Lost a fish :(

[jonleeroyix]

I checked my tank this morning and noticed my long nose butterfly was acting strange but I had to get to work then by 9, an hour and a half later my wife calls me to say that he’s dead!! Does it look like he had any type of ich or disease? My parameters are good, all other fish are fine, I went a night without feeding frozen food and supplemented with pellets because we accidentally ran out and the store was closed, but that’s the only thing I could think of. Also He couldn’t have been dead more than an hour, will I need to do a complete water change?
I’ve never lost a fish before, so idk what to even do

 

[vetteguy53081]

I checked my tank this morning and noticed my long nose butterfly was acting strange but I had to get to work then by 9, an hour and a half later my wife calls me to say that he’s dead!! Does it look like he had any type of ich or disease? My parameters are good, all other fish are fine, I went a night without feeding frozen food and supplemented with pellets because we accidentally ran out and the store was closed, but that’s the only thing I could think of. Also He couldn’t have been dead more than an hour, will I need to do a complete water change?
I’ve never lost a fish before, so idk what to even do

There is rash on its skin that suggests bacterial issue andr vitamin deficiency
These guys won’t thrive on pellet food diet as they need fats and aminos from foods such as LRS herbivore diet and mysis shrimp and spirulina brine shrimp
Check your ammonia, nitrate and ph levels to assure not elevated
WHAT TEST KITS ARE YOU USING?
If API, you may be getting false readings and levels are higher than kit is indicating

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

I checked my tank this morning and noticed my long nose butterfly was acting strange but I had to get to work then by 9, an hour and a half later my wife calls me to say that he’s dead!! Does it look like he had any type of ich or disease? My parameters are good, all other fish are fine, I went a night without feeding frozen food and supplemented with pellets because we accidentally ran out and the store was closed, but that’s the only thing I could think of. Also He couldn’t have been dead more than an hour, will I need to do a complete water change?
I’ve never lost a fish before, so idk what to even do

I checked my tank this morning and noticed my long nose butterfly was acting strange but I had to get to work then by 9, an hour and a half later my wife calls me to say that he’s dead!! Does it look like he had any type of ich or disease? My parameters are good, all other fish are fine, I went a night without feeding frozen food and supplemented with pellets because we accidentally ran out and the store was closed, but that’s the only thing I could think of. Also He couldn’t have been dead more than an hour, will I need to do a complete water change?
I’ve never lost a fish before, so idk what to even do

Butterfly fish can be extremely picky eaters, alot of the time not going for the normal food that other fish usually enjoy. It is a good idea to have phytoplankton or copepods, or microscopic food like mysis shrimp for fish who usually have this type of behavior. It is my belief that this is what happened with your butterfly. I had a similar situation and mine also died not knowing why, and I discovered this after the fact. My tank was too small for it, also not knowing at the time, but I really think that is what happened with yours. I could be mistaken, and something else might have been going on, but that is my first thought.

 

[jonleeroyix]

There is rash on its skin that suggests bacterial issue andr vitamin deficiency
These guys won’t thrive on pellet food diet as they need fats and aminos from foods such as LRS herbivore diet and mysis shrimp and spirulina brine shrimp
Check your ammonia, nitrate and ph levels to assure not elevated
WHAT TEST KITS ARE YOU USING?
If API, you may be getting false readings and levels are higher than kit is indicating

I use the red sea test kits, and parameters look fine it must’ve just been the pellets I guess..

 

[jonleeroyix]

Butterfly fish can be extremely picky eaters, alot of the time not going for the normal food that other fish usually enjoy. It is a good idea to have phytoplankton or copepods, or microscopic food like mysis shrimp for fish who usually have this type of behavior. It is my belief that this is what happened with your butterfly. I had a similar situation and mine also died not knowing why, and I discovered this after the fact. My tank was too small for it, also not knowing at the time, but I really think that is what happened with yours. I could be mistaken, and something else might have been going on, but that is my first thought.

I think so too.. super bummed out today, he was one of my favorites.. but live and learn I suppose

 

[MnFish1]

If you magnify the pictures - you can also see spots on the fins.

I use the red sea test kits, and parameters look fine it must’ve just been the pellets I guess..

Before answering - did you QT the fish? And importantly - are all the other fish doing ok?

 

[jonleeroyix]

What measures do I need to take now? Should I do a large water change? Anything of the sort, he was removed from the tank ASAP like I said less than an hour in there

 

[jonleeroyix]

If you magnify the pictures - you can also see spots on the fins.

Before answering - did you QT the fish? And importantly - are all the other fish doing ok?

I did, but not as long as probably I should have
, roughly a week and a half thought but he seemed fine, no signs of ich, etc. also other fish are doing fine and hungry as usual lol

 

[Tamberav]

It looks like bad case of ich or velvet to me... the fish looks covered in spots.

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

I use the red sea test kits, and parameters look fine it must’ve just been the pellets I guess..

for the future, if you decide to replace him, if he doesn't eat the normal fish food, they should be fine if you feed them a filter feeder diet. They should get enough that way, at least that is my understanding. they make some liquid foods that will target butterfly fish as well as some other things, but I would start there.

 

[MnFish1]

What measures do I need to take now? Should I do a large water change? Anything of the sort, he was removed from the tank ASAP like I said less than an hour in there

If your parameters are ok - there would be no need to do a water change at all.
Agree with the others - could be nutrition - could be a parasite brought on by nutrition.
If you QT'd all of your fish, etc - I wouldn't do anything more necessarily - other than observation - with a low threshold for treating with medication in a hospital tank if anything develops. Did you add any other fish after him?

 

[Dave1993]

What measures do I need to take now? Should I do a large water change? Anything of the sort, he was removed from the tank ASAP like I said less than an hour in there

No you dont

 

[MnFish1]

I did, but not as long as probably I should have
, roughly a week and a half thought but he seemed fine, no signs of ich, etc. also other fish are doing fine and hungry as usual lol

Since you didnt QT him - and strongly consider treating your other fish (QT) - with copper - and letting your tank go fallow. Nutrition-wise - I dont know how old your tank is - but it looks a little new - and nutrition may have indeed be playing a role!

 

[jonleeroyix]

Since you didnt QT him - and strongly consider treating your other fish (QT) - with copper - and letting your tank go fallow. Nutrition-wise - I dont know how old your tank is - but it looks a little new - and nutrition may have indeed be playing a role!

I think it’s about ten months old, but are you saying I should take out all my fish and treat them in a hospital tank?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Am I the only one who’s thinking, ‘Wow, that fish look like it was on it’s last few hours alive’ just by the looks of the photos?

 

[jonleeroyix]

Am I the only one who’s thinking, ‘Wow, that fish look like it was on it’s last few hours alive’ just by the looks of the photos?

I thought so this morning but I didn’t have time to stay

 

[vetteguy53081]

After comment from tanberav, I went to larger screen and no doubt parasite- ich
If other fish present, you will have to quarantine them and leave display tank fishless for 45-60 days at 80 degrees
Treatment will be coppersafe for at least 30 days and using a copper tea kit to monitor therapeutic level 2.25-2.5
Do not use api brand copper kit either

 

[FiddlersReef]

I think it’s about ten months old, but are you saying I should take out all my fish and treat them in a hospital tank?

That's the safest bet. There is good information and instructions in the QT forum here.

The problem is that now that there is something in the tank, it's going to stay there and eventually will find another victim. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next week. You may have some fish that are resistant and you'll think it's fine... then suddenly you start losing fish after fish. That's the road I went down before I started QT'ing everything. You can be lucky, or QT and be safe, but if things go south it can totally demolish your tank and you lose all fish. I know the prospect of going fallow and QT'ing sucks and I resisted it. But now that it's over, I'm really glad I did. You can check out my build thread for the story.

The good thing is that if you do let the tank go fallow, it's not like you have nothing to do. You still care for the fish in QT, and you use that time to care for corals, build up a massive pod population, etc. Then when the fish return, everything is good to go.

 

[jonleeroyix]

I guess I’ll just have to bite the bullet and go for it, is it okay to have them all in the same tank? I have about 8 fish, though they’re small but I don’t want them to try and kill each other

 

[vetteguy53081]

I guess I’ll just have to bite the bullet and go for it, is it okay to have them all in the same tank? I have about 8 fish, though they’re small but I don’t want them to try and kill each other

Yes and you can go as simple as a starter kit at Walmart which will provide thevv BBC essentials for a quarantine tank
Always add aeration when treating a tank