View Single Post
Old 04-28-2006   #3 (permalink)
B.Scott
Jumbo
 
B.Scott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Holland
Posts: 832
First question... Did you remove the fish from the bag, place them in the tank and dump the transit water or put them water and all into the tank?

When shipping fish in a bag a couple of interesting things happen. As the fish metabolize within the bag they excrete carbon dioxide and ammonia via their gills. As the the ammonia levels raise the carbon dioxide drives down the pH. The ammonia then converts to it's ionic (and non toxic) form, ammonium. Thus a shipping bag can contain huge levels of ionic ammonia that would normally kill a fish in seconds without actually doing any harm BUT... if you take that water and pour it into a basin of water with a higher pH part/all of the ammonium converts back to toxic ammonia and will burn/kill the fish in short order.
NEVER place bag water into the QT.
All you can do now is change the water out and possibly add some Amquel. You might consider treating the fish with some sabbactisun or proflavine hemisulfate. Or they may get better by themselves in good water. hard to tell.

I would contact the shipper and hold them responsible for any damage. take pictures and collect evidence and shipping receipts as well.

B.Scott
__________________
Semper in excreta, sumus solum profundum variat
B.Scott is offline   Reply With Quote