Just Need to Vent...
by
, 07-28-2012 at 10:18 PM (1400 Views)
Okay - long time reader, first time blogger here.
I have a beautiful 100G Elos tank. Wonderful landscaping (thanks to the wife designing it), and after moving from Florida to Chicago, some amazing frags growing out that I managed to save in the reset. Unfortunately, the move several months ago claimed about 50% of my fish. I was quite sad, but made herioc efforts to keep them healthy during the move and aside from giving them away to a stable tank - did all I could.
Fast forward 3 months and I began to stock up the tank again. I got excited when liveaquaria.com posted a mated pair of both Wantanabe Angelfish and Nahacky Fairy Wrasse - I ordered both over two days / two seperate orders. I have drooled over the former and longed for the later and decided to go for it and shell out the $.
After the second order, I asked them to combine the orders (to save them shipping). They did so and shipped the fish... to my Florida address.
I am 100% positive that I changed my billing and shipping address to my home in Chicago. No doubts. I even worried / made sure they would be sent to the right place.
They went south instead.
Long story short, i got a former LFS to pick up the fish, acclimate them, and then eventually send along to me.
They arrived stressed as hell, but alive. The female angel was bruised and had a bloody wound. At this point, i was absolutely frantic. Of course I was worried about the $, but here I was, partially responsible for these amazing and super rare animals who went through hell to get to me.
Despite my absolute rule and my constant preaching - I panicked. I drip acclimated them and thought to myself - liveaquiria.com is good - there will be no problems. So into the display tank they went.
The next day, the female died from her wounds.
The following day, the male Angel had a massive case of Ich.
FML.
After pulling all live rock and coral out of my tank to catch the fish; all the fish save the dragonettes (who are immune to ich) are in QT and going through my standard 5 week process, modified to treat obvious Ich. The rock and coral is back in the DT after a bit of fresh air dosing.
(week 1, Prazipro, Week 2 and 3 Cupramine, Week 3 Prazipro again, Week 4 gram negative antibiotic, week 5 watch, 50% water change every 4th day and activated carbon for 24 hours in between).
I screwed up when I panicked and emplore you not to do the same. We take on a huge responsibility when we take these animals from the wild - it is our job to make sure they are safe and sound.
Chris