whitecrust Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Hi All Tank - 6.8ph - nil amon nil nitrates nil nitrites. temp 27.9 Elephant nose dead. No visable wounds - in tank with 2 cories 1 borneo sucker and 2 dwarf gouramis. Was eating fine - bloodworm - chiclid tucker - heart and liver - rogue tucker and flake (he wasnt fussy) then last night swimming on the side... then would drop to bottom of tank like was dead then move and float around... This morning dead.... what could have happened?? I have bagged him up to take him back to the place of purchase to see what they will do about this as he was over $100 anyone have any ideas?? He was a friendly fellow and was always out swimming and would come to the front of the tank when you walked in the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 Have you recently medicated the tank for anything ? These are scaleless fish that have sever reactions to many medications ie whitespot cure, malkon etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecrust Posted August 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 I have not medicated the tank for anything. The only additives to the tank are a tad of aquarium tonic salts and water conditioner. Nothing has changed - I was frantic last night checking the water parama - watching and praying. Any other ideas? I really like this fish but i dont want another if they are so easily killed... could it be an internal parasite? It was eating well like i said and was black - I have seen the fish stressed when I originally purchased and it was very transparate colour with a red belly - but when it died it was pitch black so no stressed only thing arye would be the swimming problems - it was leaning to one side then it would pick itself up and swim around the tank ok then collapse to the gravel then do it all over again. I ut on my microphone to hear its clicking hoping to get some more information but unfortunately it wasnt doing it - so whatever happened knocked its sonar out. Any other ideas like I say like the fish but i dont want to kill another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Last time I had anything to do with these fish was in my shop many years back, but I do remember they needed "live" foods.. and also were a very shy fish that required their own kind for company as they fret very easily.. so the "clicking" you hear is much like the Dolphins, and a means of communication.. but being moved from the tank you bought it from stopped all those communications.. so this is "possibly" why your fish died, which is such a shame, as they really are nice fish when you have a few of them. It's a hard expensive lesson, but one that should be emphasised here.. Know your fish "before" purchasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecrust Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 The clicking is sonar like a bat they use it to move around the tank. I did all my research before getting this fish - and I made sure that I had the correct habitat before bringing him/her home. And I keep my tanks damn clean. As I said this fish was not shy and was very outgoing - I even used to put in a ball of tin foil as I read on the internet and Yes they do play with them !! Live foods this fish was given every opportunity to eat anything it wanted I spend $50 on foods for this fish including live foods and it preferred Bloodworms and flake food. An expensive lession yes I think so but no on my part - when elephant noses get stressed they lose colour - my fish was ALWAYS black and when it was dying it was still black. This fish was not stressed. I have done nothing wrong - hence my post I would like to know from others that have had this and kept them in the best environment just to have them die in an unexplained way. Yes it it true that they like company but i didnt have $300 to purchase 3 - and having 2 is just trouble according to research. And the reason why I know that it had stopped clicking is because I have hooked up an amp so that I can listen to it - when they click more htey are stressed or their water is not suitable - the clicking just stopped meaning that it had something wrong with it. So now any answers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Sorry I can't help as I have never kept these fish. About the only thing you can do is find a lab to disect it and see if there was something internally wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecrust Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Salt They cannot tolerate the normal levels of salt - water change day before yesterday added Doc Wellfishes aquarium salt. Normal dosage. Pity that I had to find this on some obscure site after the fact. But maybe this incident will help others in the future. Thanks all for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 hmmm, sorry for your loss, i have been told not to keep black ghost knife with them either. Something to do with the electrical pulse that these fish use, they get crossed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee_jay_01 Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 hi sorry about your loss, I have also recently lost mine to stupidity. I was treating for white spot on my clown loaches and didnt read the destructions right and treated at the fullest dose my tank could handle instead of a halved dose, he was the pride of the tank. As for your loss I can not think off any reason he would die, other then asking you if you have used any other other chemicals eg. Fly spray near the tank or something else that may have infected the water unless you have charcoal in your tank, then that would not be the reason. Here is some info I have on them through my own experiences: 1. It is not true that you cannot have Black Ghost Knives in your tank with them (before anyone dissagrees I know they are both electrical fish), mine where best friends so to say. 2. You do not need to give them live foods all the time, frozen blood worm and brine shrimp are perfectly OK. (But they do love to chase live brine shrimp and hunt for them in the gravel) Mine got live food when I had it. 3. A slightly higher PH is better for them (6.8 - 6.9) 4. Temperature around the 27-28 degrees 5. They love to hide under Drift wood or in caves. (Mine was very active, like yours Whitecrust) 6. They are the most watched fish from friends and family. 7. Will be getting another one ($35 - $40 AUD) Anyways I believe many people will dissagree with that but I DONT CARE, that is from my own experiences. So sorry for your loss again and I hope this does not stop you from getting another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecrust Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 No Ill be getting another one - but im going to drain the tank and re:cycle it without salt. Im a firm believer in salt - but now ive learnt a valuable lesson and ill just salt my eels and parrots - and fish and chips once in awhile We keep our tank para. the same im glad. And I do keep charcoal in the tank. I do believe that my fish was rather more active then negative guys ones to because I interacted with it - they have a very large brain for their size and some people believe that their cir.cortex is bigger then a human - but no one can actually test its intelligence. Im also Glad that someone has something positive to say rather then a lesson learned and research your fish - that is so condisending I do love my fish and try to ensure that they are the happiest that they can be whilst confined to a glass cube. God bless my little Honker and I hope he enjoys playing silly buggers in the great glass cube in the sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Thanks for that, if keeping the two together worked for you it will prob work for most, so that clears that up. That was something i heard from a mate, so many do and don'ts, some say this, some say that, if it works it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Sorry for your loss, I recently scared my Leopard Ctenopoma and he got stuck in a hole and died from the experience. No one to blame but myself, and sure miss him like you do Honker. I was at the pet store today looking for a replacement, might get a black ghost knife or elephant fish, they sound great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Whitecrust said: Im also Glad that someone has something positive to say rather then a lesson learned and research your fish - that is so condisending Obviously aimed at me.. but you gave no indication how long you had owned the fish, or how long you had kept fish for, and my comment was as a general warning for people who purchase fish before knowing their exact requirements. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecrust Posted August 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 From my post I put all my tank para. by all the nil values it is obvious that I am not new to the hobbie. I was generally upset when I wrote the post and I wanted to understand what if anything I had done wrong. I realise that its just a fish and not in most peoples books worthy of proper care or love but I assumed that everyone on the fnzas site was or had experts in their ranks that could say. Hey... could be blah blah - Not that it could have been lonely which was not the case as he was not a shy fish as per original post or stressed - and that I should have researched and a lesson learned. I was after your valuable opinion... if say I had 0.50ppm ammonia or say 10ppm of nitrate you could have said hey newbie your water para. are crap thats why it died. Then the Research would have been a good call. But when I was doing everything everything by the research that I had done and I get that when I was already feeling terrible for killing something that was in my care and had grown to trust me I felt like crap. I dont post here often but I did remember seeing someones post about an elephant fish and I thought hey someone else has had one maybe they can help me understand. But I have to go now and see the pet shop owner that I purchased the elephant nose off and advise them that I may have been the cause of death - I dont want to have someone replace something at their cost if I was the reason it died. Thankyou all again for your time and I do recommend an elephant nose for anyone that has the time to care for them and interact - coz they are merry little buggers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Whatever gave you the idea that everyone in the fishroom was an expert, or had access to one? We have a number who are extremely knowledgeable, pegasus and Alan the most so. We are all hobbyists wanting to make sure people keep their aquatic pets in the best possible conditions. Many of the points raised, although not pertinent to you, could help someone else in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Maybe we are the ones prepared to put our heads up over the parapet Caryl. There are also a lot more in here that give valuable info. Comes with the losses, ie, experiences. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Obviously Whitecrust is in grief... but hey.. Why he chooses to continually insult me I have no idea. It seems he has taken my post as a personal attack on his experience.. which was not the case, but as a general warning to others that "may" purchase fish without knowing their full requirements. They "are" generally a shy fish, as many searches on the web will tell you.. http://species.fishindex.com/species_61 ... _nose.html .. so perhaps when it was "interacting" it was trying to tell you something. Again... I regret your loss, and regret posting in the first instance now that I see the results. Bottom line is that you may have researched the fish.. but did you do "enough" research.. ? We will never know. All further insults to myself or others will be removed without warning. We are here to try to help, not to be insulted. Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachy Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Agreed, you wont always get the answers you want, dont take them as insults, but as advice. Some good some bad, its great to get answers from people at all levels be it expert or begginer. Every one has their own experiences to share so if you ask a question then be prepared for an answer, be it good or bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee_jay_01 Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 I agree with every thing you all say. But I agree more with Whitecrust, That when there is a death in your family (tank) it is a terrible experience which does make you angry. I was extremely angry with myself when I killed my Elephant Nose Fish. But I have learnt my lesson and that there are other ways of treating for diseases, parasites, fungus etc. As for your Elephant nose whitecrust I know how you feel I am still kicking myself. Dont take to heart what some people say, Mine was beginning to be hand fed and coming up to me and swimming around my hand. I agree they are smart fish and they like to keep the peace in the tank. eg mine would stop my 2 Black Ghost Knives from fighting when I first got them, and he would look after my youngest Knife before he passed away from high Amonia in the tank, almost as though he new he was sick. RIP So get another one b4 your memorys fade from you and treat it the same and you will have another friendly fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Sorry about your loss whitecrust I am a newbie to this hobby and a few of things I have learned...what works for one may not work for another AND there are so many opinions, experiences...out there (net) and here. Experts...hmmm...that's a tough one considering that we are dealing with living creatures who...just when we think we have it down pat...something else pops up...fish, their environments, etc. can be so "unpredictable/predictable" :-? :-? at times! I can understand you being upset...it is obvious you love your fish and doing everything that you believed you could to provide for your fish. But in this hobby, all we can do...is do our best and keep our mind open (I'm not saying you haven't) for various opinions, suggestions and so on. Please don't take offense to comments you see here...people are always trying to help and just because something is said in one of your posts, remember others read them as well, so sometimes things are thrown in as a "general"...ahhhhh...lesson so to speak for others who may read it. Again, I am truly sorry for your loss...it sounds like you had a really fantastic fish. Playing ball...hehe, never heard that one before! Take care! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystic_beth Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hi White Crust Does it have to be a little was it a tin ball? (will go back and check post) Can it be a little plastic one? Do you have the link to that site. When my two get bored the pair of them round up the other fish for fun. Can you please tell me how to hook up a little amp on my tank? These fish are very close to my heart aswell, and it is a joy to care for happy and healthy noses. May they stay that way. I am soon to move mine to their new tank and I am worried that will upset them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Hi beth, just wanted to mention that this thread is almost 2 years old and whitecrust never returned to the site, as far as I know. You may want to attempt to PM them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystic_beth Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Typical of me to find a thread that old LOL :roll: Oh well it is to be whomever may answer the questions then? I had a though. I actually work near the electrical design department in my work place. I'll see if anyone there is interested in the amp project. will share anything I learn. May take some time though. Will see what I find. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 http://ezinearticles.com/?Encourage-You ... &id=286772 Elephant Nose Fish The Elephant Nose fish actually emits electrical charges. It is truly a wonder of nature and science. The child can listen to the sounds of the electric emissions with the use of a piezoelectric earphone. You can purchase one of these at your local Radio Shack or other stores that carry electronics. They are very easy to feed and take care of. The important thing to remember is to make sure that the top of the aquarium is closed tightly, so that they won't be able to jump out. Another important thing to keep in mind is that they need to be kept in groups of three to five fish. These fish will keep the whole family entertained. This is a buzz. Sorry for the pun. http://scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/biol ... _fish.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystic_beth Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 WOW If you were here mate, I'd hand you a beer for this info..I'm down to Tandy on payday! Some of these noises are audible to the naked ear. I have heard a couple of bursts when they pulled the gourami's into gear. :bounce: They must have been really telling them! Well I wasn't imagining things then. Fantastic for hunting this up...Thanks Alan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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