Cardinal school die off?

[GallonsOfFun]

Very confused by recent events in my tank. I added 15 Cardinal tetras to a fully cycled tank and in less than a week 11 have died.

There is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5ppm nitrate. The tank is 55 gallons.

Admittedly, a couple got caught in the filter intake and died, but most didn't. To put things in perspective, and assure you it's not a water quality issue, I have 6 ottos in there that are completely fine. Can anyone guess what happened here? Could I have just received genetically inferior tetras? Unsure whether to add more or to go with another fish.


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[Coursair]

They are Wild Caught. Did you drip acclimate them ? Is the tank heavily planted with some floating plants ?
What is the PH ?


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[GallonsOfFun]

pH: 6.5. Moderately planted with lots of driftwood.

Are you telling or asking me? was under the impression that most cardinals are farm raised?

Didn't drip acclimate, usually do but was doing 100 other things - seriously doubt it was this as most deaths happened 2-3 days after and I didn't even drip acclimate the ottos, all of which are still alive.




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[ScotJudd]

I'm building up a large cardinal shoal in my main tank and buy 15 at a time and quarantine them for 6 weeks. I am on my third batch so you expect them all to have the same survival rate. My first batch I lost 3, very skinny, never did eat well. Second batch I lost one to illness, probably neon tetra disease but can't be 100% on that. My third batch I lost 3 in 24 hrs then 2 a week later. Same tank, same water conditions and same fish supplier.
All fish survived after quarantining and are looking really good in the main tank.
I've started testing the water in the bag that I bring the fish home in to see how great a difference the water conditions are between the supplier and my own tanks. I have been astounded at the high nitrate levels from the fish supplier, 80 to 120 is not unusual. I think that the fish can be shocked by going from bad water, that they have got used to, into good quality water and therefore need acclimatising very carefully. They won't necessarily die but are weakened and become susceptible to ailments as a result, sometimes up to a week later.
Drip acclimatising as a matter of course is a wise precaution.


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[Delapool]

I've given up on cardinal and neon tetras. They just never last.

QT sounds good. I'm finding small fish get a chance to get some weight on as well. They seem to handle DT water flow better.

 

[GallonsOfFun]

Thanks for all the info guys. May abandon the cardinal school as I don't wish to keep spending money on fish that won't make it.

Any ideas for a hardier Amazonian schooling fish?


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[ImACoolguy]

I quarantined a school of 15 for a week and hours after drip acclimation they all dropped dead. It's a discus tank everything is very stable.

Sometimes with fish like this it just happens.


Caleb

 

[Coursair]

pH: 6.5. Moderately planted with lots of driftwood.

Are you telling or asking me? was under the impression that most cardinals are farm raised?

Didn't drip acclimate, usually do but was doing 100 other things - seriously doubt it was this as most deaths happened 2-3 days after and I didn't even drip acclimate the ottos, all of which are still alive.




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Well to my knowledge almost all Cardinals sold in stores are WC. Neons are farmed. People have started breeding Cardinals, but not on a major scale AFAIK ? They are more difficult to breed and the eggs can't be exposed to light.

The Neons being sold in my area are small and so crowded at the store that they are often thin. I lost a couple but the rest are eating well.

Hardier Tetra ? Glowlights. Bleeding Hearts, Black Neons ( but they can be a little nippy IME ).

Or look at Harlequin Rasboras or Cherry Barbs. Not Amazonian but like similar water. Both are peaceful.

What temp are you keeping the tank ?
Cardinals need warm water 78-82°

I'm sorry you lost fish. They are so lovely when they thrive. I've kept them in the past. I currently have Glowlights and Neons....I'm having difficulty finding Cardinals in my area.

All Otos are WC as well. Unless you buy from the rare person breeding them.


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[GallonsOfFun]

Hmm...thx for all the info once again guys. Gives me a lot to consider.

Are rummynose any hardier?


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[Mebbid]

You would have known if it was sulfur that caused the deaths in your tank. The human nose is super sensitive to it and can detect sulfur at levels that arent quite toxic to fish. It will be a rotten egg smell.

However, there is a ton of detritus that gets locked away in the substrate. When you siphoned it all out it dumped all of that into the water. The safe way to change substrate is to femove the fish, complete the change over, do a 100% water change, then reaccl8mate the fish.

 

[Sk3lly]

I have personally found cardinals are my hardiest fish species ive tried. I suppose its down to source supply and tank variations between us


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