What killed my White Tail Tang?

[fastrey2003]

Lost my white tail tang this morning in quarantine. Anyone know what it might have been? Seems to look like velvet, was doing extremely well and died from one day to another.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I believe that @Jay Hemdal has said that it's extremely difficult to diagnose ailments after fish have died; most diseases are diagnosed by looking at resipiration rates, appearance, and overall behaviour before death. I suppose that, if you had the right equipment, you could always a attempt a necropsy, though...

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Are there other fish in the QT? If so, how do they look?
Did you notice if this tang was breathing fast before it died?
Had you treated this tang with anything yet?
Jay

 

[fastrey2003]

Are there other fish in the QT? If so, how do they look?
Did you notice if this tang was breathing fast before it died?
Had you treated this tang with anything yet?
Jay

No medicine yet and no other fish. He was doing well and eating the day before. Had him in for
3 weeks

 

[Sharkbait19]

Did you check params? Was there enough aeration?
Ammonia poisoning is a common killer in qt.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

No medicine yet and no other fish. He was doing well and eating the day before. Had him in for
3 weeks

Holding fish and not treating can be an issue - it allows any latent diseases to get going. You should allow the fish to adjust for 48 hours and then start up with preventative treatments, typically copper and then Prazipro.
If it was not eating and breathing fast the day before it died, it could have been velvet. Ammonia could have been the issue here though.
Jay

 

[fastrey2003]

Holding fish and not treating can be an issue - it allows any latent diseases to get going. You should allow the fish to adjust for 48 hours and then start up with preventative treatments, typically copper and then Prazipro.
If it was not eating and breathing fast the day before it died, it could have been velvet. Ammonia could have been the issue here though.
Jay

Thanks jay! No Ammonia or Nitrite present.

 

[chipchipbro]

Can fish have something like a heart attack @Jay Hemdal ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Can fish have something like a heart attack @Jay Hemdal ?

Yes - I've had fish drop dead from cardiac arrest from a sudden fright, but in those cases, we often find an underlying issue, such as liver disease, or the fish was really old. Fish can also die from "strike injuries", but that is a complicated mix of fish weight and swimming speed prior to impact. I've never had a tang die from that.

More common is a fish that dies from no discernable reason. About half of the gross fish necropsies I do (no histopathology) result in no clear cause of death.


Jay

 

[landlubber]

Yes - I've had fish drop dead from cardiac arrest from a sudden fright, but in those cases, we often find an underlying issue, such as liver disease, or the fish was really old. Fish can also die from "strike injuries", but that is a complicated mix of fish weight and swimming speed prior to impact. I've never had a tang die from that.

More common is a fish that dies from no discernable reason. About half of the gross fish necropsies I do (no histopathology) result in no clear cause of death.


Jay

in my early days reefing i lost a Bangai Cardinal due to light shock when i was introducing it to my tank. I'd guess this is along the same lines.
That has to be up there with my worst feeling moments as a hobbyist responsible for its care.