# cardinal tetras dying..



## thinkgreen (Apr 2, 2004)

this is the 2nd time now that i bought 8 - 10 cardinal tetras and died on me.. i have 2 that is alive from the last batch.. and theyre still ok and so are the rest of my fishes.. but the new ones died.. 1 or 2 / day..

ive read an article, i think here in the page regarding wild cardinal tetras and being sold in lfs.. and those are the ones that are difficult to take care of.

any opinions? and i thought theyre hardy. hmm..


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## OldManShiver (Mar 30, 2004)

In the past, I've had good success by acclimating them over the course of about an hour and then adding them to the tank with the lights off. I would usually leave the lights off for the remainder of that day.

I was under the impression that pretty much all cardinals are wild caught...I could be wrong, though.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

I suppose it all depends on your water, really. I have kept cardinals for years, and the only problems I have had have been due to massive die-offs from tankwide ich problems.

I have found that the mortality rate in cardinals is typically due to careless transportation. Expect a few to die...but acclimate them correctly!


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## United21Soccer (Mar 15, 2004)

Have you had any other fish die like this? It could be that the place you got them from has way different water readings than you, and that could stress the fish enough to die.

Like graham said, acclimate them by adding some of your tank water into the bag where they are. Do this until the bag had 50% of your water and 50% of the store's water. Then let them in with the lights off for a little while until they can get a feel for the tank.


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## thinkgreen (Apr 2, 2004)

just the cardinals..

i acclimate the fish for at least 30 mins.. but the thing is i wasnt paying attention with the bag.. and it slipped off inside the tank.. the bags/ lfs water mixed in with my water in the tank..  not good at all.

so far my fishes are ok. except for the cards that died.

im getting a diff tetras next time.. any suggestions.. to mix in with my "3 living cardinal tetras", 2 koi angels and 2 albino cats.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I would get more cardinals....they like to be in schools and would probably like at least four or five more of their buddies with 'em.


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## guppy (Mar 7, 2004)

neon tetras will school with cardinals.. haha not as nice but they will school...


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I think a good deal of it has to do with the condition they were in when you got them.
I've had very good luck with them compared to Neons and some of the other strains that have been "puppy mill" bred and are just losing their hardiness, due to poor conditions.

I guess since you had the bag mishap, I'd wait to get any more fish of any sort to see if anything was introduced to your tank from the bag water.
Was this in a Q tank?


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## thinkgreen (Apr 2, 2004)

unfortunately not. i dont have 1. 

gonna do a water change tomorrow.


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