View Full Version : Mystery Perc. Death
meoklmrk91
12-31-2009, 05:26 PM
This morning I woke up to find my one and only fish, Rufus the Percula Clown dead. He didn't seem like himself yesterday, his color was a little off and he seemed out of sorts. I checked all params, gravity, everything I can think of. Anyone have any ideas on what happened to him, all other critters in the tank are fine. I just can't understand it.
CarmieJo
12-31-2009, 10:39 PM
I'm sorry to hear that Mary Ellen. Is it possible that there were chemicals sprayed in the house?
maybe.......um, , wow, this is bad.....maybe i over dosed on the celebration drink additives.
needle in a stack of needle time, its now a process of elimination to source a reason.
So for your loss though kiddo
rayme07
01-01-2010, 01:16 AM
I am sorry for the loss of your clown fish :(
meoklmrk91
01-01-2010, 02:18 AM
Thanks all for the sympathy, I'm pretty upset about it cause he was an awesome little guy, I'm also anxious to find out what killed him.
Carmie, my mother does spray air freshener and such in the house, but I have asked her not to spray it anywhere near the tank and she has been very good about not doing so, I will ask her tomorrow though just in case.
boyesreef
01-01-2010, 12:54 PM
im sorry for your loss
Michael
01-04-2010, 07:41 PM
same thing happen to my firefish goby. all other tank mates are fine all water parm. good, but he hadnt been in the tank but a week.
meoklmrk91
01-05-2010, 01:53 AM
It makes no sense to me, I still haven't been able to figure out what killed him.
Amphibious
01-05-2010, 10:44 AM
Maybe, I can make some sense out of it for you. Nothing written below is directed at anyone personally. We all (or most) are guilty until we become a “Responsible Aquarist”.
Because of the nature of our hobby, keeping ocean dwelling critters in an all too small environment, and the methods of capture, transport (multiple times), and eventual introduction to our system, unexplained deaths are common. To find the cause is problematic in that we cannot possibly determine where in the chain of events a problem manifested itself. Too many possibilities. Sheer fright of the combined events is certainly a possible contributor. We are painfully aware of what stress does to our little critters in there new home. Think of the thousands that die along the way that you don’t know about. Hundreds of fish, coral and invertebrates are trashed at every port of entry. While methods of packaging and transport have improved over the years, it still amazes me how many don’t make it through and yet how many that do.
It’s unrealistic to expect importers to hold the fish for any length of time for recuperating from the stress of capture and transporting. It’s not unrealistic to ask them to FEED the fish, yet they do not! Or if they do, it’s a pinch of flake food. Hardly enough to offer relief from the starving the fish are put through. Why do they starve them??? So during the transportation period, sometimes bagged up for 48 hours, the fish don’t poop and foul their water. What is the resulting change in water quality of a fish that poops in their bag??? A sharp rise in Ammonia. We all know that Ammonia in small quantities KILLS fish. Hence, no food for days while they make their way to the LFS.
How many LFSs feed their fish PROPERLY? In my 63 years in this hobby I’ve witnessed very few that take the proper care of their livestock. The prevailing attitude is, throw some flake food at them and that’s good enough. Sell them before they die here. YES, there are a few that really care. If you are fortunate enough to live within driving distance to a LFS that you know for sure cares, I implore you to give that LFS your business. He deserves it!!! Even if you have to pay more for their fish!!!
These “unexplained” deaths are troublesome for sure BUT, if you will look deeper into the WHOLE problem as it exists from moment of capture. The problem isn’t so “unexplained” after all.
That brings me to, what is our responsibility in this chain of events?
Is it just supplying an adequately designed system to house them? That’s what most hobbyists think and practice. But, our responsibility goes beyond that if we are to become “Responsible Aquarists". Being responsible after the purchase of any pet involves much more than having an adequate system and food on hand. It requires us to research the needs of the critter, whatever it might be (fish, coral, invertebrate, cat, dog, bird, lizard, etc, etc, etc!).
For our fish friends, to be totally responsible, it involves a QUARANTINE SYSTEM (QT) in place before we make the purchase! This practice is soooo lacking in our hobby, it’s really pathetic in my humble opinion! No excuse is adequate. We bring home a new fish we simply have to have and introduce it to our DT expecting everything to be just fine. We give NO thought to what that fish has gone through to get there and we expect the LFS guy to sell only healthy fish. That is unrealistic in the real world.
I have to leave for a bit, sorry. I may add more to this rant when I return. It’s my favorite pet peeve. :rotfl: Actually, it’s not a laughing matter.
Dick
meoklmrk91
01-06-2010, 03:40 AM
Thanks Dick
I whole heartedly agree with you in everything you said. I was a novice when I got my clown last August so he was never Quarantines, however I learned that lesson the hard way and I now have a very nice 15G QT that I plan on using when I decide to start stocking the tank again. The Clown had been in the DT since last August when I got him and never showed any signs of ill health or anything, so isn't it doubtful that this could have played a part in his demise?
Amphibious
01-06-2010, 10:02 AM
Yes, it is doubtful that any existing malady at the time of purchase last August would manifest itself at this time. So it comes down to an unexplainable death short of getting an autopsy done. It happens and all to often in my humble opinion. In fact it just happened to me with a prized clown.
My ultra rare wild hybrid A. thiellei shown below...
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa152/Amphibious_2007/DSC_0072-3.jpg
disappeared a few days ago. Had him for at least 2 years. No sign of distress. no carcass, nothing on the floor, no warning signs, just gone. I assume the CUC took care of the carcass in short order. Part of life is death. It’s the not knowing that is perplexing.
Dick
i know what happened bud,
http://csos.movieset.com/download/movieset/o/b/2008-11/astro-boy-artwork.jpg
It was a dark & stormy night, the wind howled & the windows chattered.
From the shadows came a fast paced dark outline, like astro boy after a fresh battery......... it projected this on the wall in front of you, & managed to slip past the old man to bag the rarity delight.
http://www.nollie.tv/images/2008/01/14/miss_reef.jpg
Amphibious
01-06-2010, 10:43 AM
LMAO! That my dear friend V, would be a distraction indeed. Why is it that we men, even in old age, are such weaklings to our biological other half? Can you explain that to me and remain G rated??? :rotfl:
rayme07
01-06-2010, 08:31 PM
LMAO! That my dear friend V, would be a distraction indeed. Why is it that we men, even in old age, are such weaklings to our biological other half? Can you explain that to me and remain G rated??? :rotfl:
That is how the good God programed us. :D
3 words ... FEMALE PUPPET MASTERS
http://jessicabarton.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/puppetmaster1.jpg
Amphibious
01-06-2010, 10:37 PM
Great answer Raymond. I think God deserves a thank you.
V, you certainly have a vast clip art selection at your disposal. You always amaze me.
Thanks guys.
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