unclenedsfishfactory.com

Thanks to Ned and his brother (that was your brother, right?) for their excellent help yesterday with the pair of agassizi's and the clown pleco. The store is excellent and easy to find, even coming from the North Shore.

The fish have all been acclimated and are doing well. The female agassizi has taken up residence in the java-moss covered coconut shell cave. Fed them some of the frozen bloodworms for the first time today and they both ate well. The pleco has been hiding since he was released, but he seems to have found a pretty secluded cave that suits him well.

Looking forward to getting my 55 up and running so I can get more fish!


Good luck with the penny-pinching Lexus driver and her three ring (or should I say FIVE ring) circus!

Hi Ned, I sent this to you in an email a couple days ago, but there was some stuff in the copy that got sent to me (I emailed it through this board and checked the 'send a copy to yourself' box) that made me think it might have gotten captured by a spam filter. Anyway, here's what it said:

I was in your store a week ago Saturday and purchased a pair
of agassizi's and a clown pleco.

I am sorry to report that the male agassizi died Monday, the 16th. On Thursday, after being in the tank for 5 days, both agassizi's broke out in what appeared to be ich. The clown pleco hasn't shown any signs of illness at all.

I wonder if the breakout had to do with stress. I didn't realize what a difference there was in the pH in your water and the pH in my water until I got home with the fish. I tested the water in the bag and it was about 7.4, and my tank is about 6.3. I spent several hours trying to slowly adjust the water in the bag before introducing them to the tank. They seemed to adapt well at first, showing good color and spreading their fins when they got close to each other, but they did seem to be clamping their tails a bit much.

From the time I put them into the tank, I've been doing 25% water changes almost every day to maintain the good water conditions and try to minimize the stress of their move. Ammonia and Nitrite remained at 0 from the time they were introduced until now. I've been feeding them a steady died of bloodworms and spirulina-enriched frozen brine shrimp.

From the time the white spots appeared on the agassizi's, I've been treating with Maracide as per the directions. I also raised the tank temperature to 83F. The only other tank inhabitants, besides the clown pleco that I bought at the same time, are 6 harlequin rasboras, and they never showed any spots, nor has the pleco.

After four days, there didn't seem to be any difference in the appearance of the agassizi's. I thought after 3 or 4 days they would start to improve, based on what I know about ich and the life cycle. Is there a fungus that closely resembles ich?

The male died today, and the female continues to have several spots on her body and fins. I am continuing with the Maracide treatment, but I have also started treating with Maroxy for fungus.

I don't send this to you with any hopes of getting credit for the male agassizi, my only hope now is to save the female.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since I wrote the email 2 days ago, I've started to notice a slight improvement in the female, so I'm thinking I misdiagnosed them and it was a fungus after all. Today will be day three since I started the Maroxy treatment, so when I go home today I should be able to tell for sure if the female is doing better.

Hi Ned, I sent this to you in an email a couple days ago, but there was some stuff in the copy that got sent to me (I emailed it through this board and checked the 'send a copy to yourself' box)
SORRY, YOU CAN'T EMAIL "THROUGH THE BOARD" JUST EMAIL ME DIRECTLY AT cichfish@aol.com.


I am sorry to report that the male agassizi died Monday, the 16th.
SORRY , WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THE FISH , BEST I CAN DO IS GIVE YOU A 50% DISCOUNT ON A NEW ONE.

On Thursday, after being in the tank for 5 days, both agassizi's broke out in what appeared to be ich.
I JUST CHECKED THAT TANK, THERE IS NO ILLNESS THERE.

I wonder if the breakout had to do with stress. I didn't realize what a difference there was in the pH in your water and the pH in my water until I got home with the fish. I tested the water in the bag and it was about 7.4, and my tank is about 6.3.
THAT IS NOT A BIG ENOUGH DIFFERENCE TO CAUSE A DISEASE.
I spent several hours trying to slowly adjust the water in the bag before introducing them to the tank.
I WOULDN'T HAVE WAITED THAT LONG, MAYBE A HALF HOUR.
They seemed to adapt well at first, showing good color and spreading their fins when they got close to each other, but they did seem to be clamping their tails a bit much.

From the time I put them into the tank, I've been doing 25% water changes almost every day to maintain the good water conditions and try to minimize the stress of their move. Ammonia and Nitrite remained at 0 from the time they were introduced until now. I've been feeding them a steady died of bloodworms and spirulina-enriched frozen brine shrimp.
BOTH THOSE ARE ALWAYS GOOD.

From the time the white spots appeared on the agassizi's, I've been treating with Maracide as per the directions.
I'VE FOUND MARACIDE TO BE TOO WEAK FOR MOST STRAINS OF ICK AND OTHER DISEASES, I USUALLY USE QUICK CURE OR OTHER MALACHITE/FORMALIN MIXES.
I also raised the tank temperature to 83F.
GOOD, BUT DON'T GO OVER 83.
The only other tank inhabitants, besides the clown pleco that I bought at the same time, are 6 harlequin rasboras, and they never showed any spots, nor has the pleco.

After four days, there didn't seem to be any difference in the appearance of the agassizi's. I thought after 3 or 4 days they would start to improve, based on what I know about ich and the life cycle. Is there a fungus that closely resembles ich?
I DON'T KNOW.

The male died today, and the female continues to have several spots on her body and fins. I am continuing with the Maracide treatment, but I have also started treating with Maroxy for fungus.

I don't send this to you with any hopes of getting credit for the male agassizi, my only hope now is to save the female.
WE HAVE 4 FEMALES STILL IN STOCK, EXPECTING MORE MALES TUESDAY THE 24TH.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since I wrote the email 2 days ago, I've started to notice a slight improvement in the female, so I'm thinking I misdiagnosed them and it was a fungus after all. Today will be day three since I started the Maroxy treatment, so when I go home today I should be able to tell for sure if the female is doing better.
EMAIL ME DIRECTLY AT cichfish@aol.com OR JUST POST HERE.

Thanks for the info, Ned.

Unfortunately I was stupid and didn't hang onto the receipt. I do have the male frozen in a baggie, if that is sufficient. If so, I'll try to make a trip down a week from Saturday.

just throw the dead fish away...
won't have any male Agg's 'til Tuesday next week anyway
...just remind me when you come in

will do. Thanks again.

Just wanted to mention that the female is completely healed. It was definitely a fungus.