Anthias Post Mortem

[Reepicheep]

This morning I pulled my first dead fish since starting up the tank. I'd like to try to determine an approximate cause of death to prevent further deaths.

It was a female lyretail anthias in a 20 gal QT tank with 1 male and 3 other female anthias. Ammonia/Nitrite are 0.0. pH is 8.2. Temp 78. Salinity 1.0235. All other fish in the QT are eating well and displaying no symptoms.

This is week 4 of the QT period. Here's my QT log:

10/8 - Added 1M/4F lyretail anthias. Shipped well but 1 F anthias. She flipped around in tank after adding. She laid on her side for about 24 hours before righting herself. The other fish, shipped in separate bags, fared well and looked healthy.

10/11 - All fish in QT eating well. Feeding varied meals of frozen mysis, brine, and plankton.

10/14 - Dosed Prazipro

10/17 - Female anthias not eating, sulking and laying on bottom of tank. No labored breathing

10/19 - Female anthias began eating frozen brine. Still looks skinny.

10/22 - Dosed Prazipro - 2nd time

11/4 - Female anthias stopped eating again. Laying upright on bottom of tank. No interest in moving for food or anything.

11/7 - Female anthias deceased. Body has no lesions. Body cavity looks thin and emaciated.

So what's going on? Do you think she has a disease for which I ought to treat? Or is this just a tragic circumstance for an individual fish?

 

[Deinonych]

Hard to say. Some fish just don't acclimate well to captive life, and this could have been one of them.

 

[rog2961]

Same exact experience here as well, except I lost all 4. Anthias tend to be much more sensitive eaters. Im chalking it up to the lack of appetite ultimately caused death.

 

[Reepicheep]

Thanks - I'm hoping that's the case (nothing pathogenic). I did a quick autopsy on lunch break. As expected the digestive system was completely empty and hollow. Some redness around one of the gill plates but other than that, nothing else remarkable. The kids thought it was educational though.

 

[MrTuskfish]

With all the handling, shipping, bagging, lack of food, etc. etc. that fish go through on the way from the reef to your tank; I amazed at the high survival rate we do experience. Also, much of the handling is done in 3rd world countries by people with no real interest in the fish, other than making sure its alive when passed along the chain of custody. Mystery deaths are certainly much lower as the hobby continues to progress.

Just a comment: I think you're going to have real trouble keeping a small harem of anthias in a 20 gal tank when they sexually mature. Lyretails may be a hardy anthias; but they need lots of room when the mating games start. LA suggests 125 gal as a minimum for a group. I agree. A single anthias and a group have entirely different needs. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+20+54&pcatid=54

 

[Rea17]

I believe his qt was 20g, display size was not mentioned.

I'd also agree the anthias most likely starved. My lyretails warmed up to the .5mm NLS pellets quickly, and they put on weight fast.

 

[Reepicheep]

Yes, the QT is 20 gallon. Display is 180 gallon - with just a clean up crew right now. I'm thinking about just adding another female or two (replacement fish) on the next QT cycle. They'd be new to the harem but I'm guessing it'll work as long as I don't get a male. They really are beautiful fish.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I believe his qt was 20g, display size was not mentioned.

I'd also agree the anthias most likely starved. My lyretails warmed up to the .5mm NLS pellets quickly, and they put on weight fast.

My mistake, I often read too fast.

 

[Rea17]

Yes, the QT is 20 gallon. Display is 180 gallon - with just a clean up crew right now. I'm thinking about just adding another female or two (replacement fish) on the next QT cycle. They'd be new to the harem but I'm guessing it'll work as long as I don't get a male. They really are beautiful fish.

It ought to work as long as the new females stay female and one doesn't transition during quarantine. This may depend on the size you receive and how long your quarantine procedure is.