Batfish Issues

[jewban]

So I was never really impressed with the batfish but last weekend I saw one at the LFS and it was beautiful, all black with orange outlines and a thick vertical white stripe right behind the eyes. So i made the purchase on sunday morning and the fish has been doing well, eating what not, I checked my water and all levels are stable,
Trite - 0
Trate - 10-20
Amm - 0
Sal - 1.025
Temp - 80.5 F
This morning i checked on the fish before the lights came on and it was fine but right as the lights came on it began to stop swimming nad just float in the current, then it started getting caught in my powerheads and now its just floating then swimming floating then swimming. No direction and no motivation seemes like a lack of energy. Its breathing real hard. I can only assume that Ive lost the fish.
Any help would be greatly appreciated..
Ryan

 

[xdave]

Did you research anytHing about this fish before puchasing?

 

[macsmith77]

I'm sorry to hear... I think batfish are pretty cool looking customers. I have not advice as I do not own one, but would love to hear how it is going. As to your other respondant, please climb down from your high horse, it is tough to communicate with you up there.

 

[xdave]

My sympathy lies with the fish. It took 2 mouse clicks to find this bat

 

[lion_crazz]

I agree with Dave. Pinnatus batfish are just about impossible to keep. This is why it is necessary to research BEFORE making a purchase.

 

[ginarox]

not to start anything but i would have to agree with xDave, from this web site,,,it tells about the bat fish and it says its a very diffucult fish to have,,,i am very sorry for your loss, they are not cheap....its so hard to go to your lfs and see something that is really pretty...you want it bad,,, but as for me when i see something that i want to buy the first thing i ask how will are they to keep,,,if they tell me there diffucult to keep,, i dont want it...but there are lots of lfs , that will tell you anything to get you to buy it...i would diffently see if you can take it back or something...will jewban i wish you the best....have a great day....

 

[dogstar]

One more fish that rarely survives in captivity.....
You can try and reduce lights and currents. They are generally a secretive fish inhabiting dark caves, cliffs and crevecives of reefs......Plus they change into a pretty big, boreing looking fish as they get older, if it gets older.

 

[jewban]

I was going on the advice of a trusted LFS. While i did not research it this time i generally do research my purchases but they havent steered me wrong in a year so i kinda just went with it...anyway.....my bad?.....guess i learned my lesson....

 

[xdave]

You can always go get a book off the shelf at the lfs and look them up right there.

 

[my way]

Sorry for your loss, but it's your fault for not reseaching this fish. It would take all of one question on any SW forum to know this fish is NOT one to keep in captivity. Why would you buy a fish you don't even know the name of, let alone what is needed to take care of it?

 

[dut]

Originally Posted by My Way
Sorry for your loss, but it's your fault for not reseaching this fish. It would take all of one question on any SW forum to know this fish is NOT one to keep in captivity. Why would you buy a fish you don't even know the name of, let alone what is needed to take care of it?
He said he trusted the lfs guy. Hes had good experience with the place adn trusted his opinion. He then ended up being sold a fish that doesnt do well like thousands upon thousands of others. When I first started I listened to my LFS, cost me some mistakes but it happens to virtually everyone.
When following my LFS's advice was less then successful, I looked up books and on the internet for others opinions. So for this to be the first time his lfs burned him isnt some unmentionable sin. Lessoned learned. Sorry for your loss.

 

[krazekajin]

I am always amazed at the ripping that some people get on this board. I am completely aware that one should research, etc. As for LFS, if it was not for my LFS, I would have never gotten into this hobby. Why should I trust the comments of a person I have never seen before who happens to have 500 posts on a website over an employee of a store who has its act together with beautiful tanks.
All of us have done things wrong before. The only time some one should be critized for asking questions is when they have asked the same question over and over and ignored the advice.
I am glad that there are those experienced hobbiest who have never lost a fish, researched for six months each purchase, and have never experienced a problem with any thing. For those who are a little less experienced, please be patient and tell us nicely what we have done wrong and how we can fix it.
Thanks for allowing me to rant. I will stop now.
P.S. To most, thanks for allowing me to find awesome advice on this board.

 

[mrdc]

Did you put in the 55g that is in your profile and does your LFS know what size tank that you have? Anyway, sorry for your loss. Sometimes we learn things the hard way, myself included

especially when it comes to taking LFS advice. My LFS knows their stuff but I haved leanred not to take the advice of one person. I like a collective answer (including my the use of my books and via google searches). I take all the gathered information and then make my decision.

 

[my way]

Originally Posted by KrazeKajin
I am always amazed at the ripping that some people get on this board. I am completely aware that one should research, etc. As for LFS, if it was not for my LFS, I would have never gotten into this hobby. Why should I trust the comments of a person I have never seen before who happens to have 500 posts on a website over an employee of a store who has its act together with beautiful tanks.
All of us have done things wrong before. The only time some one should be critized for asking questions is when they have asked the same question over and over and ignored the advice.
I am glad that there are those experienced hobbiest who have never lost a fish, researched for six months each purchase, and have never experienced a problem with any thing. For those who are a little less experienced, please be patient and tell us nicely what we have done wrong and how we can fix it.
Thanks for allowing me to rant. I will stop now.
P.S. To most, thanks for allowing me to find awesome advice on this board.
If you are referring to me, say what you will. I stand by my statement that no research was done on this fish. This was an impulse buy at best, otherwise the owner of this fish would know it's name. It's a Pinnatus Batfish, not a "it was beautiful, all black with orange outlines and a thick vertical white stripe right behind the eyes" fish. If this sounds rude to you, I'm sorry, but sugar coating the facts won't make it any better.
I have never claimed to not ever lost a fish, it also does not take 6 months to research a fish, more like an hour or two. I can only hope the person who started this thread has learned from this experience.

 

[xdave]

It took me 2 mouse clicks to find that one, once on the word fish over there to the left, and one on it's name. If you improperly care for a dog or cat to the extent that it dies you can be arrested, then how is killing a wild animal a comendable deed that deserves the reward of our sypathy? If someone starved a puppy would you say sorry for your loss ?

 

[saltfreak4]

I would like to say a few things about this post. First, I would like someone to use an example that compares this to what it is, just an error in judgement. I have read many times "if you starve a cat would you say sorry for your loss." Well no, but starving a cat is vicious and intentous. This is not! This person did not buy the fish to starve it to death. I would not say sorry for your loss if you starved the fish! That being said, we all learn the hard way sometimes. I can definately agree that research should have been done before the purchase. The poster has learned that lesson, on his own, without the malicious statements by the peanut gallery. I have a great deal of respect for you xDave (really), but the common sense things you take for granted are not common sense for everyone. The jump down someone's throat, and with a demeaning and cruel example, does not help the situation. Information, information is what we need here.
Batfish are difficult to care for, I am deeply sorry for your loss and the fish's.

 

[ginarox]

i am new at this hobbie...very new...i am learning everyday...and this message board has been very helpful for me ,,in my learning...i just want to say thankyou all very much....have a great day....

 

[dogstar]

I think everyone should calm down here..
I agree that people should try to research any animals needs befor purchasing it. Its also OK to say so to someone that does not do this...in a respectfull way. And that sometimes becomes the issue....I think whats been said has been respectfull, but often someone's intent can be lost thru print and be thought of as bashing when that was not the intent....
All hobbiest make mistakes that often result in deaths of animals, We all have done it...some may say they have never lost an animal but I dont beleive it....
When someone does make a mistake and its due to ignorance, then just respectfull educate them and move on..Bashing people for this will only cause them not to ask in the future and that could lead to more deaths.....if they been already told that something most likely will not work and they do it anway...then bash away....
jewban ask for help ( still dont know if the fish is dead or not ) to help the batfish and knowone gave any suggestions other than to say that he/she should have researched....once one or two people say this, IMO theres no need for 10 more to post saying the same thing, even if its said respectfully, the repeating of it over and over begins to sound like bashing....and then the thread turns into a bashing thread.....and all the bashing police show up....haha.

 

[my way]

I offered no help for a remedy, as a delicate fish that is that far gone probably had hours at most to survive. i would love for Jewban to come on and tell us it's backto swimming and looks healthy, but I seiously doubt it survived past that day.I think we should let this thread die at this point, we're beating a dead horse, myself included.