Sick Banggai Cardinal?!

[RobertTheNurse]

So this is my SECOND attempt at Quarentining these guys...first 2 never made it.

I have attempted yet again (newly cycled quarentine) to quarentine 2 Banggais...and seem to be halving issues.

When I first got these 2 new ones I was told they were Captive-Bred. Brought them home, one of them (the smaller one) eating like a champ, and the other not as much. The other one died several days later. Had white stringy pooh so I assumed maybe parasites.

So, I started to dose cupramine. Everything was going good until lil one stopped eating. I know these guys are picky eaters but tried everything. Mixing brine with mysis, both on their own, but nope not interested. Decided to stop cupramine thinking it could have been that.

It has great energy. Always swimming in the front, but just WONT EAT. Tried not feeding for a day, but nope, swims up top to where I feed, takes one bite and then spits it out.

My partner thinks its lonely (lol) and wants me to put in the display tank. But I dunno about that one.

Otherwise, no breathing issues, very active and attentive to me when we enter room.

Parameters:

1.023
Ph. 8.2
Nitrate 10
Ammonia -- not detected using salifert.

Only meds in stock.

Prazipro
Metro
Cupramine.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So this is my SECOND attempt at Quarentining these guys...first 2 never made it.

I have attempted yet again (newly cycled quarentine) to quarentine 2 Banggais...and seem to be halving issues.

When I first got these 2 new ones I was told they were Captive-Bred. Brought them home, one of them (the smaller one) eating like a champ, and the other not as much. The other one died several days later. Had white stringy pooh so I assumed maybe parasites.

So, I started to dose cupramine. Everything was going good until lil one stopped eating. I know these guys are picky eaters but tried everything. Mixing brine with mysis, both on their own, but nope not interested. Decided to stop cupramine thinking it could have been that.

It has great energy. Always swimming in the front, but just WONT EAT. Tried not feeding for a day, but nope, swims up top to where I feed, takes one bite and then spits it out.

My partner thinks its lonely (lol) and wants me to put in the display tank. But I dunno about that one.

Otherwise, no breathing issues, very active and attentive to me when we enter room.

Parameters:

1.023
Ph. 8.2
Nitrate 10
Ammonia -- not detected using salifert.

Only meds in stock.

Prazipro
Metro
Cupramine.

Thanks for reading.

For sure don’t put it into your DT since it has an undiagnosed condition that could be contagious.
What form of metro do you have?
Can you post a short video?
Any reason to doubt the dealer about these being captive raised?
Jay

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Bought from a different store this time. He told me "we only get captive bred as they are basically almost extinct"...I have seachem metro powder. Didnt do well with cupramine as I mentioned. And I live in Canada. These the only meds I have on hand.

Sad. But im beginning to feel im not cut out for this type of fish.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks, the video helps, at least I don't see anything grossly wrong with it. That is a captive raised one, I can tell by the size. Wild caught ones are graded for a larger size by the exporters. So - that helps a bit. I wonder if the food you are offering is just too large in size? This fish is just weeks out of the hatchery and may still be accustomed to smaller food. That might account for it trying food, but then spitting it out. Live baby brine shrimp is always a good bet, but I understand that it is a hassle to hatch out.

The metro would help if the issue is internal protozoan parasites.

Jay

 

[jjencek]

It does take a while to get them eating what you want. Live brine shrimp is always working for me, but you cannot keep them on it too long. Frozen cyclops are the next size up. Then I cut them frozen adult brine shrimp or mysis into small pieces. When offering it, make it move by squirting it or putting into a water current. Good luck!

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Yeah. It used to eat the brine i am using. But has since stopped for some reason. I know its interested cuz as soon as I put the food in it swims and tastes it, then SPITS it out. So frustrating. A beautiful fish.

Wonder if it's not eating cuz his buddy's gone. Anywho. Maybe give metro a try?

Thanks for replying.

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Thanks, the video helps, at least I don't see anything grossly wrong with it. That is a captive raised one, I can tell by the size. Wild caught ones are graded for a larger size by the exporters. So - that helps a bit. I wonder if the food you are offering is just too large in size? This fish is just weeks out of the hatchery and may still be accustomed to smaller food. That might account for it trying food, but then spitting it out. Live baby brine shrimp is always a good bet, but I understand that it is a hassle to hatch out.

The metro would help if the issue is internal protozoan parasites.

Jay

Yeah. Its quite active. But this guy just will not eat lol...again...mixed a little brine and mysis but spits it right out. Seems interested in it. Yeah. So if I do decide to dose metro...how will I know if it still doesn't eat when I could put in DT. On one hand not eating can be a symptoms of disease, but also knowing these guys can be quite picky eaters from what I've been reading. This video was from just now after enticing it to eat

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Now, in this video, the fish is agitated. It should be hovering in place, but instead, it is swimming back and forth. It is either the "observer effect" and it was freaking out because you were close by filming it, or there is some other unknown cause for distress. In the first video, it was behaving normally....but now fish is going to feel like eating when it is upset like that.


Jay

 

[RobertTheNurse]

Now, in this video, the fish is agitated. It should be hovering in place, but instead, it is swimming back and forth. It is either the "observer effect" and it was freaking out because you were close by filming it, or there is some other unknown cause for distress. In the first video, it was behaving normally....but now fish is going to feel like eating when it is upset like that.


Jay

Lose-lose situation.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Lose-lose situation.

When I have a skittish fish I need to observe, I'll dim the room lights so it can't see me. Now, do I think that will get the fish feeding again? Probably not, I'm just grasping for straws....

Jay

 

[RobertTheNurse]

When I have a skittish fish I need to observe, I'll dim the room lights so it can't see me. Now, do I think that will get the fish feeding again? Probably not, I'm just grasping for straws....

Jay

So I started the little fella i had mentioned in those thread on Seachem Metro. It started eating a day after. Only small nibbles (maybe 1 or 2 max) of brine.

Gonna keep metro going for 14 days, then switch to Prazipro. Then monitor for 2 more weeks. And if all clear ill acclimate it to my DT.

Does this sound reasonable? And, seeing as though (as you mentioned previously) this is a young lad eating 1 or 2 small pieces of brine is sufficient?

I really like this guy and I hope he makes it. So far I feel like he is active and seems healthy to me.

I uploaded a video -- cuz why not lol

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The video shows what appears to be a tank raised cardinal, not showing any overt signs of disease. That helps rule out the issues often seen in wild caught Bangaiis (some weird viral issue plus poor handling). I'd continue on with your plan, since I don't have anything better to offer (grin).

Jay