Bad method, bad luck, or "it is what it is"?

[Humblefish]

Yes of course

+1 Most diseases are waterborne transmissible.

 

[Brew12]

Forgot to mention. Yes, sponge was placed in DT sump for a week.

IME; it takes at least a month in the DT sump for nitrifying bacteria to colonize a sponge enough to be useful for biological filtration.

I want to add that it is important to have water flow through the sponge. Letting it sit in a low flow section of a sump will not colonize it nearly as well as if it is sitting between baffle plates or in the bottom of a sock filter.

I run 1.023 which is the same as my LFS.

Have you tested the LFS water? I had my LFS tell me their fish were at 1.021 and found they were actually at 1.016. Now I always test the shipping water for salinity prior to putting them in my QT.

 

[EriksOasis]

I have always drop acclimated my fish for up to 6 hours prior to putting in tank. I use alirline tubing with a control valve on it letting one drip per second. Never had an issue with losing any fish.

 

[EleMental]

Maybe I've just gotten lucky, but my acclimation has never been more than floating the bag for 15 minutes. In 12 years I had 2 casualties but they were swallowed up by a condy not in the mood to host a couple of clowns. I will say however if even a single fish in any shop looks ill, I won't purchase livestock from them. I need to see the fish eat and watch him a bit as well. I drive a good distance to a reliable shop and have not had any issues...hopefully I didn't jinx myself!

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Maybe I've just gotten lucky, but my acclimation has never been more than floating the bag for 15 minutes.

Yeah, unfortunately that's very lucky.

There are just too many variables to rely on no quarantine and no acclimation procedure. Even the best stores are continuously bringing in new fish and there's nothing to say that the fish at the shop that looks great and is eating hasn't recently acquired some flukes from the angelfish that just hit the tanks yesterday.

Don't get me wrong, people do it all the time. Even so, it's not a repeatable strategy that you can recommend every use. Nothing is guaranteed in this hobby but quarantine and acclimation are some of the best ways to maximize your success rate.

 

[cracker]

All these fish come from the same shop?

 

[Fringe09]

Yes, the fish that have not made it came from the same LFS.

I believe I have discovered one reason why my fish have died in QT. I thought my LFS was running their salinity @ 1.023. I've been running my salinity the same. Today I found out they have always been running @ 1.025. For the life of me, I do not know why I thought they were @ 1.023.

With that said. I replaced my RO in my ATO with 1.025 SW to I can slowly bring up the salinity in my DT. The water that I am manually topping off on my QT will also get SW.

 

[EriksOasis]

That could certainly cause stress and even death with such a sudden change in salinity.

 

[Brew12]

Yes, the fish that have not made it came from the same LFS.

I believe I have discovered one reason why my fish have died in QT. I thought my LFS was running their salinity @ 1.023. I've been running my salinity the same. Today I found out they have always been running @ 1.025. For the life of me, I do not know why I thought they were @ 1.023.

With that said. I replaced my RO in my ATO with 1.025 SW to I can slowly bring up the salinity in my DT. The water that I am manually topping off on my QT will also get SW.

Unfortunately, that isn't the cause. Fish can easily handle a drop of .002. They might be stressed increasing .002 but lowering salinity is much easier on fish.

 

[jeff williams]

Lots of good advise from the members here. I give you a couple things to add. The match SG float and release acclimation is by far the best imo brew12 has a post on it check it out. Also to add to humblefish post knowing the types of common parasites or disease that infest/infect the species of fish you plan to qt and reading as much as possible on those parasites,disease and symptoms to watch for, again imo is the best the way to prepare for a round of qt.
I believe your fish probably died from ammonia. Get a seachem ammonia badge for your qt. the firefish that jumped out of the qt is a good clue, they will jump when scared or trying to get away from something that is agitating/aggravating them.

 

[Fringe09]

I believe your fish probably died from ammonia. Get a seachem ammonia badge for your qt. the firefish that jumped out of the qt is a good clue, they will jump when scared or trying to get away from something that is agitating/aggravating them.

I am using the Seachem Ammonia Alert badge, testing using the Red Sea kit, and using Seachem Prime just in case.

 

[jeff williams]

Does your lfs run cu in there holding tanks

 

[Fringe09]

Does your lfs run cu in there holding tanks

What is “cu”?

 

[cmcoker]

What is “cu”?

Copper

 

[Fringe09]

Copper

Thanks. Not sure if it was used. Even if they did, was it medicated properly?

 

[jeff williams]

Here's why I ask you mentioned using an ammonia badge and test kit and prime. If there was cu in the bag and you used any prime in the tank, or dripped any in the bag during acclimation this makes cu 10x more poisonous. This includes dosing prime to the qt and then drip acclimating qt water into the bag