My Cardinal fish died

The ammonia reading is telling me this tank needs to stabilize a bit.

 

I'dlike to thank every one for their input. It is nice to know that there is a community of people out here to help with these things.

Michael.

 

Matt.
Thanks for all your help. I personla think it was to much to fast. He just stop eatting. I letthe tank sit for a few more weeks. Then try agian. Try and get the Ammonia level down some more also.
What is the bestway to do that? Will it stablize on it's own?

 

Michael's wife here, I tested the nitrate with a test strip that because it's on the same one with the nitrite. When it shows a reading I write it down and then do it with the other, more accurate test to compare. It was zero with the chemtest.

The (ts) in parenthesis means test strip.

Thanks again!

 

quick run to the store and get another one! ;D

 

I'd kill him!

The consensus is that this Cardinalfish had a problem with his swim bladder. He was swimming funny (ankles over elbows) Friday night and it seemed like he couldn't move around in the tank very well. I should have q/t'ed him but didn't! When he didn't eat on Saturday I was pretty sure we were going to lose him. Michael woke up this morning and he was laying on the sand bed on his side (on top of one of our hermits who was kind of traumatized).

Checked the ammonia level today and it's back closer to zero, may be from the water change, so I'll check it again in a couple of days.

Everything else in the tank seems to be doing really well. The emerald is eating and running around, the zoas (came in on the lr) are multiplying and growing, the zenia is still pulsing and waving. It came in on the lr as well and took off like a wild fire, we thought it was an aiptasia but when I got the girl at the lfs to come look at it she couldn't believe it was a zenia. I'm worried about the Royal Gramma, just because, there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with him. He has good color, is hunting for food and swimming around like usual.

Thanks again,

ssgswife

 

That could be it. I'm glad you've slowed it down and researched a bit. This certainly will help going forward. I think you are on the right track now.

 

May have missed it but what is the other fish in the tank? Was it perhaps agressive and injured the Cardinal?

Jack

 

The other fish is a Royal Gramma, I'm not sure I've ever seen the two of them on the same side of the live rock. That doesn't mean anything though...

 

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING BUT WATER is going in that tank for another month and I don't care how much he begs!!!!!

He's over there now trying to scare the crap out of the sexy shrimp with the camera!!!