Mystery Death of a Scorpionfish

[ReefTank1]

4 and a half months ago I got a Weedy Scorpionfish (Rhinopias Frondosa).

It was eating live ghost shrimp, so I trained it on silversides. It ate with enthusiasm every time I fed it silversides, and I also occasionaly fed it shrimp. A few days ago he started to not move around as much. He also had random outburts where he would dart one way or the other, he once hit the glass. This was unusual behaviour. It also developed this pinkish white patch above its head over a day or two..

There was no ich, parasites or anything that I could see, in fact , its colour was better than usual. I then tried to feed it, and it wouldn't eat. It died today.

It was around 5 inches long.
I fed it around 3 silversides once or twice a week.
There were absolutely no visual differences over time other than that one patch.
All other fish and corals are the exact same.

Here is a photo after it died, I couldn't even tell until I noticed it wasn't breathing. That fin wasting away only happened after it died.

This was very sad because it had a lot of personality and was one of my favourite fish, not to mention expensive and rare.
Any speculations as to why this happened or any other similar experiences would be great so we can prevent more losses like this.

Thanks

 

[Hattie B]

ReefTank1,

Sorry for your loss, he looked very nice.

So I will throw out a cople of ideas.
Could he possibily of had a Vibrio (Vibriosis). Vibrio can start with loss of appetitie and lethargy. Also symptoms like the skin can be discolored or red or appear to be necrotic all symptoms. Ther can also be a sore on the body.

There is also something call Uronema which could be a possibilty?

lets start there

 

[ReefTank1]

When I asked on the other forum they said HLLE, thats a very good possibility as well.

 

[Hattie B]

Ya, but HLLE, is a longer course disease, I have seen some fish that have had symptoms for months and months.

The sudden onset and death tends to lead me to something esle besides that.