Help! New fish dying

[lkhoffmam27]

I have a 55 gallon FOWLR tank that is about 3 months old. I am new to the hobby but I know the basics . Right now I have 2 oscellaris clowns that have been doing great for over a month. A couple weeks ago I bought a heniochus butterfly and it died in two days. It wouldn't eat and mostly hid. I thought it might have been due to over stress because it had just arrived at the fish store that day. So I tried again yesterday and this time the butterfly swam around a lot and looked healthy, but wouldn't eat . It died this morning. My water levels are all good with no ammonia or nitrite. I don't understand why this is happening. The two clown fish seem very healthy and do fine.

[rich850]

What did you attempt to feed the fish?

[ska d]

how did you acclimate

[rich850]

You will receive more advice in a different category this isn't really the section for fish but I will go ahead and say it because someone is going to a 55 gallon tank is not big enough for a heniochus butterfly long term but ....

[lkhoffmam27]

Sorry I'm new to the whole forum thing so I didn't know where to post it.

I tried feeding it regular marine flakes, then brine shrimp and garlic pellets. But he didn't take to any of them.

I acclimated it the same way I did my two clowns. I floated the bag for around fifteen minutes. Then added some tank water to the bag for about another ten then put him in. I can't afford a QT right now.

[lkhoffmam27]

Also before the second one died it seem to become disoriented and could barely swim.

[Kentech5]

Do you know the salinity the fish were at in the store compared to yours?

[KeepNitReel]

Your acclamation process seems a bit crude IMO. Did you check the salinity & pH of the bag water versus the tank water first?
I honestly believe your setting yourself up for more failures by not having basic start-up equipment like a QT & a real acclamation process.

[lkhoffmam27]

Yeah I know my acclimation is not the best but do you really think that's causing it? I didn't check the levels of the water in the bag. How come the Two clowns did fine with that process?

[KeepNitReel]

Clowns are Hardy fish

[Nina51]

you need to do a slow drip acclimation for such a sensitive fish.

[lkhoffmam27]

Is there a certain way I should do this without a QT? How do I do the slow drip?

[KeepNitReel]

Thought you said you knew the basics in your original post? J/k, anyway I believe live aquria website has instructions on how to drip acclimate.
Just an fyi, you really need a QT, your playing Russian roulette with your DT.

[lkhoffmam27]

Haha I know sorry I just wanna make sure so I don't lose any more fish and money. I'm gonna save up and get a QT before I add any new fish. Thanks for the help guys!

[dc]

[moved]...

[KeepNitReel]

I have a cheap PetSmart 10g kit that has everything you need ($49) for QT. I also picked up one of those breeder/acclamation boxes(PetSmart) for $14.99, add an air pump & now you have drip acclamation. Pour water off before it goes into QT (which takes about an hour before that happens) so you don't get lfs water in QT.
$70 to save possibly hundreds if not thousands in the long run.

[Nina51]

live aquria website has instructions on how to drip acclimate.

this ^. and do it even when you put a new fish into a qt tank.

i dunno if others do it and it may be overkill but i do drip acclimation even when moving a fish from qt to dt.

[KeepNitReel]

this ^. and do it even when you put a new fish into a qt tank.

i dunno if others do it and it may be overkill but i do drip acclimation even when moving a fish from qt to dt.

I drip from QT to DT also, somehow my pH is different between the tanks. It also gives the new addition of my DT a chance to see the new home & mates without being harassed, (my acclamation box hangs on the side)
If it's overkill then so be it but I haven't lost one yet doing this.

[lkhoffmam27]

What sizes are your guys QT 's?