HELP!! What happened to my Blue spot???

[Marlin65]

I got another blue spot jaw fish as the first one just died after about a week.:cry:
Well the same thing happened to this one.:cry:
I have no idea why.
I got him 11 days ago and he was looking good. He ate right away and I have been feeding him lots daily. Yesterday he did not eat and was hiding under his rock. I thought OK he must not be hungry but lifted his rock anyway. He looked fine and appeared OK so I thought nothing of it.
Well got home this afternoon and he is dead.:cry:
Same thing happened to the fist one.
He was in a 12 gallon nano that is cycled with live rock and sand.
I hit him with Safeguard the first two days I had him.
Parameters are
SG 1.024
Ammonium -0
No2-0
No3-5ppm
PH-8
Mag-1350
CA-350

The pictures
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/hikingtrigger/1-2.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/hikingtrigger/2-2.jpg

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/hikingtrigger/3-3.jpg

[naesco]

How deep in your sandbed?
How did you acclimate the fish?
Why did you use safeguard?
What other fish are in your tank?
The fact that you lost two indicates a problem with the above or with your water?
Is it a newly cycled tank?

[karazy]

o no! that sucks, its such a beautiful fish.im a bit of a newb but maybe it had an inturnal virus when you bought it and it just wasnt noticable

[Marlin65]

How deep in your sandbed?
How did you acclimate the fish?
Why did you use safeguard?
What other fish are in your tank?
The fact that you lost two indicates a problem with the above or with your water?
Is it a newly cycled tank?

It's a QT tank 1-5" sand, and is cycled.
I know how to acclimate my fish
Used safeguard because it is a all around fix and it's not a cheap fish.
No other fish in the tank.
I think maybe poison considering I lost two in the same way. I don't see anything wrong with the fish now, and he was eating well for 10 days.
My clown was in the same tank for 3 weeks and he is just fine.

[naesco]

Well you do know what you are doing.
If your tank did not overheat the only other thing I can think of is lack of oxygen. Do you have lots of current in the tank and if not try a small powerhead just below the water line.

Jawfish is not a fish that is difficult to catch in the wild so cyanide in not normally used.
But twice in a row points to choosing a different LFS eh

[Sebae again]

Any pistol or mantis shrimp in your tank?

[mark]

when did you test for ammonia (your numbers from just after the fish died?)? amazing how fast can build even in a cycled after adding a new fish

[EmilyB]

I think the tank was just too small to be stable, jmho.

[midgetwaiter]

I'm not familiar with this Safeguard stuff but that could be the problem. What's in it?

[Marlin65]

Any pistol or mantis shrimp in your tank?

No it's a QT tank only some sand and a piece of live rock.

[Marlin65]

I think the tank was just too small to be stable, jmho.

12 Gallon should be fine for a small Jawfish. The first one died the same way but in my main tank, and there is defiantly not a problem with that.

[Marlin65]

when did you test for ammonia (your numbers from just after the fish died?)? amazing how fast can build even in a cycled after adding a new fish

Did all the tests the day before when he did not eat,and ran all the test when I found him dead. Looked like he had just died so I don't think it had time to foul the tank yet.
If you look at the pictures he still looks good for a dead fish, and he defiantly did not starve to death.
I wonder how many of us loose fish that we have no idea what happened.:cry:
The first one I thought nothing of as in this hobby it happens, but two times exactly the same way I find strange.

[Marlin65]

I'm not familiar with this Safeguard stuff but that could be the problem. What's in it?

I don't think so it is a broad spectrum that covers a lot of nasties.
You can use it to dip and to treat them daily. It dissipates over time and I only used it for the first two days and not at full strength.
I ran carbon after the two days as well and did a water change on day four so don't think this was the case.
I would like to know wonder if I can send him somewhere to have tested?
I put him in the fridge for now.

[andestang]

What other inhabitants do you have ? They do not take harassment at all. They will just hide/quit eating and will die just from the stress alone.

[christyf5]

But what does safeguard do to the cycled bacteria? Just a thought.

[Marlin65]

What other inhabitants do you have ? They do not take harassment at all. They will just hide/quit eating and will die just from the stress alone.

First one just a black clown fish in the main tank.
2nd was in QT a by himself in a quiet space.

[Marlin65]

But what does safeguard do to the cycled bacteria? Just a thought.
If that was a problem it should have spiked my No2 - No3
Test never indicated a problem and No3 was at 5 ppm so I think the cycle was still there, but its hard to know what happens on a micro level.
I an not a fan of medication to begin with, but was a bit paranoid after loosing the first one.

[Whatigot]

What other inhabitants do you have ? They do not take harassment at all. They will just hide/quit eating and will die just from the stress alone.

Clowns can get real territorial, especially in smaller systems.....
sucks to see a 400 dollar loss with no solid evidence of a reason.

[Whatigot]

did you get these @ JL?
I know they had some (still have one) and they looked awesome....

[andestang]

I've had mine for just over 2 yrs, they are really entertaining. Boy they sure have climbed in price, though not cheap back then either.

[Marlin65]

did you get these @ JL?
I know they had some (still have one) and they looked awesome....

No and mine looked awesome as well for the first 10 days.
The place I got them from is reputable and I don't think it is something that they did or are aware of if it was cyanide.
The only other thing that i could see that would be a problem would be low oxygen, but that would be for the 2nd one as the first one that was defiantly not the case.
Looks like I will never know what really happened.:cry:
But then that is part of the risk we pay for having a hobby like this.
I really wanted one of these, but don't think I will try a third.

[fortheloveofcrabs]

This is the worst part of this hobby… The “so why did it die?”

I had a yellow-head jaw fish several months ago that one day darted to the back of the tank and I never saw it again. I will never know what happened…

I can’t keep bubble coral. Not in my nano, or my 55. It just dies, every time.

I understand your frustration… I'm really sorry about your blue spots.


-Pauli

[Whatigot]

Looking at your location, I would guess it was the nearest of the LFS to you that you purchased it from?
I shop there frequently and am always very careful when selecting livestock.

There is a small possibility that you have terrible luck and these 2 fish were either at the end of their life cycles or underwent significant stress before you gave them a good home....

I hate these reef mysteries and it's rough to lose such cool fish and not know why even aside fromt he monetary cost.

Good luck on putting this puzzle together.

[Chaloupa]

No and mine looked awesome as well for the first 10 days.
The place I got them from is reputable and I don't think it is something that they did or are aware of if it was cyanide.
The only other thing that i could see that would be a problem would be low oxygen, but that would be for the 2nd one as the first one that was defiantly not the case.
Looks like I will never know what really happened.:cry:
But then that is part of the risk we pay for having a hobby like this.
I really wanted one of these, but don't think I will try a third.

I'm on my 3d now......and I am happy that I took the chance again....they are so much fun, and so interactive. My first one carpet surfed...second one we put in we had covered the tank so he couldn't jump out and then one day he was just gone...never found him on the floor, overflow or sump...so this one is in my RSM which of course is completely covered and he is doing very very well. I got him from J&L and am very happy I took that "final" chance! Sorry to hear about your 2 losses.

[Whatigot]

I had one of these on hold at JL, it was the last one of their previous shipment and it jumped out of their tank the night before I went to pick it up.
I took it as a sign, as my 72 is open top all the way.

[andestang]

I had one of these on hold at JL, it was the last one of their previous shipment and it jumped out of their tank the night before I went to pick it up.


They should know better and have them covered :confused:

[Whatigot]

okay....
thanks for that captain obvious:razz:

[midgetwaiter]

No and mine looked awesome as well for the first 10 days.
The place I got them from is reputable and I don't think it is something that they did or are aware of if it was cyanide.


Blue spot jawfish come from the Sea Of Cortez, cyanide collection is not an issue there.


The only other thing that i could see that would be a problem would be low oxygen, but that would be for the 2nd one as the first one that was defiantly not the case.


This is why I asked you what was in the Safeguard stuff. Formalin and similar compounds can seriously magnify this problem.


Looks like I will never know what really happened.:cry:
But then that is part of the risk we pay for having a hobby like this.
I really wanted one of these, but don't think I will try a third.

You probably will never know for sure but IMO Blue Spot Jawfish are hardy animals, I'm surprised this happened to you.

[andestang]

okay....
thanks for that captain obvious:razz:
Obvious yes, thats the point...

[Whatigot]

Obvious yes, thats the point...

well tell JL, not me...
I am in full agreeance with you man....lol

This fish is too sexy to come to such an end.
I really hope you figure out what was happening so that you can get another one, it's obviously a fish you liked and cared for.

[karazy]

you could possibly do soemthing like this

buy a less expensive species of jaw fish
dont use safegaurd
see if anything happens to it

[Whatigot]

nice one...
would feel bad for this canary in the mine jawfish though....

[Marlin65]

Blue spot jawfish come from the Sea Of Cortez, cyanide collection is not an issue there.



This is why I asked you what was in the Safeguard stuff. Formalin and similar compounds can seriously magnify this problem.



You probably will never know for sure but IMO Blue Spot Jawfish are hardy animals, I'm surprised this happened to you.

Did not know that they came from the Sea of Cortez thats good to know.
well that should rule that out then.
I am pretty sure it was not Safeguard related as I added that on the first two days and he was fine for 8 days after including water changes, and carbon additions to remove it after. The first one was in the main tank and it has no problems or Safeguard so that rules out that pretty much.
Maybe they were towards the end of thier life I believe they only live for two years.
Oh and yes they really like to jump. I had to remove him from the back two times.
I think I will try a different one first. I picked up a yellow Coris yesterday so far he is doing well in the same tank so will see how this one makes out.