Small Adult Majestic Angelfish

[TheH]

I recently had a small (2.5") adult-coloration majestic angelfish die in my 90-gallon tank.

I received the fish in good health from www.LiveAquaria.com about three weeks ago and immediately introduced it into my display. My display currently only consists of a 4" yellow tang, and 1.5" sixline wrasse, and a 2" black-cap basslet. Neither the yellow tang nor the sixline wrasse displayed any aggression, although they have been problematic with other fish in the past.

After a fast of four days the fish took to Hikari Mysis. After two weeks, it also began eating Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef flakes, but clearly preferred the mysis.

About three days ago, I noticed that the fish was not eating aggressively. It only consumed about 3-4 mysids of the 15-20 added to the tank. The next morning I found it dead with no obvious discoloration or external parasites. However, I noticed some redness around only the left gill. This may have occurred after death, I'm not sure. Even in death, the coloration was full and vivid.

I am trying to understand what the probable cause of death was. I can come up with the following reasons:

1. It may have picked at my Pink & Black sea cucumber, which was introduced at the same time as it was.

2. Perhaps a staple of Mysis is not a good choice for this fish.

3. Perhaps such small angelfishes need to be fed more than once a day. Two days before it's death I also inadvertently skipped a feeding.

4. Perhaps, even at this size, it was affected by the small tank volume. Tank size recommendations for this species range from 70 - 110 gallons.

5. Perhaps it was affected by an internal parasite.

6. Perhaps some aggression that I missed had occurred.

7. Perhaps this is a non-hardy species. Scott's Reef Fishes series indicates that it is a reasonable choice, but Fenner's WetWebMedia suggests that the whole genera should be avoided.

Does anyone have some advice or insight into this?

 

[auem]

it is certainly a 'more' hardy among angels...for a 2.5'' fish,90 gallon would not put stress in just 3 weeks,people often quarentine far bigger fish in similar tank for more than 3 weeks,so size is not the problem...diet may be a possibility,but my 6'' majestic is solely living on brine shrimp cube and hikari pellets for past 8 months,it is yet to touch noorie and rarely touch flake..i don't know whether you use selco or garlic guard,which is safe choice for a newly introduced fish to cope with infections...so internal parasite may be a possibility..a picture of the dead fish may help more experienced forumers to address the cause..

 

[TheH]

Thanks auem, actually I was just thinking of that.

Here are some pictures of the dead fish in a ziplock bag. Keep in mind that it had deteriorated somewhat before I removed it from the aquarium (~36 hours) The rips on the rear fins (I believe) occurred after death.

Left:

Right:

 

[IFbettas]

Maybe flukes?

 

[Stickboy97]

how long have yo had your tank set up?

 

[niles1967]

There is no substitute for a proper QT with a fully cycling QT tank. All fish, especially angels, need to be treated for flukes and other parasites before going into your display; no exceptions regardless of the fish source. That fish is gone and a lesson learned. Unfortunately your remaining fish are at risk and need to become your priority.

Personally I like to QT my new arrivals for 6 weeks. It gives me a good length of time to medicate and gives the fish a good length of time to become acclimated to aquarium life.

 

[ccampbell57]

Lack of QT is what killed the fish.

Lesson learned the hard way. Sticking any fish into a DT without QT is almost certain death.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Lack of QT is what killed the fish.

Lesson learned the hard way. Sticking any fish into a DT without QT is almost certain death.

I agree, and not for disease reasons necessarily. QT is a great time for fish to "learn the system", without any excessive or uneeded pressure from other fish. This fish couldve learned what foods you feed and become familair with your routine while in QT, and once stable with that, been introduced (provided all health issues are not porblematic).

That being said, how sure are you the damage to the fins was post mortem? Its a little suspicious that the caudal fin "detriorated", but the rest of the body looks pristine.

 

[slapshot]

Looks like he may have contracted Odinium or a bacterial infection. For sure his skin looks damaged. Watch your other gish carefully. Is your tank setup newer? I never Quarantine touchy fish like angels because it just doesn't make sense to stress them again and again.

 

[ThunderTang]

QT is a good idea but some people have family members that won't let you have a QT so for some people it isn't possible like me and my dad.

 

[TheH]

Tank has been up for 23 months since hurricane Ike.

I am very sure that the fin tears were not there the day before death. I cannot be completely sure that they occurred postmortem though. I don't know if there is anything in my tank that could cause that kind of damage though. The angel was dominating towards my sixline and indifferent towards my yellow-tang. Perhaps he invaded the black-cap basslet's territory?

I will keep a close eye on my other fish, right now they are not showing any symptoms.

So there is a consensus that this was likely a pathogen that would have been taken care of with QT? The Pink & Black sea cucumber is not a likely cause?

Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I never Quarantine touchy fish like angels because it just doesn't make sense to stress them again and again.

Disagree completely. A properly setup QT isnt stressful AT ALL. Its actually the opposite.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

QT is a good idea but some people have family members that won't let you have a QT so for some people it isn't possible like me and my dad.

I dont understand this. Is it more sensible to lose hundreds (if not more) to catastrophe? I do understand that you may be under the "rule" of your parets, but a thorough talk should show that a cheap QT will actually be beneficial and save in the long run.

 

[TheH]

Also, no one feels it could be due to under-feeding (only once a day)?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

That fish isnt showing emaciation to the point of death.

 

[TheH]

So it is showing emaciation then? Do you think I should have used one of the angelfish foods? Both Ocean Nutrition and Hikari have angelfish food with sponge content available.

 

[slapshot]

Disagree completely. A properly setup QT isnt stressful AT ALL. Its actually the opposite.

It's not the Qing that is stressful it's the moving the fish to new environments that is stressful. I have just had more success in skipping it with touchy fish and getting then acclimated to their new environment.

 

[Damasta5]

It defenitly looks like some kind of parasite. You should QT the fish and I would recommend feeding Roggers food. I have a magestic angel, blue face angel, emperor angel and a passer angel in my 150 and they all love it. It has selcon and garlic in it for vitamins and immunity. It has greens and different kinds of meat. If you have corals in your tank one pack has phytoplankton and the other pack has cyclopses. I would recommend Roggers food. The health and color on the fish are remarkable. I also put a little bit of PE Mysis in the mix and a little more garlic. I find PE Mysis better than any other mysis.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

It's not the Qing that is stressful it's the moving the fish to new environments that is stressful. I have just had more success in skipping it with touchy fish and getting then acclimated to their new environment.

Almost EVERY successful and professional aquarist will never go without QT. Period.

As to your point, what do you mean by "new environment"? In my QT, the water from the display goes into the QT, so the parameters are IDENTICAL. And the "new environment" of no competition is FAR more stressfree that throwing it in with established fish. Let me explain, a fish is caught, bagged, and shipped/picked up. When it gets to the aquarists home, it must now adjust to the new water parameters, foods, feeding schedule, lighting, and tankmates. Why is adding all the changes at once less stressful that a few at a time?

Like I said, a properly set up QT is NO MORE STRESSFUL for ANY fish than the display. It is actually less.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

So it is showing emaciation then? Do you think I should have used one of the angelfish foods? Both Ocean Nutrition and Hikari have angelfish food with sponge content available.

No. It isnt malnutrition. The fish would be far more emaciated if that caused it to die. Dont get me wrong, I think you should vary and increase feeding (especially for smaller fish), but I dont see anything that would say that this is what killed it.