My teacups sudden death

[ChrisG23]

I dont know what happened to him. I had raymond ( 6" teacup ) for about two months, he was eating only worms and ghost shrimp, but he had a good apetite.

I left for work yesterday morning and he was fine, then on the way home my roomate called me and told me that ray was stuck to the filter..... i was crushed. I had heard that fwr's were a more difficult fish to keep, but all was going well.

When i got home he was still alive, and breathing, but his body had a severe death curl, and he didnt have the energy to swim or keep himself on the tankbed.

the only thing i can think of is if he was chasing a ghost shrimp, and got himself stuck on the filter, but he was pretty wiry, he should have been able to get off, its only a mag 350 filter.

Anyways when i woke up this morning he had already died...

not to sound like a p#$$y but im really upset, he was the first fish i ever lost. I had already kept 7 redbellies in the same tank but had gotten bored with them.

 

[hollywood69]

what were the water conditions? were the red bellies still in there?

 

[ChrisG23]

i have only the multi strips for checking water conditions, and all were very well within satisfactory ranges, i havent been doing large water changes simply because he was the only fish being kept in the 55g tank, and he was very small making little waste.

and no the piranahs were sold to the lfs to make room for my ray.

he had plenty of water agitation also, i am filtering the tank with two ac70's, and the mag 350 canister. water temp was kept at a constant 78deg f. ........i'm stumped. he had been eating well, and was very active.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

sorry bro

 

[Redtail_Watcher]

sad to hear that....

 

[hollywood69]

next time get more reliable testing methods. what was your ph? remember baby retics are hard to keep, if you buy another 1 make sure it is at least 5" in disc size.

 

[kody1192]

i would get a liquid test kit way better and more reliable than strips and that tank was also pretty small for a(teacup or rectic) or ray of any kind anyways sorry for your loss hope you can find out what happened

 

[ChrisG23]

thanks to everyone for their help and ideas. i am investigating the safety issues of having a larger tank 125 to 150 on the second floor apartment in which i live. if i am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that this is as safe as bungee jumping from a helicopter while the pilot is drunk and hovering over a military base during armed exercises on friday the 13th i will go ahead as planned. If not i will just have to settle for another piranah or oscar or maybe both .:j/k: thanx all .....chris