Flame committed suicide?!?

[scumonkey]

I bought a sweet african flame angel last nite!
I drip acclimated for two hours and released into a dim tank.
He swam right into the rockwork and stayed there all night.
Today he was swimming around normally, in and out of the rocks exploring.
Whle I was sitting in a chair about 5 feet from the tank, I saw him swim right up into a tight hole - really quickly for no apparant reason.
There were no sudden movements in the room and, the only other fish in the tank are two small green chromis.
He just stayed there for like 10 minutes and then.......
floated out- DEAD!?!?!?
I've keep pygmy angels for more than 10 years and have never witnessed anything like this before?
Now I'm sad for the loss and pi$$ed off at losing $50 - down the drain!:mad2:
Sorry - just had to vent!

 

[vanmo92]

Sorry to hear that, that is pretty strange.

 

[G13]

What else is in the tank?

 

[scumonkey]

Other than a few well mannered rocks & corals, Just the green chromis.
It was the first and last time I buy anything from Petco!!!
I tought I was lucky just to find an African flame (in petco of all places).
In New York City African flames are few and far between ( brazilian flames are more common)with alot of people looking so I thought I had better get him while he was there.
The last Flame I bought lived 6 trouble free years for me before I had to break down the tank and give the fish away! That was in a smaller fish only (no live rock) tank, and he shared it with 4 other pygmies- flame, eibli, lemon, bi- coloured, and a giant Koran!
NEVER had a problem with any of them.

 

[cristhiam]

Sorry for your loss but what petco it's got to do with it. You said went fast into a tight hole and came out dead, most likelly got hurt there.

 

[scumonkey]

The fish at my local petco always look like they are on their death bed. I knew i'd be taking a chance based on how all the other tanks looked.
This one was hiding in a conch shell- they didn't even know they had it.
I'm sure there must have been something wrong with him as well,the plumbing for all tanks is linked.
(yes my bad for not checking better)
A healthy fish with nothing around to prey on him (and in a large well scaped tank to boot), would never have rammed himself into a hole to begin with. I've owned a flameback before and he NEVER displayed the shyness that this one did. I've also NEVER had a healthy fish kill himself by swimming to fast into a hole.

 

[jmchzn]

PETCO

PETCO

YOUR KILLIN ME....PETCO!!!!You can probably bring your receipt and get your $$$ back.