Please help - Banggai Cardinals

[Raven09]

I have 2 Banggai Cardinals and I believe the male is sick. I have tried all different types of food and the female loves frozen brine shrimp. I look at the male and I never see him eat.
My problem, tonight I noticed what I think is a darken spot on his gills. By the picture you can notice a darken spot right behind the second black strip from his mouth. He swims fine, no gasping for oxygen and all looks fine but he won’t eat. They are 5 days away from going into the DT.
PLEASE ANYONE GIVE SOME ADVICE!!

 

[brmreefer]

Hopefully it is not sick. However, I have a mated pair and when the male is carrying offspring in it's mouth I have never witnessed it eating during this state. Hopefully it is that and not actually sick. My male also looks like it has a mouth full of marbles when carrying.

 

[Raven09]

Hopefully it is not sick. However, I have a mated pair and when the male is carrying offspring in it's mouth I have never witnessed it eating during this state. Hopefully it is that and not actually sick. My male also looks like it has a mouth full of marbles when carrying.

What are those darken areas near his gills? When we bought them, I don’t remember those darken areas. I was looking more for ICH. The female does not have those darken areas. Just worried. They are 5 days from going into the DT. Should I wait a bit longer?

 

[brmreefer]

Don't know about the darkened areas, but I would wait longer and observe for issues.

 

[Raven09]

Thank you!

 

[Raven09]

Well, this morning the male, I believe, died. His nice silver color got dark then flat on the bottom of the tank, then trying to swim, then back flat. I finally called it and removed him before to long.
See next post.

 

[Raven09]

Well, how to get over the loses. It does not get easier. But, now how to introduce another mate to my remaining Banggai Cardinal. Do I buy one, or three and hope my remaining Cardinal will find a mate?? Any advice on how to deal with this?? Do I place my remaining Cardinal into the DT, she has been in the hospital tank for 25 days? Do I leaver her in the hospital tank until I find her a mate?
To many questions and not enough answers, yet.

 

[vetteguy53081]

If you have 2 males, a fight is evident and I see what looks like flesh from an injury or fight
If you have not seen them fighting, try placing your phone in front of the tank on video mode for 30 mins and walk away
Check back and review video and see if they’re fighting

 

[Raven09]

Next time I will. I only have one left¡