Trouble with certain fish?

[Stege_saurus]

Is it just me, or does anybody else have trouble keeping certain species of fish?
For instance, for some odd reason, no matter what I do, I can't keep an Angelfish alive. I've had 3 in the past six months, and none of them have made it past quarantine. They all looked and acted perfectly healthy at the LFS. The longest I've kept one is 5 days. I don't get it...

Flame Angel
Coral Beauty Angel
Bi-Color Angel

 

[cancun]

Hi there! Yeah it happens. I have been in this hobby for many years, and I can't keep a Midas Blenny alive for more than six months ever! I gave up! I stick to fish I am good at.... Wrasses. I have 12 of them including 6 Leopard Wrasses. I was bummed because I really loved Midas Blennies too.

Bi colored Angels are not as hardy imo as Flames or coral beauties.....did you get them the same LFS? What salinity did they come from?

 

[Stege_saurus]

Yeah 35ppt or 1.025sg
My systems, both quarantine and DT run the same salinity as my LFS but I cant seem to keep them alive. I don't get it.

 

[cancun]

Yeah 35ppt or 1.025sg
My systems, both quarantine and DT run the same salinity as my LFS but I cant seem to keep them alive. I don't get it.

Wow....well not a salinity issue. I have found with dwarf angels that they can be hit or miss. That is frustrating for sure. Are QTing with copper? Or just observation? I know many dwarf angels are sensitive to copper exposure.

 

[Stege_saurus]

I usually start with half or less the recommended dose, then ramp up to therapeutic levels of copper over the next week. I use Cupramine and start at .15-.25ppm then eventually get to .5ppm, but they all die before I get a chance to start the ramp up process. They usually eat well, then die. It is definitely frustrating.

 

[cancun]

I usually start with half or less the recommended dose, then ramp up to therapeutic levels of copper over the next week. I use Cupramine and start at .15-.25ppm then eventually get to .5ppm, but they all die before I get a chance to start the ramp up process. They usually eat well, then die. It is definitely frustrating.

That's frustrating! I take it you drip them first? How long are they at the LFS before you take them home?

 

[Stege_saurus]

That's frustrating! I take it you drip them first? How long are they at the LFS before you take them home?

That's just it, I've tried drip acclimation, pouring small amounts in the bag over a period of time, and just temp acclimating and netting them and putting them in the QT. They don't survive no matter which method I use. I thought I'd have a tougher time with Tangs, but they have proven easier.
Usually the LFS has them anywhere between 1-5 weeks before I get them. Depends on the situation.

 

[cancun]

That's just it, I've tried drip acclimation, pouring small amounts in the bag over a period of time, and just temp acclimating and netting them and putting them in the QT. They don't survive no matter which method I use. I thought I'd have a tougher time with Tangs, but they have proven easier.
Usually the LFS has them anywhere between 1-5 weeks before I get them. Depends on the situation.

Wow! That's crazy! Especially if the LFS has them for that length of time. I know what you are going through.....I have had my 6 Leopard Wrasses for a few years....they are considered expert only, but I can't keep a Midas Blenny!!!!!! Totally baffling.....so personally I just stick to the fish I have a good track record of keeping. It avoids the heartbreak of loosing fish, not to mention the expense of it as well.

I am not saying to give up on dwarf angels. Give it a bit any maybe try a different LFS.

 

[Stege_saurus]

Wow! That's crazy! Especially if the LFS has them for that length of time. I know what you are going through.....I have had my 6 Leopard Wrasses for a few years....they are considered expert only, but I can't keep a Midas Blenny!!!!!! Totally baffling.....so personally I just stick to the fish I have a good track record of keeping. It avoids the heartbreak of loosing fish, not to mention the expense of it as well.

I am not saying to give up on dwarf angels. Give it a bit any maybe try a different LFS.

I'll probably wait awhile before I get another Angel and try again. I have other things Id like to get so it's no big deal of I dont get one. Just a bit frustrating lol

 

[cancun]

I'll probably wait awhile before I get another Angel and try again. I have other things Id like to get so it's no big deal of I dont get one. Just a bit frustrating lol

That sounds like a great plan! Tell me about your tank and your live stock!!! Also what other fish are you planning?

 

[DarthSimon]

Yes for me, I have never been able to keep a Golden Rhomboid Wrasse long term. Probably had 5 different specimens over the years. Every super male died within 2 weeks to 2 months. I once had a female live 6-7 months get better coloration, only to die.

 

[Stege_saurus]

That sounds like a great plan! Tell me about your tank and your live stock!!! Also what other fish are you planning?

I currently have in DT:
1 Yellow Tang
2 Snowflake Clowns
1 Lemon Damsel
1 Blue Damsel
1 Three stripe damsel
1 Orange Spotted Sleeper Goby
1 Striped Blenny
1 Royal Gramma
1 Firefish
1 Splendid Dottyback
1 Neon Dottyback
1 Arc-eye Hawkfish
1 Cleaner shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
1 Peppermint shrimp
Various snails and crabs
Some coral including Zoas, mushrooms and Kenya trees

In QT:
1 Tomini Tang
1 Six Line Wrasse

I'd like to get a few more different Wrasses and blennies as well as one more Tang.

 

[Stege_saurus]

I currently have in DT:
1 Yellow Tang
2 Snowflake Clowns
1 Lemon Damsel
1 Blue Damsel
1 Three stripe damsel
1 Orange Spotted Sleeper Goby
1 Striped Blenny
1 Royal Gramma
1 Firefish
1 Splendid Dottyback
1 Neon Dottyback
1 Arc-eye Hawkfish
1 Cleaner shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
1 Peppermint shrimp
Various snails and crabs
Some coral including Zoas, mushrooms and Kenya trees

In QT:
1 Tomini Tang
1 Six Line Wrasse

I'd like to get a few more different Wrasses and blennies as well as one more Tang.

120gal with 30g sump + refugium

 

[suta4242]

Big alpha males. Unless I don’t have a choice which sometimes happens...

For example, large male ventralis. Females, juveniles or smaller males are fine. But these guys are weary and hard to acclimate.

Once my LFS got a locally caught multibarred angel. Australian ones are seldom offered so you take what you’re given. He was huge, a good 5” and beefy almost like an imperator angel. Very friendly, not at all scared.
Having kept them successfully I figured this will make a nice addition.

Two months later still not eating and getting thinner by the day. Longest I had in the past was two weeks before it would eat...not this time. Nothing worse than watching a healthy specimen waste away over a few months. Rinse and repeat for a huge big long nose butterfly....never again.

The one time I had problems with an individual species was when I bought 5 Princess anthias. Within two days in quarantine they started bickering. Of all things It was a small fish that was the aggressor!!! One by one it harassed the others into hiding and not letting them feed.

And then there was one...

A few weeks later the lone survivor had a major growth spurt and eventually joined the other anthias where it behaved itself for a few years. Not sure whether this is typical for smithvanizi, but haven’t tried them since.

So yeah, even when you think you’re experienced turns out you still have a lot to learn.