emergency bristlenose catfish problem

[Nik_boyd]

I bought two bristlenose catfish todayone male and one female. I also bought a beta. The female is doing great and is really active but my male seems to have died. He was fine when we bought him and was moving around at first. I've just done water tests and they have shown as follows -

ammonia - 0
PH - 7.2/7.4
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 5
phosphate - 0.25
temperature - 24.5 deg. C

the tank is fully cycled and already contained 10 cardinal tetra, all of which are disease free and have been in the tank for a week already. The tank uses an eheim 2128 thermo filter running along with the internal juwel filter (rio 180) and a JBL Co2 unit. I can't understand what could have killed it, certainly as the female from same stock is totally fine.

Both fish (male and female) were bagged together in the shop, and floated for about 3/4 of an hour, gradually changing water in the bag before release. The male is (or was) about 3 1/2 - 4' and a strong looking fish. Upon release the male stayed in the middle of the tank at the front, in an exposed area. for the most part it was still but moved around a little, and looked to be eating. The female hid under a piece of bogwood straight away, and moved a little but since the tank light has been turned off she has been cleaning away.

Can anyone suggest anything that could have happened?

thanks

Nik

ps. if you need any more details (don't think I've left much out) please contact me

 

[Bloo]

It could just be one of those "things" I really can't see any problem at all based on the info you've given. You might want to raise the temperature just a degree or so, but that really shouldn't be a problem as such. You should by all means go to and speak to your lfs about it and see if they can replace it for you.
Or perhaps someone else has a better idea as to what could have been the problem

 

[Nik_boyd]

the only thingthat i can think of would be a problem in the dissolved level of Co2 in the water although the permanent Co2 test shows up fine. I have just refilled the test to check but it wont settle for three hours now Any help would be great.

 

[Tolak]

Did they use a net to catch him at the lfs? Plecs are really spiky finned things, I've never had one come out of a net clean, they always get hung up & need to be shook & prodded out. I could see being hung in the net causing some damage, maybe causing some sort of unseen internal damage.

Just a guess!

Tolak

 

[Nik_boyd]

yeah he was caught with a net and stuck to it he was pulled off it. the shop is really highly rated and are really knowledgable. the female also got stuck to the net and was removed in the same way but is fine annd really active. internal injuriesare about the only thing i can think of as there is no visible damage that i can see

 

[Tolak]

It's not the shop's fault, plecs are like that. I should invent a non-stick teflon coated net for plecs. Might make a few bucks.

The best way I've found to catch larger plecs is to submerse a clean glass jar in the tank with a piece of zuccini in it. Wait a while, they go in there to chow down. Remove them jar & all. Usually they are so busy eating they don't realize they have been moved.

Tolak

 

[Nik_boyd]

thanks Tolak,

I'm not blaming the shop, and to be honest I'd expect a healthy looking fish of that size to be able to take more than a slight tap (correct me if I'm wrong...) I'm just upset that I can't find any probable cause, I'd almost be happier if I could easily highlight something I've done wrong (I'm quite new to keeping tropicals) but I can't...and I did try to provide the best conditions for them I could before I got them.

 

[Nik_boyd]

my girlfriend just spoke to the LFS that we got him from, and they are going to replace him, and have asked us to take a water sample as well just so they can check it, which is all good.

Also, they are going to have a look at the body and see if they can identify any problems.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Sounds like a good shop, that. Much more responsible and much more reassuring for you than if they'd just bagged you a new fish.

 

[Nik_boyd]

LFS couldn't find anything visible that could have killed the fish, tested our water and said it was perfect, and replaced the dead fish for free, can't fault them. The new one is being floated at the moment, so I'll keep you updated on how it gets on

 

[Bloo]

good luck !

 

[Nik_boyd]

the new male BN is doing absolutely great, quick found a nice hiding place under a piece of bogwood and started digging, he's now got quite a crater under there, and the female has just come out under lighting for the first time happy BNs!