Dead frogfish

[Tat2demon]

Last Friday I got a Striated Frogfish from LA. He's been doing fine in a BC 29 all by himself except for 4 damsels I tossed in for food.

Tonight he started to swim strange, almost like a swim bladder problem, kind of wobbling on his side and the current easily turning him upside down.

I watched him for a while and he started kind of gasping or coughing. I turned around to do something on the computer and when I looked back no more than a couple minutes later he looked like he had swallowed a golf ball.

Shortly after seeing this I ran to the store for some things. I got back home about 30 minutes later and he was dead and his belly was no longer swollen.

Any ideas?

 

[Stumped]

The swimming you describe is pretty common as far as I know as they are definitely not adept at swimming. In the picture you posted I'm certain that the fish has gulped air, which probably contributed to his death.

The thing is though, I'm guessing something is off in your set up that caused him to gasp at the surface of the water. Without knowing information about your set up it could be any number of things (temp, 02 saturation, etc.)

 

[Tat2demon]

Everything is right on with plenty of surface agitation for O2. I know they're not great swimmers but hes always been able to keep upright.

 

[Korrine]

wow sorry Nate