baby bowfin dying
#1 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 12:59 PM
#2 Guest_Dustin_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 01:19 PM
The second possibility, and the most probable in my opinion, is that they are very sensitive to poor water quality when they are young. They are also more difficult to feed at a small size than most people realize and produce a ton of waste when they do. The combination of these makes for the possibility of very poor water conditions in a closed system. Interestingly, with these guys, once they have been exposed to the high ammonia/nitrite levels, there is no going back. They are somehow irreparably effected.
My guess is that the seller was holding a large number of these fish in a closed system and the water parameters had degraded. This is not to criticize the seller as, like I said, I had the same thing happen to me and it happens very quickly. This explains why the fish died on the way to you. They are also obligate air breathers so if he didn't leave an airspace in the shipping bag, this could have contributed. My guess is that you will lose most if not all of the fish in the next week or so. I hope I am wrong because I know they are not cheap, but I suspect I am right.
#3 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 02:41 PM
#4 Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 03:01 PM
They are hardwired to consume large amounts. Internal bacterial infection very possible. You might consider emmersion in an antibiotic or slipping in a antibiotic laced feed into your blood worms. Also diversify their diet. Try some frozen brine shrimp and chunks of worm.
Can you cool them down a bit?
#5 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 03:11 PM
#6 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 03:14 PM
Edited by chasingtime, 16 March 2010 - 03:26 PM.
#7 Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 03:45 PM
i dont have the means to cool the water unfortunately. one thing i observed is when they die their mouths are closed and body is in tact with healthy slime coat...
My losses were similar.
I have no idea about good localities in your area. With fish you already, can you setup for major (>50%)daily water changes. Will need an aging tank near you culture tank.
#8 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 04:09 PM
i have them in a little breeder inside a 120 gal so it would be tough but my water is testing perfect...My losses were similar.
I have no idea about good localities in your area. With fish you already, can you setup for major (>50%)daily water changes. Will need an aging tank near you culture tank.
also thinking that a minnow trap would have to allow access to air for bowfin correct? how long can they stay under?
Edited by chasingtime, 16 March 2010 - 04:12 PM.
#9 Guest_centrarchid_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 04:26 PM
If water is cool and oxygen is high, then indefinantly.
#10 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 04:30 PM
i will move my breeder closer to the outlet. they dont seem interested in raw fish but the bloodworms definitely...Water quality test probably will not detect high bacterial concentrations but a large tank should minimze risk. Kept my bowfins confined in a net near the outlet of the filter. High water flow appeared to help. Will they eat chunks of raw fish from you hand?
If water is cool and oxygen is high, then indefinantly.
should i let them roam the 120 instead?
Edited by chasingtime, 16 March 2010 - 04:46 PM.
#11 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 16 March 2010 - 10:43 PM
#12 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 17 March 2010 - 12:13 AM
these guys bellies are full of bloodworms. im thinking about cutting back to feeding twice a day so they dont over eat. any thoughts?I too have tried to raise these in the past. I have gotten a few broods and they seemed to need a tun of food when they are small. The only person I know who had much success with these actually kept them in a big 300 gallon cattle trough in his garage and got them on to pellets as feed very early on. I'm just guessing but I think the pellet feed probably had a higher protein content than any type of frozen food you could offer and this kept them from being hungry for a longer time period. They are very difficult fish at a small size but if you can get them past the 1-4 inch size they become very hardy and are difficult to kill. I once bought a single one at a pet shop that was about 1 inch long and got it to live, I fed it a mixture of frozen feeds and live feeder fish. I had that fish for many years from when I was in high school through much of college.
#13 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 17 March 2010 - 12:50 PM
#14 Guest_Uland_*
Posted 17 March 2010 - 01:36 PM
I also had to perform %90 water changes daily as the water quality could not be maintained otherwise.
I know many of the fish did well later but I could not maintain bowfin in any numbers at that time.
#15 Guest_chasingtime_*
Posted 24 March 2010 - 04:07 PM
#16 Guest_smbass_*
Posted 26 March 2010 - 09:03 PM
#17 Guest_Yeahson421_*
Posted 14 December 2010 - 10:57 PM
#18 Guest_Irate Mormon_*
Posted 16 December 2010 - 12:57 AM
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