Dead new Madarin

[essop3]

I just bought a Green Mandarin today. While bringing him home I noticed he was spitting out a white slimmy looking goo. Thinking he was just stressed I went ahead a acclimated him for 3+ hours only to see that he died during acclimation. Any ideas on what happened to him?
I also posted this in reef tanks but thought I may get good resposes here too.

 

[beth]

No, really can't tell form that. How did he look?

 

[essop3]

He looked pretty fat. He was swimming around like a champ at the LFS. I have read that they can let out a poisionus mucus when stressed to scare away other fish. While it may not be much in a bigger tank maybe it was too much in his little bag?

 

[beth]

Did you notice if the fish appear to slim at any time while in the bag or afterward? Like turn a tad white.

 

[essop3]

I don't know if he ever slimed or turned white but there was some white slime in the bag.

 

[beth]

If that is the case, then that was the problem. These fish naturally slime under stress. In the confines of the bag, it choked on its own slime.
3 hrs is way too long for acclimation. You want to get acclimation done as efficiently but as quickly as possible.
Take a look at this:
SWF.com Acclimation Recommendations

 

[essop3]

Thats how I acclimate. The page for the mandarin says to go 3+ hours.
Thank you for you help.

 

[tru]

I have had that problem once with a mandarin but I only floated him for about 20 minutes and let him go in the tank and he did fine.. maybe you might want to speed up the process if you see that again.