Mysterious death of flame angel...

[Zappy Kiwi]

Hi all,

I have always wanted to keep a flame angel bcos of its vivd colouration. However, I do not have much chances of keeping the fish alive for more than a week. In my previous attempts, I thought the fish died was bcos of poor handling of the fish. (I release the fish directly into my main tank, and mayb the fish is harassed by other fishes and died).

A few days ago, I bought a flame angel from a LFS. This time round, I release the fish into my 2 ft quarantine tank (QT). I intend to monitor the flame angel for 3 weeks and get it used to the food I feed.

The QT is not newly setup and have been running for a month. It contains bacteria (ceramic rings) from my main tank. My QT also has a protein skimmer to provide the circulation and air. The existing inhabitants are 1 yashia goby (very small), 1 peppermint shrimp, and 3 fan worms.

The flame angel mysteriously died today . It stayed in my QT for ONLY 1 1/2 days. I have checked the dead fish for visible symptons but few none. The interesting thing is: my other inhabitants are still around happily. Also, I have used my QT on my other new fishes(3) before and the surviving rate is 100%, (until this flame come...)

Obervations on the fish when it was still alive:

Tried feeding pellet food, but the fish is quite 'picky' and only nid on the pellet. Was quite shy and likes to hide in a sheltered corner, but got swim around the entire tank when the lights are off.

Sorry for being long-winded. What could have caused the mysterious death of the flame angel? Did I do anything wrong? Any reefers here also experience similar problems with flame angels? And how can I 'successful' keep the flame alive... Hope any kind reefers here can advise.

I felt bad, after causing the deaths of quite a few flame angels... waste my money $$$ and waste away a poor fish's life.

[big_ben102000]

hey bro, maybe u didnt climatize the fish properly ?

[Zappy Kiwi]

I left the bag to float on the water for half an hour. Then, I put it in the fish in a floating container for another half hour or so, before releasing into the QT. I did not use the drip-method, as I feel it may stress the fish as I do not have a suitable container for performing the drip-method.

[big_ben102000]

I left the bag to float on the water for half an hour. Then, I put it in the fish in a floating container for another half hour or so, before releasing into the QT. I did not use the drip-method, as I feel it may stress the fish as I do not have a suitable container for performing the drip-method.

i am not pro at marine fishes, i dont not have a container to leave the fish in as well. wat i normally do is after making sure that the temp of the water in the bag and the tank is the same, i juz add alittle tank water into the bag. i dont own any high tech equipment so thats what i usually do. btw the adding and removing water part can last up to 2 hrs .. sometimes it takes that long for me

[Zappy Kiwi]

i am not pro at marine fishes, i dont not have a container to leave the fish in as well. wat i normally do is after making sure that the temp of the water in the bag and the tank is the same, i juz add alittle tank water into the bag. i dont own any high tech equipment so thats what i usually do. btw the adding and removing water part can last up to 2 hrs .. sometimes it takes that long for me

Act, I used to do what u mentioned, ie adding and removing water part can last up to 2 hrs, but i thought it may stress the fish further. Firstly, the bag is not so big, secondly, it may not have enough dissolved oxygen (adding a small air stone, though may add in air, but will also stress the fish). So I changed to the method where I only float the bag, and release the fish into a floating container. My method works with other fishes, (tangs, blenny) and shrimps. so I believe it should work for the flame angel also. Mayb I will tried the 'adding and removing method' again. BTW, hv u used ur method on flame angels before?

Seriously, I really do not think that the main problem is on climatizing the fish properly. About half day after I release the fish, the fish did swim out to 'nip' on the pellet.

Could the fish be ill (or severly stress) before I bought it? I heard that fishes may be caught using cyanide, and though many claim that this method is unethical, it is still widely used. Anyway, how to improve chances of keeping this flame angel?

[Zappy Kiwi]

Oh, further things to add:

When I purchase the flame angel fish from the LFS. the fish is swimming a bit unsteadily. What I mean is that the fish may sometimes swim with its its either side body almost touching the bottom, but swimming normally at else where. I observed that other flame angels in the shop also behaves the same way. I reckon that it saw its own reflection at the bottom and thought it is ok. Now that my fish died mysteriously, I was wondering if the unsteadly swimming be the cause of side-effects of cyanide toxicity?? Any experts in flame angels care to advise?

[vtech2]

Sad to hear ur lost bro ..

For flame angels, i would suggest u buy them from reputable lfs ..

A little experience to share, Previously i went to a lfs and bought 2 flame angels at once. Brought them back, acclimitise them and released them into my betta box in my main tank..

Started training them on pellets but only one would really eat... Later at night one of them started showing signs of tiredness(not so active). Next day, that fellow rip.. However the other survivor is still alive and kicking upto today.

Cyanide caught or not i still can't say but i would advise whoever who wants to buy a flame angel to make sure its active and well before bringing it back to ensure its chances of survival.

[big_ben102000]

bro Zappy Kiwi,

i have not keep a flame angel before but i have kept other small angels. i have been using the "adding and removing" method for all my fishes and all of them survive. bro vtech2 has a point too, get your fishes from more reputable lfs

[Underwater]

You may also want to check the water parameters in yr QT first.

l'm not an expert but l'll always find it a must to acclimatise newly purchased fish by slowly adding main tank water bit by bit at diff time intervals into the LFS water in a seperate container. Once done, l'll add only the fish into the tank. Adding yr fish into the tank without this step may shock the fish 'cos of sudden change in pH, alkalinity, temp etc due to difference in water parameters.

To reduce yr risk of seeing fishes dying, l wld suggest buying yr flame angel from reputable LFS tt is already feeding in its tank which is prob more stable. Some LFS will not mind feeding for you to see b4 you purchase.

[tineng]

bro, i think you should acclimatise it probably....normally if the fish dies in a day or 2 points to poor acclimatising procedure or getting in an unhealthly stock.

you should seriously try to drip method to acclimatise the fish....you don't have to do it for a long time....at most about 45mins will do....for most of my new fish i only do about 20mins.......

here is what i do, open the bag and drain the water until it reach a level slight above the height of the fish (i find less water volume will allow for a faster acclimatisation period). drop in a air stone (to stablize the PH). Drip in the water...what till the water reaches about 2 times the level of your original water. Test for temperate and sal (if you want also PH), between the container and your tank...if there are near, then dump the fish in...if not, drain the water in container as per above and try again....

in short, there is really no need to spend more then an hour to acclimatise fishes, but you seriously need to acclimatise them, if not chances of survial is very bad....

[amboi36]

my method will be, goes to those reputation shops. observe and monitor the flame angle that catches your eyes. Ask the sellers how long have the fish be in the tank and does it feeds. Confident, purchase it. Once home goes to your toilet ( without the light ). place the bag of your fish in a container ( 1/2 fill of tap water ). Let it sit in it for 10 min, open it, slow lets the water in the container sip in and out slowly untill you totally open the bag and let the fish free. ( method of clearing parasite ) about 5 mins. Gently carry the container with your fish inside to your tank and slowly and gently with the light off place the fish into the tank ( by hand, in your plam ). I do that to all my fishes, so far all healthy and doing well.

[sonicfrank]

tis is wat I do..

1) always ask the LFS pple feed the fish wif pellets see whether the fish izzit eatting well be4 buying..

2) check the water in my tank and the water bring back from LFS.. make sure the PH, KH, NO3 is not too big diff..

3) pour all the water into QT wif the fish than slowly add wif my tank water..

at the same time train the fish wif my pellet food be4 put into main tank.. (abt 3-4 week)

4) when the fish is eatting my pellet food is time to put in main tank.. but still have to put the fish in separate tank at the main tank.. to observe the reaction of other fish.. ( put abt 2-3 days)

5) if other fish is not attacking than is the right time to let the fish free..

my flame angel survive wif me abt a yr.. till I change my tank to a bigger size.. cant find a fish hotel so put in a small tank abt 2mth than it die off...

[amboi36]

some even suggest that, if you are aiming for that fish as for you flame angel. Observe the behaviour of the fish for a few days before purchase it.