any hope?

[DylanE]

today i bought a coral beauty from my local fish store. i spent about an hour acclimating it, but after 2 or 3 hours he's started just sitting at the bottom breathing hard... and hope left for him? and what did i do wronge? i floated the bag and added about a half cup of aquarium water every 20 minutes

[Sk8r]

He's probably stressed out. Turn the lights off and let him rest a bit. Hopefully he's not coming down with something.
What are your parameters?
Your salt should be 1.025 give or take .001.
Temp about 80.
Alkalinity about 8.3
Ph about 8.3.
Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia s/b 0.
Run all your tests and report back.

[Infern0]

I agree completely. This does not sound like abnormal behavior for a new tankmate.

The only thing I would have done differently was longer acclimation, but that can be debated. For angels I usually give 2.5 or more depending on arrival state.

Report water params and wait it out. Like I said, does not sound like a problem yet.

[DylanE]

my parameters fit the bill there....but despite my efforts he is no more...:( . i think ill do a longer acclimation next time, its such a shame...such a pretty fish...

[rkelman]

I don't think your acclimation is to blame If that killed him he couldn't have been to healthy in the first place. Longer acclimation wouldn't be advised but a hour isn't bad. Maybe ask what salinity is at the lfs so you can better guage how long to acclimate. Make sure your not buying a fish right after it came in. Ask them to hold it for a week.

[Sk8r]

You need a refractometer first. Not a hydrometer. A refractometer. Measure the salinity of your tank vs the salinity of the water of incoming fish. Many dealers ship their fish in hyposalinity to prevent ich, and many fish tanks are at a lower salinity than coral tanks. If you have a .004 difference it's going to be a much longer acclimation. If a fish is too rapidly moved from one salinity to another, his kidneys take a hit and may shut down, or be damaged.