My Bicolor Angel just died - for no apparent reason!

[henningero]

So, my new (1 week today) Bicolor Angel just died. I came home from work and he was laying on his side. I was setting up the QT, but when I came back for the fish he was dead! I attached 2 images of both sides of the dead fish. His coloring still looks great and he's been eating and behaving normally since I got him. There is no sign of damage, parasites or infection that I can see, and I'm at a loss as to why this happened. It's sad more than anything but I really need to know why he died. I only have two small clowns in the tank, which I've had for over a year and they're doing well. I have a few softies as well. My parameter are as follows:

 

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 10

PH - 8.3

Temp - 79

 

That's all I test for and I don't dose anything. I feed 3 times a week and the tank looks great. What the hell happened???

Edited April 4, 2012 by henningero

[Formula462]

Angels eat more than clowns (faster metabolism). Also, they need algae as a substantial part of their diet. What were you feeding him?

[henningero]

Angels eat more than clowns (faster metabolism). Also, they need algae as a substantial part of their diet. What were you feeding him?

 

I just added the pics, I was having trouble before. I was feeding the Angel frozen mysis, some omnivore pellets, and I added a seaweed clip and have been offering new pieces each evening after work (I remove it after 2 or 3 hours each night).

[Reefmaster1996]

I just added the pics, I was having trouble before. I was feeding the Angel frozen mysis, some omnivore pellets, and I added a seaweed clip and have been offering new pieces each evening after work (I remove it after 2 or 3 hours each night).

Don't know, the fish looks healthy, how big is the tank.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

Wait, why were you setting up a QT after you've had the fish for a while?

[henningero]

Wait, why were you setting up a QT after you've had the fish for a while?

 

Sorry, I meant hospital tank. I didn't quarantine this fish, I just drip acclimated for about an hour. I was going to put him in a 10 gallon that I was setting up so that he didn't get my clowns sick...

 

Don't know, the fish looks healthy, how big is the tank.

 

It's a 27 cube. I know that's on the small side, especially since this is a larger variety of dwarf angelfish. He has been acting fine since I introduced him, regularly picking at the LR and exploring caves and eating well.

[altolamprologus]

One thing stands out to me-"his coloring still looks great." Angels are often caught with cyanide, which kills almost all of them a few weeks later-long enough to be sold down the supply chain. Cyanide kills silently but leaves one distinctive mark, vibrant coloring after death.

 

 

edit: For the future, ask your LFS to only buy net caught fish. It'll save both of you money. And FWIW that angel was much too big for the tank anyway.

Edited April 4, 2012 by altolamprologus

[henningero]

Cyanide, huh? My LFS has a sign and makes a point of telling his customers that he does not buy fish that are caught this way. Somebody must be lying to him. He wouldn't lie to us, would he???

 

Thanks for the replies...

[solefald]

time to bring in this guy

 

[TheUnfocusedOne]

Cyanide, huh? My LFS has a sign and makes a point of telling his customers that he does not buy fish that are caught this way. Somebody must be lying to him. He wouldn't lie to us, would he???

 

Thanks for the replies...

 

The fish trade can be a dirty buisness. He might of been lied to, or the guy he bought from might of been, ect ect. I'd mention something to him next time you're in the store. He might even give you store credit for the dead livestock. Don't ask/demand it though, since there's nothing putting him directly at fault.

 

I'm not too familiar with fish that have died from cyanide poisioning, so I can't attest to the bright color thing. Keep an eye on your other fish though, might be a different problem.

[henningero]

So far, so good with the 2 clowns. These guys are very hardy and have been with me from the beginning. They've made it through a few of my early noob mistakes! As for my LFS, yeah I can't blame them. You never know who is lying to whom, you just know that someone is lying to somebody!

[igotreefermadness]

The Cyanide is very probable. I would talk to the LFS just so they know, and maybe if they find a lot of people are losing their fish it will help point towards the distributor.

 

Another silent killer a lot of people aren't aware of are Cirolanids. Cirolanids are a small amphipod which are extremely hardy and also very dangerous. Their notorious for being able to burrow through their prey's skin in seconds, and once inside they will go through the body of the animal consuming its insides.

 

But I would think his colors wouldn't be as vibrant with something like that inside him.

[henningero]

The Cyanide is very probable. I would talk to the LFS just so they know, and maybe if they find a lot of people are losing their fish it will help point towards the distributor.

 

Another silent killer a lot of people aren't aware of are Cirolanids. Cirolanids are a small amphipod which are extremely hardy and also very dangerous. Their notorious for being able to burrow through their prey's skin in seconds, and once inside they will go through the body of the animal consuming its insides.

 

But I would think his colors wouldn't be as vibrant with something like that inside him.

 

Now that's something I never knew about. I guess I should have performed an autopsy on this fish! Scary. Thanks for the info!

[neuwave]

Sorry, I meant hospital tank. I didn't quarantine this fish, I just drip acclimated for about an hour. I was going to put him in a 10 gallon that I was setting up so that he didn't get my clowns sick...

 

 

 

It's a 27 cube. I know that's on the small side, especially since this is a larger variety of dwarf angelfish. He has been acting fine since I introduced him, regularly picking at the LR and exploring caves and eating well.

 

Basically you answered question, you put in an angel in an un-cycled qt tank. By taking the new fish out of your more established tank into a stressful uncycled tank. Would be the cause of the death. Cyanide would last on the list for the fish death. Most unlikely due to the circumstances. Unless you have a qt tank don't put any new fish in one. You wouldn't put a fish in a newly setup display tank and same goes for the qt.

[henningero]

Basically you answered question, you put in an angel in an un-cycled qt tank. By taking the new fish out of your more established tank into a stressful uncycled tank. Would be the cause of the death. Cyanide would last on the list for the fish death. Most unlikely due to the circumstances. Unless you have a qt tank don't put any new fish in one. You wouldn't put a fish in a newly setup display tank and same goes for the qt.

 

I didn't get to put it in the hospital tank. He died before I was finished setting it up. I don't keep a separate tank set up for qt/hospital use since I rarely put any new fish in my tank. I planned on getting the 10 gallon set up with water from my existing setup...

[buddythelion]

How long was it in the LFS? Sometimes if you get a new angel, they tend to be really stressed out and that can definitely be a contributing factor to its death. I haven't seen cases of cyanide capture lately, so I don't think it's that. Besides, cyanide capturing for a bicolor? I know cyanide use is sometimes common with the Golden Angel, but that's because of the high price tag that drives collectors to use the drug, not a fish that gets them a few cents.

 

Someone mentioned you having a small tank. Maybe the small tank also had to do with the stress.

[henningero]

How long was it in the LFS? Sometimes if you get a new angel, they tend to be really stressed out and that can definitely be a contributing factor to its death. I haven't seen cases of cyanide capture lately, so I don't think it's that. Besides, cyanide capturing for a bicolor? I know cyanide use is sometimes common with the Golden Angel, but that's because of the high price tag that drives collectors to use the drug, not a fish that gets them a few cents.

 

Someone mentioned you having a small tank. Maybe the small tank also had to do with the stress.

 

I was watching this fish for 2 weeks in the store. This fish was small, only around 2 inches and he was doing great for almost a week. I have a 27 cube with plenty of LR to pick at and caves/arches to swim in. I doubt that had anything to do with it being that it was only in there for a week.

[Darkchyld400]

i just had the same problem. Perfectly fine for 1 week to the day and then floating on the top of the tank. Size isn't the problem, my 90gal is big enough. Water parameters are perfect. I can't figure out why?