Bengaii Cardinal fish died

[spamvicious]

I’ve had a cardinal in my Fluval evo for a month. This morning I found it dead stuck to the wavemaker. It was the only fish in the tank so it wasn’t getting bullied, it was also perfectly fine yesterday eating as normal.

I didn’t think to take a picture before disposing of it but it didn’t have any marks or discolouration and no weight loss.

I have a cleaner shrimp, snails and corals in my tank and all are doing well still. So I’m stumped as to what happened.

I’m working on lowering my phosphates and nitrates.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Do you have a ton of flow in the tank? Cardinals can sometimes struggle in really high flow tanks.

 

[spamvicious]

Do you have a ton of flow in the tank? Cardinals can sometimes struggle in really high flow tanks.

Not massively so. I have the return pump which is the 0.5 sicce. I added a small wave maker (jebao slw 3) two weeks ago which I have on the lowest setting.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Not massively so. I have the return pump which is the 0.5 sicce. I added a small wave maker (jebao slw 3) two weeks ago which I have on the lowest setting.

How long have you had the bangai? They're a fish notorious for either living quite a long time or dying from shipping issues within a few months

 

[Hemmbone20]

I’ve had a cardinal in my Fluval evo for a month. This morning I found it dead stuck to the wavemaker. It was the only fish in the tank so it wasn’t getting bullied, it was also perfectly fine yesterday eating as normal.

I didn’t think to take a picture before disposing of it but it didn’t have any marks or discolouration and no weight loss.

I have a cleaner shrimp, snails and corals in my tank and all are doing well still. So I’m stumped as to what happened.

I’m working on lowering my phosphates and nitrates.

What app is that you have your water parameters logged in? Did you manually type that in or is it from a controller or something?

 

[spamvicious]

What app is that you have your water parameters logged in? Did you manually type that in or is it from a controller or something?

it’s called pocket marine on the App Store. It gives you the option to enter all the parameters as well as stocking list.

 

[spamvicious]

How long have you had the bangai? They're a fish notorious for either living quite a long time or dying from shipping issues within a few months

It’s been in my tank a month but my friend had him for a couple of years.

 

[Cthulukelele]

It’s been in my tank a month but my friend had him for a couple of years.

They have a really hard time with shipping/transfers, and dying within a few months after being transplanted is common ime. It could also have been disease, but cardinalfish are pretty extreme on the disease resistance spectrum

 

[Cthulukelele]

On top of that, bangais typically only live 2-3 years. May have been a natural death expedited by the stress of transfer

 

[Cthulukelele]

If you want a longer lived cardinal that's slightly less pretty imo pajama cardinals are known to live for 15+ years regularly in home aquaria

 

[spamvicious]

If you want a longer lived cardinal that's slightly less pretty imo pajama cardinals are known to live for 15+ years regularly in home aquaria

I’m currently thinking about what to add to the tank now. I kept just one fish as the tank is so small. I was looking at a royal gramma but they are too big.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I’m currently thinking about what to add to the tank now. I kept just one fish as the tank is so small. I was looking at a royal gramma but they are too big.

How big is the tank?

 

[Cthulukelele]

If I were getting just 1 fish, selfishly it wouldn't be a cardinal simply because they don't do a whole lot

 

[spamvicious]

How big is the tank?

it’s the Fluval 13.5 gallons

 

[Hemmbone20]

it’s called pocket marine on the App Store. It gives you the option to enter all the parameters as well as stocking list.

I’m going to download that.. beats using the “notes” app in my phone!

 

[spamvicious]

I’m going to download that.. beats using the “notes” app in my phone!

Yeah it’s well worth it

 

[Cthulukelele]

it’s the Fluval 13.5 gallons

Tailspot blenny would be plenty happy at that tank size, and they have a ton of personality for a nano fish

 

[Uncle99]

I don’t find that fish does well with change.
Very similar circumstances twice for me now.
About a month, then done.

 

[spamvicious]

Tailspot blenny would be plenty happy at that tank size, and they have a ton of personality for a nano fish

I do like blennys and gobies but my cleaner shrimp is a dick and I just have that one piece of rock in my tank so I worry that it would be stressed all the time

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve had a cardinal in my Fluval evo for a month. This morning I found it dead stuck to the wavemaker. It was the only fish in the tank so it wasn’t getting bullied, it was also perfectly fine yesterday eating as normal.

I didn’t think to take a picture before disposing of it but it didn’t have any marks or discolouration and no weight loss.

I have a cleaner shrimp, snails and corals in my tank and all are doing well still. So I’m stumped as to what happened.

I’m working on lowering my phosphates and nitrates.

There has been an influx of these especially imports coming in - in bad shape as they do not ship well in addition to overbreeding in which there has been ban proposals on them.
These fish it frozen only and if it was thin, likely already starving.
Acclimation is very important for them also