Help!!

[KeMo]

Ok so I bought a mandarin fish on Tuesday. Looked good when I got it.
I did the drip with him. So after placing in the main tank he hid for about an hour. Then he started to eat pods right away.
Today when I woke up it looks like his back fin is melting away. Looks like fin rot looks bad too.
Could it get that bad over one night ?
So I went to the store that i got it and told them. They tested my water and my PH was abit low around 8.0 . They said that was the problem and to buffer the ph up . To also give him fresh water baths for 1-2 mins until he starts to look better. Is this what i should do ?
It is now about 6 hours since i have came back and it looks worse, It seems to be spreading to his body now.
Please if anyone can help I feel Really bad. My Poor guy.
What should I do ?
I did a 20% water change after I got home and gave him a 1 and a half min fresh water bath ?
Their is one other fish in the tank but it shows no signs of any illness
Oh When i walked in the room tonight I saw a snail like sucking on the end of the poor guy were it looks like its rotting away. He could not get free, I did knock the snail free. It was the snails that live in my sand bed.
Thanks

 

[Mavrk]

A pH of 8.0 is not low. Plus pH will fluctuate throughout the day. It probably was sick and the stress of the move aggravated the disease. The fresh water dip might have been the problem too. Mandarins are not very tolerant of that. They have a mucous coating that keeps them healthy.

 

[Acefspds]

A pH of 8.0 is not low. Plus pH will fluctuate throughout the day. It probably was sick and the stress of the move aggravated the disease. The fresh water dip might have been the problem too. Mandarins are not very tolerant of that. They have a mucous coating that keeps them healthy.

He is right about the bath even tho the bath is probabley the best thing to do to it. Is it moving around and still eating? Has it lost any weight since you got him? What else is in the tank? I have had a cleaner goby with a mandarin fin addiction. Would just nip the fins every time it seen the mandarin.

Usually people say if the fish dies from the bath it probabley wasnt gonna make it anyways.

 

[KeMo]

No Its not really moving anymore. All Though its late and could be sleeping. But it is looks worse. It is not only on the fins but spreading to his body.
What do I do ? Their is only a clown fish in the tank and it does not do anything but chill in its corner. Plus I can tell its not bite marks it looks like its dying away. All Frayed up.
But it has gotten worse.
I have only had him one day. I got it on Tuesday.
So should I not dip him ? Should I just Do alot of water changes ?

 

[KeMo]

And whats up with the snail ? Now i am worried that some hermit will come along and snag him up, if he cant get loose from a nas snail .
Poor guy.

 

[logan 12]

My advice although I hate to be the one to say such things is to never buy a Mandarin fish emless u are going to supply him pods weekly or have a huge tank. I have seen these get bought up left and right then 6 months later they die, due to no food supply left. I know they are such cool little fella's.

Here u go alittle bit of opinion of mandarin's in small tanks:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1910062

I agree with Mavrk sometimes these things happen as far as stress when moving fish alot. Does your local fish store (lfs) provide info. on how long they have had the fish?

 

[Tony78]

I had good luck with a mandarin in a nano tank for a few years by cultivating pods. I used a large glass jar with an air stone. Some water from your tank, a jar of live pods, and feed them phyto. Get a brine shrimp net, and cultivate as needed.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

For the OP: Pictures? Water parameters?

Jeff

 

[KeMo]

Update!!

The fish did not make it through the night I feel shitty.
I was doing the pod thing. My tank has loads of pods.
Im almost 100% shure that they sold me a sick fish like someyone said.
Was in their this morning to give them a piece of my mind. Looked in their main display tanks and saw more then 3 fish , 2 with fin rot and one with marine velvet.

I will never be shopping their again. Plus they are still saying that my ph @ 8.0 is what killed him. Fish was dead in less then 48 hrs.
Fin rot had spread to his body. Could that happen ? like could my tank cause the thing to rot away in less then 48 hrs ? everything else is fine in the tank. All crabs,snails,1 clown fish , 3 feather duster , leather corals ?

Thanks for taking time to read all who did .

 

[logan 12]

It was not the Ph, I think mine is around 7.8 to an upward range of 8.1. They either have no idea what they are talking about or feeding you some BS. The fish store does not guarantee fish??? Usually they will do 7 days, not like I would want to purchase another fish from them and jeopardize my other inhabitants. I did not realize that you were feeding pods if this is done there is no reason a mandarin would not survive in a nano. Find another fish store (one with healthy fish) and give it a try again.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

And remember to quarantine. You could have introduced whatever your mandarin had to the rest of the tank.

Jeff

 

[julie180]

Sorry you lost your fish. The store is full of (*($*). A ph of 8 is fine.

A couple things for future purchases:

Check the entire store for conditions. If some of the tanks look bad, the rest are probably not great either.

Have the fish store show you that a fish is eating.

I'm sure some here would add to always QT. I am one that does not.

Good luck with your next fish.