Hey all...
So I've tried my hand at cardinals for the 4th time yesterday.... I'm already having problems. =/ (I lost one this morning... was fine, then all of a sudden looked like he went into shock, and died... very abruptly.)
I have a well planted 29gallon tank, with a variety of non-agressive tetras, rainbows, and a small angel, etc. Every time I add cardinals, the same exact thing happens. They go in fine, and the next day 1 is dead. 1 more dies every day until they are gone!
BUT... I've had ONE single cardinal survive... this one has grown to full size now, and has been in the tank for about 2 months with no problems. Cardinals before and after have all died. (no other fish deaths at all)
The water pH = 6.5, there's no ammonia, the water is 2/3 distilled, so fairly soft water, I'll have to check the nitrates again, but my guess is they are negligable since I have other s
ensitive fish (hatchets, rummy noses, x-ray cats, etc) that all do fine in the tank. I thought it was in the introduction period, but I've been so gentle with them, and after they came up to temperature, I slowly kept adding my fish tank water to the specimen container they were in so they would acclimate. I just dont know what else to do.
Of all the fish I wanted to keep when I set up this tank, the cardinals were the top of my list and I just cant keep them alive!!! Its starting to get pricy at 2.50 a fish and I've gone through 20 so far. =/ Poor fish.
Can anyone help... I still have 4 more new guys in there... I don't want them to end up the same way. (I should say they color up almost immediately, they are all swimming fine, looking healthy.. no discolorations spots, etc. Then one will get the shimmies ... within an hour he'll be dead.)
Sorry that was long, but at least its fairly descriptive.
Thanks for your help!
Mike
So I've tried my hand at cardinals for the 4th time yesterday.... I'm already having problems. =/ (I lost one this morning... was fine, then all of a sudden looked like he went into shock, and died... very abruptly.)
I have a well planted 29gallon tank, with a variety of non-agressive tetras, rainbows, and a small angel, etc. Every time I add cardinals, the same exact thing happens. They go in fine, and the next day 1 is dead. 1 more dies every day until they are gone!
BUT... I've had ONE single cardinal survive... this one has grown to full size now, and has been in the tank for about 2 months with no problems. Cardinals before and after have all died. (no other fish deaths at all)
The water pH = 6.5, there's no ammonia, the water is 2/3 distilled, so fairly soft water, I'll have to check the nitrates again, but my guess is they are negligable since I have other s

Of all the fish I wanted to keep when I set up this tank, the cardinals were the top of my list and I just cant keep them alive!!! Its starting to get pricy at 2.50 a fish and I've gone through 20 so far. =/ Poor fish.
Can anyone help... I still have 4 more new guys in there... I don't want them to end up the same way. (I should say they color up almost immediately, they are all swimming fine, looking healthy.. no discolorations spots, etc. Then one will get the shimmies ... within an hour he'll be dead.)
Sorry that was long, but at least its fairly descriptive.
Thanks for your help!
Mike