Lost my mandarins

[docjones]

I have a 125g tank that has been established for over a year. Since I set it up I have been growing pods so I could eventually get a pair of mandarins. Well, I got a mandarin about a week ago who was barely hanging in there from a fellow reefer who did not know they needed pods. I figured my tank was ready so I got him and stuck him in my tank. Well he didnt make it, I figured he was to starved by the time I got him and there wasnt nothing I did. But then I found a pair mandarins on Valentines day at my LFS, they looked healthy so I got them. They looked like they where doing good and I watched them eat in my tank and swim around actively. SO I thought all was ok tell I found both of them dead in my tank this morning. I dont get it, I have ALOT of pods, my parameters are great, and everything else is doing fine. The only thing I did new was last night add some phyotoplex last night to give my coral some food since the only fish in the tank are my mandarins. All my other fish are in QT from a ich break out. So I am lost, is there anything I could be doing wrong, are they just really hit and miss? I feel as if I am doing something to cause this, just not sure what.

 

[tkeracer619]

They starve to death over a longer period then a few days.

How did you acclimate? If they were both dead at the same time, I would suspect something else.

Hold off on any fish additions. Leave the tank fallow.

 

[cfarrow2]

Mandarins are notoriously fickle. It may be the stress of being moved into a new environment was just too much for them. If your water parameters are good and there were plenty of pods...well, there's not too much else you could do, right? The only other thing I can think of is the Ich problem. Did they look like they may have contracted it?

 

[tydtran]

I don't think mandarins get ich. They are pretty delicate fish unfortunately. My only advice is get the healthiest fish you can find, acclimate carefully. Really make sure your water parameters are what they should be.

 

[Sk8r]

They almost never get ich...almost. But transition might have damaged their slime coat and exposed them to it: if everybody else is in qt, they might have been the immediate target of every hungry ich parasite in the sandbed, and it might have gone for their gills, where it won't show. Let the pods grow and wait until you get the ich thing solved.

Just one side note: mandys will kill each other if not carefully handled re new mandys. Be sure when you get your next pair that they always travel together. They are totally peaceful except toward another mandy.

 

[Cope]

EDIT

 

[useskaforevil]

did you quarentine or dip them or anything?

 

[docjones]

Thanks for the comments guys. The Mandarins where added together as a pair. The Ich was discovered early Feb and the tank has been empty since about Feb 3rd. I added the mandarins in the thoughts they couldn't get Ich, so it could be the reason. I use the drip method for acclimating. My water parameters seem fine Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite all at zero. It just baffles me, I hate to see fish die. I guess I will wait tell I know the ICH is totally gone. I know March 6th will be my 6 week point for my QT'd fish so I will wait tell then.

 

[useskaforevil]

irst cope

"tipple tank watter decon dip by sk8r" what does that begin to mean?

also start your own thread next time.

 

[docjones]

I did not QT since you pretty much cant QT them, I was not aware of a dip.

 

[useskaforevil]

just a fyi, if you added fish to your maintank you have to start the quarentine time all over again, if the ich got ahold of your mandarin the life cycle starts over.

 

[docjones]

I was wondering that, but everything I read said with their slime coat they cant get Ich. I guess I have to start my time over, another 6 weeks of a fishless tank.

 

[celano]

How long did it take you to acclimate them? How long here they in the bag/bucket?

 

[docjones]

They where acclimated for about 2 hours on Valentines Day.

 

[2fishy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11877556#post11877556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by docjones
I was wondering that, but everything I read said with their slime coat they cant get Ich. I guess I have to start my time over, another 6 weeks of a fishless tank.

Everything that I have read states the same thing, and never to medicate them as they will suffocate in their own slime coat.

I don't have your answer, but I am very sorry for your loss!