5 out of 7 Blue Reef Chromis DEAD!!

[Nanook]

Well, I just summed it up in the title. I bought 7 Blue Reef Chromis from FFE. I put them in my 29g Q tank on Tuesday, they all ate well that evening, today on Thursday, I am down to just two fish. All my params are great: PH=8.21, SG=1.025, no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. Temp=78 degrees F. I have a Rio 800 powerhead and a Bio wheel filter. I don't know what happened that they died, any ideas??

Just want to make sure it wasn't user error. Apparently, FFE had to backorder these fish twice, due to a high mortality rate. Are Blue Reef Chromis not very hardy? Should I have medicated the Q tank? Thanks for your suggestions! :(

Nanook

[billsreef]

Usually these guys are pretty hardy. However it sounds like FFE is having problems with them from whatever supplier they use. Sounds a lot like delayed mortality from shipping and handling stress :( Unfortunately no has come up with a remedy for this other than less fish per shipping container and holding tank (at distributor) and of course feeding them (often not done in many supply chains) and all that adds too more money, hence is hard to get many suppliers to do.


Just in case there is disease among native populations I will be conducting a personal survey of blue chromis and thier habitat in Grand Cayman later today. I'll give the report when I get back :D

[Nanook]

Thanks Bill, have fun in Cayman. A fellow co-worker of mine is going there with her hubby in the next month. He's a doc, so they go to Cayman at least twice a year. They are avid divers, someday, if I get the time and money, I would like to dive.

The Blue Reef Chromis is a BEAUTIFUL FISH! It is a shame they died. I wrote an email to FFE to let them know, I don't know how they handle deaths of livestock though. Be careful out there in the reefs! ;)


Nanook

[Tonga]

If i didnt know better I would say you bought fish from tropics
:D