feeling sad, fish death

[altabc]

So...I was all enthusiastic about adding an elephant nose to my tank. I have a very clean 46 gallon bowfront; all nitrogens sit at zero, pH between 7.2/7.4. The tank has been up and running since Jan. 11/2009. I bought an elephant nose on Sunday afternoon, came home Tuesday afternoon, and there he was.....dead. My husband and I sat in the dark Monday night as I fed him blood worms. Okay, I know this is a difficult fish to keep. I did a lot of homework, and thought I'd be able to pull it off. I really liked that fish and would like to try again. How could I have let this lovely creature down within 48 hours?!

[~Kswords~]

How did you cycle your tank? Had you tested Ammonia and Nitrates also?

Sorry to hear of your loss. I know it's hard to lose something that you've invested so much time into.

[altabc]

Yep, tank cycled as per members of aquaria central. I went through a bit (okay, a lot) of angst about it as my parameters remain stubbornly at zero. I use an API master test kit. I check daily as I think it is all too good to be true. I do weekly 40% to 50% changes. I gravel vac each time. I'm afraid of ammonia pockets building up. Don't know why. I don't seem to have ammonia, but still.

[colinsk]

It is a lot of stress getting a fish shipped around and finally home. It could be it was not stable enough to make the transition to your water from what ever water it was used to. Stress causes diseases.

I am sorry for your loss. Do you other easier fish to keep on your stocking list? Perhaps start with some of them first.

[ChrisK]

Sorry for your loss I agree with the others about the stress.

[DrNo]

Sorry to hear about the loss. They are a sensitive species, very suspectible to stress and typically do better in groups. If your ammonia/nitrite were/are zero and nitrates below 20, temp. stable, water conditioned, acclimated correctly, I would suspect weak stock.

[ksane]

Awww, Im sorry you lost him. I don't think you let him down. I think it was probably already too late for an extra sensitive fish and at least he got to die with a full stomach & someone who cared about him. I'm the same way with Gold Nugget Plecs (who are also said to be hard to keep). I was devastated when my last one died, he never was a good eater. I got another 2 wks ago and I spend every night in the dark with his red tank light on watching him eat, I'm so thrilled this one eats so much. Try another one, don't give up.

[Reframer]

Sorry about that, did you drip acclimate him?

[Deanthoreu]

sorry to hear you lost the elephant nose...keep trying...they are well worth the effort.

toss out your light.....get some pvc pipes for them to hide in....use playsand for a substrate.....tons of java moss... lots of driftwood.....and some nice well mannered dither fish like harlequin rasboras....toss in an algae wafer every night..a few bottom feeder pellets and try nutrifin max for livebearers it has garlic in it..just set at number 1 and tap a tiny bit out.(enough for the rasboras plus 1)..they will find it in the substrate...remember u r buying babies not full growns....

just my 2cents

oh and get 2.....contrary to popular belief i beleive they feel safer if there is more than one of them

[Coler]

That's a real shame - they are quite timid and not really very hardy fish so the stress of the move could have affected him quite badly.

That said - how did acclimatise him to the tank ? And are there any other fish in there ?

Chin up - we all lose one every now and then - not to be callous, but if we quit when that happened we would none of us have fish. Just tanks with rocks in...and a shortage of purple string (nvm last bit or do search on AC for purple string)

[altabc]

Thank-you all for your in-put, and sympathy. I quite lost my heart to that fish! I will research more, and try again at some point. In the meantime I have to try to find out what went wrong with poor "Beauregard". (Yah, silly me, I named him)

The trip from the lfs took about 10 minutes. I drip acclimized him. He was actually more active than I thought he would be. I had purchased what is called a ghost house for him. He backed into it, moved on, and staked out an aquarium "root" decoration. When I came home Tuesday I had some dark purple paper that I was going to stick on his side of the tank, then cover that with foil so he could have a dark corner during the day in his new house. His tank companions were 5 rasboa harlequins, 5 lemon tetras, and 11 neons. Too many fish? I had 3 serpae in there as well. When I caught one nipping at his tail I evicted them. They are now in reform school!