3 Norman Lamp Eyes lost in first day

[LoganJay]

Hi everyone,

I have a 110 liter (24g) planted tank, just over 2 months now. Started with 6 Black Phantoms about a month after setting up the tank and all levels going very well. They seemed very happy and active so just over a week later I added 6 Panda Cory's. The Panda's are super adorable, playing around and very confident.

2 Weeks later (yesterday) I added 12 Norman Lampeye Killifish. During acclimation I noticed one was not looking too great in the bag (laying on the bottom and not reacting much compared to the others as I added small amounts of water from my tank. I acclimated very slowly, every 10 minutes adding water over an hour or so. When it came time to add them, 11 swam out of the net, but the other stayed in the net, rolling about. He would get bursts of energy and then roll again, looking lifeless. I kept him in a large net to in a corner of the tank and tried to see if he would react to food. He continued to have bursts of energy, but after an hour sadly died.

This morning I have woken up to find 2 stuck up against the grill of the filter. They are acting exactly the same way once I moved them into the large net to the side again. (Since typing this, they have both died too now)

All my levels have been fine (0 ammonia and nitrite and nitrates around 20-30). 2 days before getting them I had done a 70% water change and then on the day I did another 25% just to be safe.Temp is at 23c (73.4f), which I have just raised to 24c (25.2f), in case temp was a little too cold as I know that's the lower end for a lampeye.

Is this likely to be something from the LFS as it happened to 1 so quickly in the bag, or am I doing something wrong? I know they had quarantined them for a week before I purchased, as I wanted them earlier but had been told they were not ready. Also, all my fish are from the same reputable LFS.

Update: 5 lost in total now

 

[GaryE]

This is a purchase problem. Norman's are tough as nails once they settle in, but can be delicate upon arrival.

In general, drip acclimation is a bad idea, as it leaves the fish in the bag ammonia too long, but in this case, I doubt the transit was major. I doubt it was a problem. The fish arrived with something brewing.

 

[LoganJay]

Just seems odd how they are dying over time. I was surprised that they brave enough to come out and eat in the evening after they had been in the tank for about 8 hours. I have kept the lights off since I put them in. I'm waiting for a call back from the LFS too.

 

[GaryE]

You can't blame the store, but those die offs can happen. I think it's conditions in shipping combined with those at the farms. I used to get norman's lampeyes (Poropanchx normani) from Guinea as wilds, and nothing could kill them. But the last few times I tried to get a breeding group going with aquarium store stock, I saw what you have seen. My current group has been here over a week and is looking pretty robust, but they were shipped so small you I couldn't sex them. Smaller fish ship better.

 

[LoganJay]

Only 1 out of the remaining 6 seem to have any strength. The shop said the same about shipping. I just wanted to make sure there was nothing I was doing wrong/nothing I could do to save them. They suggested trying to offer them some blood worms to build up their strength, but none of them are taking the food.

Thanks for the replies though. Made me feel less helpless!

 

[GaryE]

Most shops would tell you to take out a test kit, then find a way to shift the blame onto you. I'd say you have an honest shop there. You're lucky.
We always feel helpless when things go wrong like this, and putting on the test kit goggles for fish that just arrived is often a deflection, though a lot of employees have been trained to see things that way and are sincere. The problems can be from ammonia on the long trip to the store, from viral outbreaks, from extreme conditions in aircraft cargo, from delays in transit, and with normani, from lack of oxygen if they are too crowded in the shipping bag, etc. The fish have probably come with connecting flights from Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand. That takes time.

This species is worth a second try. In their not very showy way, they are one of my favourite fish.

 

[LoganJay]

I'll definitely want to get more. The shop is going to sort me out, but want to wait to work out if there is something wrong with the school they got in.

I'm very lucky with the shop, all very helpful and sounded genuinely sad I had lost a few of them.

I have turned the light on now and I reckon some of them may have eaten some of the blood worms that other fish didn't get to, as they seem a little more lively and their blue glow is showing up. Fingers crossed they make it!

 

[Girlwithwethands]

I'll definitely want to get more. The shop is going to sort me out, but want to wait to work out if there is something wrong with the school they got in.

I'm very lucky with the shop, all very helpful and sounded genuinely sad I had lost a few of them.

I have turned the light on now and I reckon some of them may have eaten some of the blood worms that other fish didn't get to, as they seem a little more lively and their blue glow is showing up. Fingers crossed they make it!

Hi there! I know it’s been a while but incase you get this im wondering how are things going for you and your lampeyes?

Im in a similar situation, have recently lost 6 out of 10 lampeyes. in the days after getting them, of the 4 I have now, 3 look healthy and strong but now the smallest one is clamping the tail fin and looking scared, avoiding the others. There’s been a lot of flaring going on recently too. worried I may now have 3 males and 1 female-the small clamping one,/ 1 small male now getting bullied. But also nervous to get more having just lost so many. I’ve been checking all my parameters - all very similar/ same as yours.
It would be great to hear if you have any extra hints/tips for getting them settled in happily.
how can I stop this poor little love Clamping?
Hope things worked out for you.

 

[GaryE]

I was able to buy a second group of them, as my first group, the small ones I bought, had only one female in it.The second group was all female, and I am starting to get eggs and fry now.

Some things that may help? They don't like warm tanks. Above 22-23, they are unimpressed and do poorly.
They like moving water. Both these things point to a need for clean water and oxygen.
They can't eat pellets - flake crushed between your fingers is good. I never use pellets for small fish other than Corys anyway.

 

[Girlwithwethands]

I was able to buy a second group of them, as my first group, the small ones I bought, had only one female in it.The second group was all female, and I am starting to get eggs and fry now.

Some things that may help? They don't like warm tanks. Above 22-23, they are unimpressed and do poorly.
They like moving water. Both these things point to a need for clean water and oxygen.
They can't eat pellets - flake crushed between your fingers is good. I never use pellets for small fish other than Corys anyway.

It’s great to hear yours are doing well now, congratulations on getting the group of females and eggs and fry.

Thanks for mentioning about 22-23c being most ideal I’ve been running at more like 23-24 recently. Re. Flakes and pellets, they really do seem to choose these micro pellets/granuals when given at the same time as the couple of flakes I’ve tried so far, (they really are ‘micro’ almost like fry food), I‘ll keep experimenting with the flake more crushed too now though, thanks again.
best of luck with the fry!