12/18/07 The day of Arrival!!

[phidelt85]

Aww Jose, poor little guys! I wonder though what is making them take awhile to come around? I only had one lay on the bottom for awhile, but they're all up now. Your bag water was 82 straight out of the box? That's pretty good! If mine was even 70 I'd be surprised, it was so cold!

You should have left a note for the FedEx lady to take a picture of herself with the box too!

I don't get it either, Karen. I'm glad yours turned out. Mine do have hope yet. Just before these pics 20min ago. Five were up and the sixth one was trying.

[phidelt85]

Sorry for the off-center shots.

[back 2 discus biz]

This has not been going well.

-al

Al,

I think it's going just like it should as these things happen in the real world and it seems to be fairly-well standardized across volunteers. The fish would beg to differ but I think it adds a bit trauma management excitement right from the git-go. You may be on to the next reality series!!!

The little guys are in great hands. I think the early obstacles help us near-newbies understand that even experienced discus keepers can be sent spinning. Many newbies that had this happen would immediately think they did something wrong and nuke the tank with everything at their disposal. This shows us that sometimes it's all just external circumstances.

I applaud the experiment/game/reality show. It's a great idea.

BTW, not that you needed to with this group, but did you outlaw hormones or other such things?

Game on!

[AADiscus]

Remember Jose and everyone else, sometimes this happens. The best thing to do is lower the water level, maybe add a little salt, add'l air, turn light off and forget about them till tomorrow. No food.....NOTHING! If the water was a little cold then they are stressed, now they are being put in a new tank with different water parameters. They just need to settle down. Give them time.

[Ryan]

I agree with Angela. Don't add any food or water. Keep the parameters as constant as possible. Flip the light off, leave the room, and see what happens in the morning.

I've had large discus that took a long time to come around. I once got some 5" heckel crosses that had a really traumatic shipping experience (box was damaged and the bags were almost completely empty) and they laid on the tank bottom for an entire day. I went to bed that night expecting the worst, but when I woke up they were up and swimming.

I would imagine that being tossed around in a box for almost two days is enough to stress out really young fish, coupled with the fact that they may have been through some temp swings depending on where the boxes sat (warm sorting facility, cold truck, into a warm tank, etc.).

I hope they pull through, Jose

[phidelt85]

Solid advice, Angela and Ryan!! I've already learned tons from just this day. This is the first shipment of fish I have ever received, so I really didn't know what to expect. Hoping for the best for me and for everyone else.

Al, again thank you for the opportunity; I know I will learn alot from this experience.

[brewmaster15]

Jose,
Your most welcome!

Now ..the question is..How are my...I mean your kids doing today?

-al

[phidelt85]

Looks like the start of a new thread to find out, Al.