My skeletor eel just died out of nowhere! So sad.

[Kdsd731]

I'm so sad. My 1 year old skeletor eel just died last night. He was so awesome. Now I'm trying to figure out why. To start off, the 36 gallon bow front tank has zero ammonia or nitrite, 15ppm nitrate, 7.8 pH, 1.024 salinity and 78.8 temperature. All my parameters have been stable over the past year other than I've lowered my nitrates from 30-40ppm down to 15ppm through more frequent hob filter changes (twice a week). My water clarity is always ultra clear.  All fish are healthy and eating.  The eel ate raw peeled shrimp cut into small pieces once a week.  The only changes in the tank in the past month are as follows.  I added another 11lbs of cured live rock (bringing my total to about 35lbs) from a LFS a month ago.  A week and a half ago I added an orbit marine IC LED and a torch coral. Tuesday I added a McCosker wrasse (spontaneous purchase, no QT). On Wednesday I noticed the eel having an increased breathing rate.  Thursday,  he was breathing normal earlier in the day,  then later started breathing heaving again with some convulsions.  Once that started it became hard to watch.  He would go in spasms and flail all over tank.  I grabbed him,  felt for any obstructions in his body and felt none.  He visually looked perfect.  I held his face to a water pump trying to force water through his gills but eventually he died. I held him up to a light and saw no dark spots or blockages in him.  Does anyone have any possible ideas as to what could have happened? 

[Tamberav]

Did you soak or enrich it's foods at all?

 

I know I read somewhere that twitching and shaking in eels can be from a vitimine deficiency.

[kimberbee]

14 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Did you soak or enrich it's foods at all?

 

I know I read somewhere that twitching and shaking in eels can be from a vitimine deficiency.

I wonder if once a week was enough... I've read a few places stating 2-3 times a week for feeding.

[Kdsd731]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Did you soak or enrich it's foods at all?

 

I know I read somewhere that twitching and shaking in eels can be from a vitimine deficiency.

I tried.  He was always a picky eater. He only wanted shrimp.  Wouldn't touch any other offerings.  He would rarely take a shrimp the had selco on it. So no, I would say he ate muxh vitamin enriched foods. However,  I wound picture him looking unhealthy long before organ failures.  But then again,  I'm no expert. 

[Kdsd731]

2 hours ago, kimberbee said:

I wonder if once a week was enough... I've read a few places stating 2-3 times a week for feeding.

He would let me know when he was hungry. I originally fed every 3 days.  Then in efforts to keep nitrates down I went to once a week. But if I ever saw him looking hungry I fed him.  He would always let me know when it was time to eat.

[Tamberav]

34 minutes ago, Kdsd731 said:

I tried.  He was always a picky eater. He only wanted shrimp.  Wouldn't touch any other offerings.  He would rarely take a shrimp the had selco on it. So no, I would say he ate muxh vitamin enriched foods. However,  I wound picture him looking unhealthy long before organ failures.  But then again,  I'm no expert. 

I believe it is a neurological issue with the twitching and missing vitimines/electrolytes.

 

I guess if you get another maybe try and inject the vitimines inside the shrimp with a needle so he can't taste it.

 

I wouldn't think new disease as they are pretty resistant and the fish was just added. 

 

I am however just guessing and making theory's....I think proper diet is totally overlooked in this hobby by many whether it be a eel or a common clownfish.