Bubble tip died

I got a bubble tip about 3 days ago...maybe 4...it died sunday and I don't know why, I acclimated it for a while and then put him in. I woke up to him tipped over and goo was pouring from his tentacles or whatever you want to call them. I tried tipping him back over, then he just kept falling back. I removed him from the tank yesterday.
My levels are fine, my fish are fine...what happened?
 

janastasio

Member
Sorry for your loss. As you have prob. read from multiple posts, seems like many lose their nems without explaination. Even their water params are all in check. One thing I think I am wondering is if most people have their water heated when they are drip acclimating. When you drip acclimate for 2-3 hours your temp in that drip acclimation buckets drops considerably. Most people then put the fish, coral, nem in their tanks. Has to be a 10 degree diff at least. I purchased a rock with 7 nems on it 2 weeks ago. I dripped it in a 5 gallon tote for 5 hours with a heater to keep temp. up. I'm awaiting anxiously each day to see how these things hold up. Such delicate creatures. Did you have your water heated when you were acclimating? Sorry for the ramble, but just something I have thought about with reading all of these posts.
 
I did not have the bucket heated while acclimating. I was wondering if that would be a problem. And I have had my tank up and running well since last feb. I've taken my time with it. I have 2 clowns and a six line. This was my first attempt at an anemone.
failure...=(
 

meowzer

Moderator
I acclimate in the tank...first float the bag to bring it up to tank temp, and them release a little of their water, add a little of mine....etc...etc...takes a couple of hours.
 

defcon11

Member
Sorry to hear. Nems don't need to be acclimated over several hours like most fish do. I just floated mine and added a little tank water over the course of an hour. The main thing is to get them acclimated to the temp of the tank, also what is your spec grav? Most nems like them to be at .025. Also you might want to consider that the nem was already dying before you got it.
 

05xrunner

Active Member
good god the things I read about how long people acclimate stuff for..Its not wonder ALOT more things dont die..I think this drip acclimating stuff for hours is BS and more harmful then good..
 

defcon11

Member
I kind of agree. I think the biggest shock to the fish is the temperature. I think most people are leaving the fish in the buckets for too long and with no way of keeping the water heated. Then when they plunk the fish in the tank the fish get shocked from the big change. I personally drip acclimate for 45 minutes, then take the fish and some water, put it back in the bag I brought it home in and I float it for about 20 minutes. Never had any problems with this method.
 

crabbychris

Member
i just got mine today and all i did was temperature acclimate it and drop it in. However i am not absolutely positive it is a bubble tip.
 

05xrunner

Active Member
def got the green of a bubble tip...they dont always have their tentacles looking like bubbles..alot of times they will be long like that.
 

ryancw01

Member
Another way to acclimate is when you recieve a new fish, coral, etc open the bag and fold down the sides of the bag down to where the water level is. This traps air and forms kind of a floatation raft for the bag. Turn off your main lights and just acclimate in the tank floating around. For fish especially, this works much better because they can actually see who they are going to be living with. Also, keeps the temp exactly the same as the tank.
 
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