Help Needed...Soon

[mcdonaldjosh7]

SO decided to try out purchasing fish online for the first time. I purchased 5 fish...2 Lyretail Anthias, 2 Engineer Gobies, and one Foxface Rabbitfish.

I setup a 10 gallon QT tank where I planned to QT them for a bit. I woke up on day 2, and found the foxface stuck to the filter. He wasn't dead, but by the next morning he was.

I took his body out and put it in a cup. Some blood actually ran out of his mouth...which greatly concerned me.

I got back home the same day (today) and found the Male Anthias is piss poor shape. A few hours later, and he was also gone...though no blood from him.

The water in the tank all came from my DT...and water quality is good. I am running a 30 gallon HOB filter, with a carbon pack.


Both fish that died were the ones that were also in worst shape when they arrived. I was wondering if the foxface experienced some sort of ruptured organ during shipping?

Let me know guys. This is my first attempt at actually QT'ing fish instead of just dumping them into the DT, and I figured things would go well...


EDIT: Liveaquaria already said they would replace the fish once the warranty was up (to make sure they sent all the fish in need of replacing in one package)...but thats not the point...

 

[mcoomer]

LA has a decent reputation for delivering healthy fish but there are always exceptions. I don't doubt that they'll stand by their guarantee. As for your QT, even though you used known good water you should test it to see if you're having a spike. What about your filter? Is the media seasoned or was it dry/fresh? What are you doing for aeration/circulation? I would change a gallon or so of water each day to ensure water quality is at its best. If you do discover an ammonia spike I'd change two gallons a day. Use water from your DT for the changes if you're certain that it's good.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[Faciosity]

I agree, that even if your water was straight from your display, daily testing might be necessary until it has "cycled". Greater/less amounts of circulation/lightl/surface movement can drastically change your water chemistry as well as bioload from having several fish in a 10 gallon tank and many other factors. Shipping can definately cause injury and disease on occasion no matter how careful you are, but I wouldn't be too quick to put the blame on the transportation methods.

 

[Scooterman]

I wouldn't bother using your DP water at all, make up your own and slowly introduce your fish to it but when buying fish that have been shipped liek this the process should be much slower. You will need to change water daily to make sure there aren't spikes that you can't see during the day, keep the water changing and slow introduction is vital.

Acclimation procedure!
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f15/acclimation-i-know-27023/

QT process!
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f15/quarantine-process-27022/

 

[Crack31]

Not sure if I missed it, but was nitrifying bacteria introduced to the quarantine tank?

 

[returnofsid]

The water doesn't hold any of the beneficial bacteria. That bacteria grows on solid surfaces, rock, sand, glass, pumps, etc. Because of this, using water from the display tank doesn't do anything, beneficial. Using the HOB filter that you mentioned, does help, IF the media in it has been in the display tank, to grow beneficial bacteria, for awhile, prior to being used.

The other issue, that I see right off the bat, is the size of your QT tank. 10 gallons is way too small, to QT 5 fish. You'd be much better off buying a large rubbermaid container, of 30 gallons or so.