish twice.

 

[TheTodd]

Wow...that is terrible advice from the LFS. Maybe the worst I have ever heard. Let me guess... They don't refund anything for dead fish? A fish or two in a bag for a couple hours should not create any harmfully toxic environment. They came overseas in small bags with many fish and sat for hours on docks, planes, etc. Not drip acclimating forces your fish to adjust immediately to different parameters (pH, salinity, etc) and that causes stress. Not using QT means you are putting fish into your display that could have Ich, Velvet, etc. One sick fish could wipe out your entire tank. It is Russian roulette...eventually you get a bullet. I'm not sure how QT shocks a fish twisted...it should not be anymore stressful than being in a tank at the wholesaler or your LFS.

 

[Bray84]

I agree aswell worst advice I've heard, I've dripped everything and never lost a thing straight away. Your dt water will be different then the shops tanks so just dropping them in will shock the hell out of them. Best to set up qt as like said before it's just luck if you don't add something bad and trust me I was lucky for 18 months and going through ich now so the lucky ones always end up learning the hard way.

 

[mwilliams]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I too lost one of my cardinals just don't know when because I just noticed that one was missing. Mine only eat meaty foods unfortunately.

 

[firewrangler81]

I'm thinking they weren't eating anything and when I added my new light fixture (ATI dimmable 48x6 t5) it added too much stress to them

 

[woody390]

Yeah sorry for your loss with them but wow definitely worst advice I've heard of from an lfs I personally would boycott any lfs I'd heard give advice like that

 

[firewrangler81]

Unfortunately all I have is him and Walmart and petco, not sure about buying online yet, cost for shipping is scaring me away right now

 

[woody390]

That's very unfortunate. If he is acclimating like that though (big if) I'd have my doubts on the health of his fish anyway

 

[firewrangler81]

All my other fish I have gotten from him are doing wonderful, those are the only fatalities that I've had

 

[firewrangler81]

Should I be feeding my sea star anything extra or specific or just letting him scavenge is enough?

 

[woody390]

What type of sea star and even if it's been fine before definitely start drip acclimating

 

[firewrangler81]

It's a serpent sea star, fancy tiger striped, I've gotten some drip acclimaters to start with my next purchase

 

[woody390]

Should just live off the scraps but maybe feed it every so often just to make sure getting good nutrition