New Red Top Zebras Keep Dying

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Razor7Music

Razor7Music

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 18, 2008
440
7
48
Irvine, CA
www.myspace.com
Hello--

I bought a juvenile red top zebra from a LFS where I've bought several other fish from. I introduced the fish with caution. My tank parameters were all good. None of the other fish bothered it, but I did notice that it was swimming kind of slow. I came back to look at it after about an hour and it was resting on the bottom. I kept my eye on it and in about another hour it was laying on it's side.

I called the LFS and they said to bring it back for an exchange. I was able to catch the fish with my bare hands, if that tells you the poor condition of the fish. The guy at the LFS put him in a tank with some mellow little fish, and he stayed on the bottom again.

I exchanged the fish for the identical one and he seemed chipper in the tank and in the bag on the way home. I again introduced him to the tank following all of the precautions, and he seemed fine. I watched him for awhile and thought all was good. He was sort of foraging too.

The next day, I could not find him. I thought he was hiding, as I have a lot of places for them to hide. After awhile, I knew something was wrong, and I finally found that he had died. There were no marks on his body of any biting from the other fish.

I'd really like to add a red top zebra to my collection as I am getting rid of some of my larger fish, but I'm thinking maybe I'll get a larger one that is more hearty.

Does anyone here know why that particular fish would do so poorly? I've never had a fish act like that--even when I was a beginner. I bought a different breed the same day and it is thriving.

Thanks,
 
mike dunagan;3396469; said:
please give a step by step process of how you add fish to your setup.
Click to expand...

I rearrange the decorations, leave the bag with the fish in to float in the aquarium for 15 minutes. Once I introduce the fish to the tank, I put sinking food pellets in the water that completely distracts the other fish as they jockey for position. I turn the lights off for the night early.

As I stated, I have a lot of places for fish to hide. Rock formations, a decoration with a labyrinth of tunnels and caves and lots of plants.

This time, I also decided to make sure all of my water levels were good--and they were all ideal.

I've been doing this long enough to know how to introduce new fish. I thought I could reduce my typing by just stating that I used caution.

My question is: Are red top zebras fragile fish? I only saw online that they are one of the more mellow breeds. I can't have mellow breeds in my tank. They just don't work out.

Does anyone here have experience with red top zebras?
 
Several things...

You should be adding some of your existing tank water to the bag as part of the acclamation process. More importantly, all your new fish should go into a quarantine tank before introducing them into your tank. If you don't have one, set up a 10 or 15g tank.....it's well worth the money!

Red zebra's are very hearty fish. I would test the Ph/Kh of the water from the LFS and compare it to levels in your tank. They might be suffering from Ph shock. Most LFS's don't take special care to buffer the water in their African tanks, especially places like Petclub and the like.
 
1974Pantera;3396762; said:
Several things...

You should be adding some of your existing tank water to the bag as part of the acclamation process. More importantly, all your new fish should go into a quarantine tank before introducing them into your tank. If you don't have one, set up a 10 or 15g tank.....it's well worth the money!

Red zebra's are very hearty fish. I would test the Ph/Kh of the water from the LFS and compare it to levels in your tank. They might be suffering from Ph shock. Most LFS's don't take special care to buffer the water in their African tanks, especially places like Petclub and the like.
Click to expand...
:iagree:, one of the most important processes. Add water into the bag of the new fish in small quantities during the 15 minutes otherwise he will die.
 
I have not heard of them being more mellow than other mbuna. I thought they were on par with other melanochromis in aggression.

I was interested in whether or not you accumulate them or if they are put in a temp tank. We can rule out anything as a cause to the death. With the breathing heavy and such I would think ph shock, or temp shock. That is why I was asking. Since we have not way of eliminating factors it is hard to say. If you have not seen fish attacking them, then I would doubt aggression is the issue.
 
mike dunagan;3396780; said:
I have not heard of them being more mellow than other mbuna. I thought they were on par with other melanochromis in aggression.

I was interested in whether or not you accumulate them or if they are put in a temp tank. We can rule out anything as a cause to the death. With the breathing heavy and such I would think ph shock, or temp shock. That is why I was asking. Since we have not way of eliminating factors it is hard to say. If you have not seen fish attacking them, then I would doubt aggression is the issue.
Click to expand...

Most likely ph shock b/c he said he would leave the bag floating around for 15 min in his tank but he didn't add any water from his tank into the bag.
 
1974Pantera;3396762; said:
Several things...

You should be adding some of your existing tank water to the bag as part of the acclamation process. More importantly, all your new fish should go into a quarantine tank before introducing them into your tank. If you don't have one, set up a 10 or 15g tank.....it's well worth the money!

Red zebra's are very hearty fish. I would test the Ph/Kh of the water from the LFS and compare it to levels in your tank. They might be suffering from Ph shock. Most LFS's don't take special care to buffer the water in their African tanks, especially places like Petclub and the like.
Click to expand...

I didn't even think about pH shock. I bet you're right. I keep mine at 7.8+ (because I have some utility fish that don't like it any higher). The LFS I bought it from has a very large selection which might also mean they don't have/take the time to treat all of their water.

I always knew not to add the water from the bag into your aquarium, but I've never added my water to their bag. That is awesome advice. Thank you. :D

Any recommendations for how much of my water I should add?

BTW, (violin music starts in the background) I just got rid of my two smaller tanks to keep the wife happy. I would really like a smaller quarantine tank for a lot of reasons--one of them is I think my acai is carrying--oh brother. Well, I'll just have to make more money to get a larger house and then I can get a quarantine tank--and a larger main tank!
 
Stephen,

Set up a quarantine tank in the garage....that will appease the wife as it's out of the house.

As to the acclimation process, I add a my tank water in a three step process, adding maybe 15% of the volume the bag then maybe another 25% and finally maybe 40% within a period of 30 minutes. I always ask for a large bag.

Find yourself a LFS store you can trust and like I said, test their water from their African section of tanks.

Rearranging the decor like you do is an excellent way of introducing the new kid(s) on the block.

Again, a quarantine tank is a must have in this hobby. Lastly, work on that wife of yours....I've been working on mine for 15yrs but at this point, I will have to sell my cars to make room for tanks because "no more tanks in the house" is still her mantra!

Good luck!
 
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