PICS! 20 long, dwarf compressiceps

[aquabee]

Good luck B and keep us updated. It's alsways a terrible thing when all you can do is sit back and watch somthing unfold. Wish there was I or the community could do, but I dont have ideas and i think you may be right and just have to wait it out..

Thanks. :( Lost another one overnight, and the maybe-male that was living in a shell has now abandoned his shell and is looking really bad. I think I'm gonna lose them all within the next few days.

[aquabee]

What are your water parameters?

They're actually great, Thai. Using a liquid reagent kit: pH 8.3, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate < 5 ppm. Temp steady at 78F. White clouds and plecos are doin awesome still.

[myjohnson]

What are your water parameters?

[barrettsline]

Just a quick update...
All 3 remaining comps are alive but looking poorly and still not eating. Not doing any water changes, still have salt in there and the lights are off. Added an airstone for some gentle circulation at the bottom, since I have to keep the circ pumps off. White clouds are hating the airstone and are sticking to the other side of the tank, but they'll probably just need to deal with it for a couple hours or so.
At this point I'm thinking this could be ammonia poisoning from suboptimal transport. Their gills may have gotten burned from being in a small bag with little air for 4+ hours in the car. I guess I just need to wait this out.

Good luck B and keep us updated. It's alsways a terrible thing when all you can do is sit back and watch somthing unfold. Wish there was I or the community could do, but I dont have ideas and i think you may be right and just have to wait it out..

[aquabee]

Just a quick update...
All 3 remaining comps are alive but looking poorly and still not eating. Not doing any water changes, still have salt in there and the lights are off. Added an airstone for some gentle circulation at the bottom, since I have to keep the circ pumps off. White clouds are hating the airstone and are sticking to the other side of the tank, but they'll probably just need to deal with it for a couple hours or so.
At this point I'm thinking this could be ammonia poisoning from suboptimal transport. Their gills may have gotten burned from being in a small bag with little air for 4+ hours in the car. I guess I just need to wait this out.

[aquabee]

I doubt it has much to do with aggression as well seeing as though they are young and there's a lot of room to hide. I would chalk it up on weak or stressed stock. They've always been known for that.
When you start out with more juvi's you get to weed out the week and end up with a strong breeding group and worst case scenario you get a large group that grew up with each other and are accepting.

Thanks for all the concern everyone. I killed the lights yesterday and added salt, and I just drew back the window blinds this morning so I could see into the tank. This morning the one in the shell is still doing fine, the tiny one is in the rocks but looks ok, and the one that looked rough yesterday is still lookin rough, breathing a little harder, and hangin out in the same spot where the one died yesterday. Dither and plecos are still doing well.

Q, I don't think this has anything to do with weak stock. This guy has experience with breeding multiple groups of dwarf comps at home and they've done well. If anything, I think the stress of getting stuck on the freeway for 4 hours did a number on them. Weirdly enough, they did well after I did a longer acclimation to the tank... it's just weird for them to go downhill now, after they did so well before. Maybe they are just too young to transport. That's the only thing that really makes sense.

Q/Ron, I was thinking of mysis but these guys don't usually eat unless food lands right in front of their snouts and sits there for a little while. I've been feeding them NLS, which they've eaten their whole lives, but I will still try the mysis later today. Worst case scenario, the white clouds will have a treat.

Will post more updates if something happens... Still got my fingers crossed but not that hopeful.

[sunkenmetal]

oh that sucks...

[eklikewhoa]

I've always read horror stories about bringing these guys home due to their poor ability to ship/transport/acclimate but seeing how you are with the hobby I think you will come out good on this one.

[barrettsline]

thats terrible, any update on how the others are doing thus far.

[eklikewhoa]

If frozen mysis doesn't work on its own you can soak in garlic extract and that'll get them going nuts over it!

[eklikewhoa]

I doubt it has much to do with aggression as well seeing as though they are young and there's a lot of room to hide. I would chalk it up on weak or stressed stock. They've always been known for that.

When you start out with more juvi's you get to weed out the week and end up with a strong breeding group and worst case scenario you get a large group that grew up with each other and are accepting.

[RonR.]

Try feeding them a small amount of frozen mysis. When most fish won't eat other foods, they will eat frozen mysis. I use the Hikari brand.

The tank looks really nice. I place my heaters horizontally along the back. My titanium heaters are almost buried in the sand. I know your's is glass though. I haven't had any fish.....mobas or plecos burned either.

Hope this helps you out gal.

[aquabee]

Just talked to the seller... we're thinking they're still too young for aggression. Another one of the comps isn't looking so hot, and now none of them are eating. The smallest, which I'm hoping is a female, and the largest one that has taken residence in a shell are both looking well despite the fact that they're not eating today. Either it was a stressful trip home (4 hours in the car due to an accident blocking traffic on 45), or they're simply too young to make the move. Seems like the stress from the trip, which was over a week ago, would have manifested itself earlier. I guess we'll see. :( Just added some salt and crossed my fingers.

[SunnyHouTX]

I do feel horrible.

[aquabee]

You're too "safe" B. Stuff that tank full.

This is what I just removed from my tank... probably a sub-dominant male. Hope you and Q feel really bad now, cuz I certainly do!!