Help: Anthias died after 5 days.

johnbr · Jul 9, 2018

Hey Guys,

So I bought 3 anthias for my tank and everything was doing perfectly fine. Yesterday I noticed that one of them wasn't eating and hiding most of the time.

This morning? I wake up to feed the tank and BAM I found him dead =(.

Any clue on helping me to find what could've happened? Note the two lesions (white stripes).

shred5 · Jul 9, 2018

Sometimes fish die. Anthias are also pretty touchy other than Bartletts and Lyretails and do not handle stress very easily. Sometimes fish act normal and eat but still are not doing well. Were they eating? Also could be something internal wrong with him and nothing visually wrong with them.

Could simply been older and the stress killed them or it was just simply old age.. We have no idea of the age of a wild caught fish.

Most anthias are not easy to keep even some of the easier ones. Some like Bartletts especially like to kill each other off as they all turn male. Anthias just do not like stress.

johnbr · Jul 9, 2018

shred5 said:
Sometimes fish die. Anthias are also pretty touchy other than Bartletts and Lyretails and do not handle stress very easily. Sometimes fish act normal and eat but still are not doing well. Were they eating? Also could be something internal wrong with him and nothing visually wrong with them.

Could simply been older and the stress killed them or it was just simply old age.. We have no idea of the age of a wild caught fish.

Most anthias are not easy to keep even some of the easier ones. Some like Bartletts especially like to kill each other off as they all turn male. Anthias just do not like stress.

Yes they were all eating. Couldn't tell if other fish did that to him. The other two are eating and swimming perfectly fine. One of them has one of the same lesion as this one but is doing fine.

shred5 · Jul 9, 2018

I missed the whole lesions thing that was my bad. I saw it in the pic but nothing of it because that happens when a fish dies sometimes, other fish/shrimp/crabs etc. will pick at the body.

Those lessons could mean they are being picked on or could be a disease or bacterial infection.

Rython · Jul 9, 2018

I posed about similar problems with my trio over the last few days. Two of the three I ordered are now dead. Another hobbyist said he recently lost a trio as well. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/second-opinion-on-autopsy.417085/

I've ordered two trios in the last 6 weeks. The first behaved much like yours, two out, one hiding/breathing hard. I treated them with the kanaplex/metroplex/furan-2 proactively and the third came out and joined the party. After TTM and a round of API General Cure they were all healthy so they went in the DT.

The second trio arrived in far worse shape. One was dead on arrival and one had lesions all over his body. Even with the above treatment I lost the second one after two days. I can tell you this. That third fish will have an extended stay in QT. I sure don't want this in the DT.

johnbr · Jul 9, 2018

thanks guys.

I forgot to mention that they want thru a stress event since I moved the tank not long ago. Could that be the issue?

I don't have a QT tank =(

Thanks

Big G · Jul 9, 2018

The only way to know for sure would be to do a scrape of lesion on the dead fish and then do a gram stain test. Gram negative bacterial infections are deadly quick killers. All of my incoming fish get a freshwater dip to check for flukes and a 90 minute bath in Ruby Reef Rally. RRR has both antiseptic and antibiotic qualities. Sorry for your loss.

JQSquared · Jul 10, 2018

I had a couple that had the same just recently, ordered 6 from LA, 5 didnt make it a week all with the same markings the 6th is fine. I think its bacteria infections

JoshKReef · Jul 10, 2018

I had a lyretail trio (1 male, 2 females) from DD recently. The females both died. I bought 2 more females, and one arrived with double popeye. After furan-2 / kanaplex / metro soaked food, the popeye is gone, and all three are looking great. Doing a WC later this week and running carbon before I start copper. Hopefully all three make it into my DT.