boxfishys need help!

[Scorpion]

ok... here it goes:

this past friday, we purchased 2 boxfishes (spotted boxfish and helmet boxfish, both no larger than an inch). this morning, the spotted boxfish was stuck on the intake of our powerhead motionless. i was scared that if it was very stressed or dead, that the toxins would kill other tankmates. so, i pulled him off and made the decision "terminate". i didn't know what else to do. we don't have an extra tank, or anything to quarintine it. and i couldn't take it back to the LSF because i had to go to work on the bus, and no one else here (my home) has time to go out (sister is at school, sister's BF is at work). i'm very sad that we lost one of our boxfish.

so... now... here's my main question. we still have the helmet boxfish, BUT it's not eating what we are feeding our tank. we feed them Omega3 rich brine shrimp (my sister wanted to get Omega3, being the health freak she is). we've also tried flake once, but without prevail. i'm worried that the same fate, that happened to the spotted boxfish, will happen to the helmet. i would be more sad if we lose all our tankmates just because our other boxfish dies. what should i do? should i take it back to our LSF? or should i try different foods or methods of feeding?

i think we made a mistake in purchasing these boxfish. i want to apologize to anyone that is sensitive to this situation (life, even animal's, was ended). if possible, i want to make ammends with God, and save the life of our boxfish (nicknamed "Sharky").

please help. thank you in advance.

** SIDE NOTE **
the LSF said that boxfish are fairly easy and fun to care for. but, when i did some research on boxfish in general, most sources say that boxfish should be left to experts. i did this research after the fact that we bought the 2 boxfish (we bought them cause my sister's BF got a kick out of watching them swim weirdly and look really funny).

[Quinn]

i wouldn't trust any LFS's advice. and i would take the living boxfish back.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/boxfishes.htm

[StirCrazy]

i wouldn't trust any LFS's advice. and i would take the living boxfish back.

here we go again.. lets take the pour fish back and subject it to twice the stress and insure it has no chance for survival.. maks sence eh.. :rolleyes:

quit with the "take the living "insert fish type here" back" and give advice on how to increase the fishies chance of living instead of condemming it to death.

Scorpion, I would call the lfs and explain to them the problem and ask what they were feeding him, posable you might have better luck with a frosen food such as mysis shrimp or plankton. sometimes fish die when you buy them so the other one might be fine or it might not.. all you can do is try to give it all the chances you can.. you possably could take it back but that would depend on the stors policy will they refund you if you bring a live fish back? if not I would try to get it eating myself..

you might also want to put a bigger strainer around the pump suction to make sure the other one doesent get stuck (just in case)

I don;t think anyone should be scolding you as ya you made a impulsive buy but ya you learned not to buy fish because you like the way the swim.. next time I am sure you will pick a fish then read up on it and go back and buy it when you are confident about it..

for what it is worth I have seen several box fish alive and doing good in tanks that I feel sould not have any fish in, so there is a pretty good chance that if you can get it eating it will make it.

if you are not into trying some different types of food (I would get frozen mysis or plankton. just get the small one incase it doesent like it) also remember some times fish won;t eat for a couple days or more. took my flame about 4 days to start eating again when I got it. If you don;t feel up to it then inquire at the store about a return.. Presonaly I don;t favor this option as they will just resell it to another unsuspecting person if they get a chance.

Steve

[Fishster]

While I don't know about a helmeted "box" fish I do own a Helmeted Cow fish(maybe the same fish?) and it absolutly loves mysis shrimp and other frozen chopped seafoods. I have found them quite easy to care for so don't give up just yet. Also be sure to feed them small amounts several times a day as they have very fast metabolisms and require a steady source of food.

[blaster]

try soaking food in garlic

[Quinn]

steve allow me to explain my position. i do not think this applies as much to boxfish as it does to some other species such as cleaner wrasses or moorish idols. however i think that by purchasing these species, the shops are encouraged to bring in more. if they are only purchased by experts, less will be bought, therefore less will be harvested needlessly. naturally it's easiest to learn through experience, but some might question the ethics of killing ten cleaner wrasses in a year trying to keep one alive in a tank.

hope that makes sense. in this case, my point was more an encouragement to "read before you buy".

[StirCrazy]

steve allow me to explain my position. i do not think this applies as much to boxfish as it does to some other species such as cleaner wrasses or moorish idols.

the problem is we are talking about boxfish in this thread

so if you are refering about other types of fish don't you think that you should be posting it in threads about the "other" fish.. this is the first time I have seen anyone get flammed for buying a boxfish.. whats next.. some one buys a damsel and he gets flamed because cleaner weasses are going to die? :rolleyes:

Steve

[Quinn]

not at all steve. i don't know anyone considers damsels a difficult fish to keep. however it seems many people do feel that boxfish are, and therefore i feel my comments are valid. we can kill fish, or we can do a little research before we buy.

[Scorpion]

let's love one another :lol:

no really, guys... you guys have been great help. i really appreciate your advices. i know i should have read about it, but my friend really wanted one. but i've learned my mistake.

as for the helmet boxfish (or cowfish), it's doing good right now. it's starting to eat some of the brine we give it. ate about 2 pieces today. also, it seems more social now.

oh... just a question. i've heard that garlic entices fish to eat. actually... i get enticed by garlic in my food also :) but, isn't garlic good for our immune systems? so... if that's the case, then wouldn't it be good to feed garlic soaked food to your fish, just so that they'll have a stronger immune system? better safe than sorry... right?

also... how do you soak in garlic? is it garlic extract?... or actual crushed garlic in the food? sorry if these are retarded questions.

*PS* teevee... i know you mean well. i do appreciate your comment(s) and greatly respect your opinion. i thank you all.

[DJ88]

Scorpion,

I know this is a bit late in coming.. but..

You didn't need to terminate the fish. Expecially if it was a very small juvenile.

I had two cowfish and they both became stuck on powerheads. Many times.. as well they ran into my saddleback anemone one was finally killed by that anemone.. Not once did they release any kind of toxin. Where yours is so tiny the amount it would release is most likely insignificant when you look at it in comparison to tank volume. If they had been full grown possibly then. But my last cowfish was 6" long and it drifted into the anemone at night and didn't do anything other than have to heal after a bad injury..

Sorry this came so late.. but for future reference..

[Scorpion]

ok... so now. the fish is doing much better. it's eating the brine that we are feeding it. but.. now i see ick on it's fins and body. we have a cleaner shrimp, but it's not going to it. is it because the ick is not bothersome to the boxfish?

also... i'm not sure if i wanna do a freshwater dip, cause the last time i did it for a damsel, the ick stayed and the fish died. i put the fish in the freshwater for 30 seconds, then back into the tank. but this was when the tank was fairly new.