This is what happened now

[oro50]

So tonight I bought my first red maroon juvenile clownfish.

Yet when I got home, about a hour or so coming from Manhattan aquariums, I saw that (though it was in the bag) the store provided to me, it didn't seem well and could possibly be dead?

It's been sitting in the store bag (now opened) because I was seeing if some fresh air would help) for over 2 hours now. I was hoping that it would start moving around again, and that my worst suspicions weren't true. Well this didn't happen as it still remains in this same store bag while sitting on it's side, not moving at all.

The store is closed tomorrow for the holiday, but I'm hoping they just give me a replacement fish.

It was fine when it left the store, I don't know what happened?

 

[oro50]

I did find out for sure now that my aquarium water is very clean, as I had my water tested yet again, before buying this fish.
Whenever (next few days I imagine) when I get the replacement); at least I feel now my aquarium is ready to do a pretty good job of supporting fish life.

 

[thirty6]

It is cold out, how long was the trip from store to your place? Any stops along the way. The fish could just be stressed out. This is even more true if the lfs just got that fish in. I'm assuming no qt tank, did you try and acclimate the fish at all?

 

[Chefjpaul]

Read on acclimation- everything you can- before you buy another fish.

You just opened the bag?
Can Cause a major ammonia and PH spike, without proper temp and water introduction.

Is your tank fully cycled? Properly yet?

 

[duke62]

Most stores will not replace your saltwater fish. Just call it a learning expierence

 

[oro50]

Reply

Yeah true I would accept that fate if the fish had died at some point after being introduced into my tank.

However that is not what happened.

I was entering my house and when I put the bag down on my counter for a few minutes (while the fish is still in the sealed store bag) I noticed that the fish was probably dead.

Concerned, I opened up the sealed bag to see if it would move around and to provide it with fresh air.

It just remained on one side for awhile.

Short story

A hour or so later, as I just had it sitting on a table of mine, it still wasn't moving around, and I noted at this point that the fish was really dead.

 

[oro50]

Yes it was a bit cold out. However if this is so dangerous then the employees at the store should not allow people to transport fish to their homes during these periods as a precaution.

I would say I left the store approximately at 7:30pm or something. I got home at 8:49 or 8:59.

 

[oro50]

Yes I had my water tested at the store before purchasing the fish.


This is into week 7 so far, prepping my tank for a fish.
With that said.

Ammonia test was 0. There was a little nitrite, but very small, and the guy couldn't figure out why I was getting a nitrite reading at all, based on what he knows about my tank.
I did a nitrite test on my water the previous night and got a reading of 0

nitrates showed up (but this was a small amount), and I was planning on doing a smallwater change a few days from now anyway to try to reduce nitrates.

Thus I think my tank is ok to support some life. I am going slow about it. This was going to be the first and only fish I put in this tank.

I really think I've been responsible at this point putting it together.
Like I said the fish never even left the store bag it came in.
It was dead by the time I came home.

 

[Chefjpaul]

Fish don't breath fresh air.

Fish do play dead.
I brought a fish home last week when it was freezing. (On train) & Its eating like a pig now.

It Was shocked for a day, but got adjusted.

Read on ph & ammonia spiked in transporting fish in bags.

You left it on the counter?
Why not float it and see what happens?

 

[duke62]

The store don't know how the fish died. Your story vs their fish in their system for days or weeks. Also when the store sells a fish they are not forcing you to buy so it's your responsibility to get it home. Myself I always bring a cooler if I know I'm buying livestock

 

[Chefjpaul]

+1 on cooler. I dont think it was dead. They do that alot from shock.
Not stores fault IMO.


When I buy fish / corals- i plan it. Try at least buy at end of the day.
Have mixed saltwater already, airline tubes w/ valves set up, cooler etc.
Go straight home.


Float bag w/lights off for about 15 min. Right away, dont leave it on my counter etc..
Slow drip acclimate. (Most of time depending on what store I bought it from or species of animal).


I hook up my ato line to the new mixed saltwater to replace the water being used to drip the animal.


Keep lights off rest of day.

 

[oro50]

However the guy selling me this fish knows I am a beginner. Again if it was a bit too dangerous to move him tonight, I think he should have said something. I was just going to acclimate it for a half an hour or so in my aquarium for it to get use to my temperature and then use the drip method for awhile while the fish was in a bucket before putting the fish in.
You hook up your ATO line?
What is a ato line?

Anyway like I said I noticed the fish looked like it was dead (meaning that it was lying on it's side), immediately as I entered the door to my house.
I took about a hour or so to get home. I read up on the fact, that these transporation bags have a couple of hours of air in them before transport. I'm going to believe right now that the water the fish was in (which was in the store bag) had enough air to last a couple of hours?
Anyway like I said, was going to start the acclimation method by placing the bag in for a half and hour, then slowly add water from the tank into a bucket for it to get use to the water some more for a while. Then finally place it in the tank.
Yet it was dead by the time I got home.
I wasn't spending hours on end getting home, as soon as I left the store I began heading towards home.
The very least (again since he knows I am a beginner) if getting to my house really was too long, I think he should have asked how long it was going to take to get to my home.
I can't believe that fish can be this sensitive from just transportation, but I am not saying it's not so either. I'm just saying at the end of the day the guy knows I am a beginner, and should have asked me how long it might take me to get to my house, if the time it took me to get to my house was going to be a bit too long for this fish to take the trip?

 

[Kworker]

It's not the stores/employees fault, its a beginners fault.

The people at the store can only do so much for you, if you don't actually ask the questions. They can't read your mind and figure out you don't know. Also, in my opinion it's common sense that you should of realized you will be moving a fish for at least an hour (as you said it took you to get home) in a small bag in cold weather. They do not know where you live.

There are things you have to take responsibility for. Every living creature I take from a store and lose, is no matter what 100% my responsibility. Even if it never makes it home to begin with. Period.

 

[piranhapat]

Sorry, to hear about your lost.Fish can live more than few hours in transport. Temperature might have played a role in it. But probably not, Possible that your fish just went into shock right away. Sometimes it happens for no reason. Most likely you just got a bad fish that looked healthy but went into shock. It can happen to anyone of us. I don't think it was beginner fault if the fish never made it into his water. I seen plenty of healthy fish get bagged and die right in the bag. Especially power blue tangs.

 

[oro50]

Yeah and that's my whole point. If it had died a few days or a week later in my tank, I could say that something was wrong with my tank, yet as I stated in a earlier post, I had my water checked first before the purchase, and the test results seemed fine.
Anyway, as piranhapat stated, fish can live more than a few hours in transport, so the time it took me to get home should not have been a issue (despite the cold weather).
Again the person in the store right cannot read my mind, but we have been talking for about at least a month about getting my tank ready, and some of the questions I've asked him, as well as he said I was a beginner too, and I know I am, means I know he knows I am.
With that said, he is living in the same world that I live in, he know's it is cold outside. If it was really important to either get home immediately, due to the cold temperature outside I think that should have been stated how I was getting home, because the easier option is that I just hold off purchase for a day or two until the weather got better.
I'm not really blaming the guy either. I like this person. With that said though, he know's I'm just starting out, and I'm not blaming for the death, but I don't feel, since the fish died somewhere between the not that long journey from the store to my house, and not from a possible tank related issue, that I should have to buy a whole new one. I'm not asking back for the money I spent tonight, just a replacement due to some weird accident that I don't think falls under anyone's fault, but happened regardless.

 

[cmantis]

Very sorry for your loss I would not suggest you get another maroon as they can get big for that tank and territorial.

 

[Chefjpaul]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/articles/articles-by-topic

Read everyone of these articles to get a better comprehension of the hobby. It may make sense.

 

[thirty6]

Yes it was a bit cold out. However if this is so dangerous then the employees at the store should not allow people to transport fish to their homes during these periods as a precaution.

I would say I left the store approximately at 7:30pm or something. I got home at 8:49 or 8:59.

I agree with duke. I always bring a cooler and sometimes heat packs but I live in nj so any lfs that's a decent ride I make sure to have those two things

I would not set my hopes on another fish as replacement from store. Learning experience, you will lose many more fish for sure but some maybe avoided by leading up on acclimation process. A lot of online vendors have a simple to follow how to posted, or read about it here

 

[Mattl22]

Can't hurt to ask them when ur in next time maybe they will give u one for discount or something I've brought several fish home from city with me one time last winter brutally cold I brought 5 or so fish worth few hundred dollars home had a 1 mile walk to my car from subway no cooler no heat pads just in my work bag with sweatshirt on top .... All fish fine so I really doubt it was temp as long as u acclimate fish when u get home

 

[Kworker]

Yeah and that's my whole point. If it had died a few days or a week later in my tank, I could say that something was wrong with my tank, yet as I stated in a earlier post, I had my water checked first before the purchase, and the test results seemed fine.
Anyway, as piranhapat stated, fish can live more than a few hours in transport, so the time it took me to get home should not have been a issue (despite the cold weather).
Again the person in the store right cannot read my mind, but we have been talking for about at least a month about getting my tank ready, and some of the questions I've asked him, as well as he said I was a beginner too, and I know I am, means I know he knows I am.
With that said, he is living in the same world that I live in, he know's it is cold outside. If it was really important to either get home immediately, due to the cold temperature outside I think that should have been stated how I was getting home, because the easier option is that I just hold off purchase for a day or two until the weather got better.
I'm not really blaming the guy either. I like this person. With that said though, he know's I'm just starting out, and I'm not blaming for the death, but I don't feel, since the fish died somewhere between the not that long journey from the store to my house, and not from a possible tank related issue, that I should have to buy a whole new one. I'm not asking back for the money I spent tonight, just a replacement due to some weird accident that I don't think falls under anyone's fault, but happened regardless.

Ah well that clears up your thought on him saying something. I was under the impression you weren't communicative with them at all and they had no recollection of who you were.

Put personally, I just never been part of a scenario where the fish just died in the bag. I know someone prior said that they have seen fish die for no reason in a bag, I've seen almost the complete opposite. I have purposely brought home the fish floating at the top, laying on their side or freaking out. After being placed in the bag and inside a nontransparent container/bag of some sort they relaxed and regained some color. In my opinion stress is over exaggerated by people. But thats also my opinion which, is just an opinion based on personal experience.

To me it sounds like a temperature issue. The fish may have not actually been dead but in a state of like hibernation. If you walked from the store to public transportation like I have whenever I visited the same store, think about how quick a nice hot cup of coffee will become cold in a paper cup. Than translate to how quick temperature can swing in a small amount of water in a plastic bag. Temperature wouldn't be an issue in smaller variation but a quick large swing is a different story, no way for us to really know which of the two actually happened.

Next time if you are traveling for a good amount of time, I would ask if they have a styrofoam container. The container will also help you know its protected from any outside objects.