Mystery Anglerfish Death

[boym8087]

Aloha,

Posting to see if maybe someone on here can shed some light as to why an anglerfish I had died. Some backstory, I bought the anglerfish about a month ago for my display tank. I realized that it was being out competed for food by the other fish in the tank, so I transferred it into its own species only 29G tank. The tank was cycled, as I was using it as a QT tank for several months. I fed it one damsel a week, which it ate, my last feeding was this past Friday. Came home today to find the angler dead. I checked the water quality, came back as 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. Not perfect, but I usually do my water changes Monday for that tank, so it was going to be changed soon. Any idea on the cause of death??

Thanks for any input.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Is this the same 125 you previously posted about? Your stocking list was IMO way too much for a 125. The eels alone are messy eaters and require a lot of water and filtration. You also mentioned a adult triggerfish, another messy eater. I may get smacked down, but you have too many big fish for that sized tank. Any special needs fish, like the angler, didn't have much of a chance. JMO.

 

[boym8087]

The angler was previously in the 125, but moved into a separate tank by itself, which it did fine in for a few weeks.. And yes all those fish are in a 125, which is why I have so much filtration on there and why I also do bi weekly 30% water changes..

 

[tangs27]

Something might have come in with the damsel. Did you purchase it from a different place? Did you happen to notice anything off with the damsel?

 

[boym8087]

I didn't, I've been getting the damsels from the same place.. I didn't see any signs of ich or anything and it seemed to be swimming fine at the store.. Active, ate when food was put in the tank.. I got in contact with the guys at wet web media, and they said it most likely had something to do with the heater in the tank..

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

I had three anglers at different times. The first one I watched dart head first into the rocks and was dead the next day, the second one the akin started to bubble up and come off and he stopped eating and died. And the third I found dead randomly and when I went to pull him out, a whole bunch of sand came pouring out if his mouth. Guess he must have swallowed it when trying to eat something. They're not too hardy when captured and if they swallow air during transport that's bad news as well.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Doesn't sound like a good fish to keep in an aquarium to me...

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

Exactly why I stopped. I don't like things dying in my care.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Same with me.

 

[boym8087]

I agree.. Best kept in public aquariums or left in the ocean


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