2 new Green Mandarins died

[Jeff4777]

Well I ordered online 2 Green Mandarins. They arrived appearing extremely malnourished. I put them in a quarantine tank with cycled water/media from my DT and clipped a piece of chaetomorpha from my DT's fuge to the glass
in the QT. There were already swarms of pods on the glass days before receiving the mandarins. Well I got them, immediately noticed their bony structure and sunken stomach.. Once acclimated one of them swam around but not much. Never attempted to hunt for pods and died 2-3 days later. The second one was on the hunt but it was too late. He passed a hour ago or so today.







The 3rd image gives a good view of the belly. Lesson is I will not buy dragonets online again (unless maybe WYSIWYG). They will be hand picked from a LFS before bringing home to QT/TTM. Its pretty clear lots of these dragonets are held way too long without a proper diet then have to go through the stress of shipping again.

 

[Brieninsac]

I lost mine on Monday after being bought at my LFS on Saturday. Plenty of copepods and hiding places (only 6 other small fish in my tank too). He went through an hour drip acclimation too. He didn't seem too active and just hopped from rock to rock. I wish I knew what happened to mine too.

 

[snorvich]

I lost mine on Monday after being bought at my LFS on Saturday. Plenty of copepods and hiding places (only 6 other small fish in my tank too). He went through an hour drip acclimation too. He didn't seem too active and just hopped from rock to rock. I wish I knew what happened to mine too.

Most likely cyanide collected.

 

[MondoBongo]

I lost mine on Monday after being bought at my LFS on Saturday. Plenty of copepods and hiding places (only 6 other small fish in my tank too). He went through an hour drip acclimation too. He didn't seem too active and just hopped from rock to rock. I wish I knew what happened to mine too.

drip acclimation can be a killer, i would avoid it in the future, especially for sensitive fish like dragonets.

 

[michaelg]

where did you order them from?

 

[CorbinSawyer]

Which acclimation would you recommend for sensitive fish? Not sounding rude but interested...I know you can float the bag and add water to it but isn't that similar?

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[Dakbur]

For most acclimations to QT/HT I just temperature acclimate and make sure to have the salinity of the tank match that of the water that the fish was shipped in.

 

[Brieninsac]

drip acclimation can be a killer, i would avoid it in the future, especially for sensitive fish like dragonets.

I use the Reef Gently AccliMate and it has worked well for me in the past. I don't think it was the acclimation process in this circumstance. Also, the salinity was the same between the store and my tank (1.025).

 

[MondoBongo]

Which acclimation would you recommend for sensitive fish? Not sounding rude but interested...I know you can float the bag and add water to it but isn't that similar?

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The same acclimation I use for all fish. Sample the bag salinity with an insulin syringe, the match my QT to the bag. Float the bag (still closed) for 15 - 20 mins to temp match temps. Then cut them loose.

Easy peasy, and saves a lot of stress on the fish.

 

[m0nkie]

i keep QT at around 1.022.. usually shipping water has low salinity. I then add fresh water to match the bag salinity. toss the fish in right after

some mandarin just dont make it due to collection.. i bought a pair on bluezoo. super skinny. i put them in a 250gal and now they are all fat

 

[Deinonych]

The same acclimation I use for all fish. Sample the bag salinity with an insulin syringe, the match my QT to the bag. Float the bag (still closed) for 15 - 20 mins to temp match temps. Then cut them loose.

Easy peasy, and saves a lot of stress on the fish.

+1

I use the same method and have yet to lose a fish due to acclimation.

 

[CorbinSawyer]

Awesome. Thanks. I think I'm switching from drip. That sounds so much easier

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[CorbinSawyer]

Do you then match the qt salinity to the DT for the transfer after the Quarenteen period?

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[snorvich]

Do you then match the qt salinity to the DT for the transfer after the Quarenteen period?

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Yup.

 

[MondoBongo]

Do you then match the qt salinity to the DT for the transfer after the Quarenteen period?

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Yes. I adjust it (usually up) slowly over the course of a few days.

My basement is usually fairly humid. That's where my qt is. So I will often just let the water evaporate slowly and not top it off. Sampling salinity once or twice a day to see how things are progressing. Then adjusting my water change water before adding or transferring.

 

[m0nkie]

So I will often just let the water evaporate slowly and not top it off.

that^ +1