Angler Fish Suddenly Dead

[Jasonrusso]

I performed my morning check on the tank today and I was heartbroken to find my wartskin angler was dead. He had no signs or trauma. My fish have never been aggressive towards one another. In a 150 gallon tank, his mates are a porcupine puffer, Mombasa Lion, Harlequin Tusk, and Dwarf Moray Eel. I checked all my parameters and they were good. PH was a bit low 8.0, but I'm running a FOWLER. Nitrites and ammonia is zero. KH is 9, and nitrates are about 10.

Yesterday he looked fine and was waving his lure when I was feeling the others. I haven't fed him for at least 4 days. I have never fed him in back to back days. I usually feed him twice a week. I have to be honest, I usually only feed him frozen silverslides soaked in selcon. That's all he wants to take. I also have to admit that the pieces I give him may have been a bit large at times, but I have been doing that for 2 years.

I've read that sometimes anglers suddenly die, but I also realize I may have caused this.

This one hurts because I bought him as a 1/2" baby and raised him in his own tank until he was ready for the DT. He was 4-5" when he died. I would like to get another one at some point but I would like to know if I did something wrong.

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[Sniperhank]

I've never thought of anglers being kept in anything outside of a tank by themselves. They are picky eaters like you said, and it simply could have been the poor diet for years along with who knows what else.
When anglers suddenly die, it is most likely because they weren't eating already and starved. When something dies it is either old, sick, or starving. Parameter issues can lead to sickness as can bullying.


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[54seaweed]

how did you acclimate him , anglers are very sensitive to change , water parameters may have been off , that 10 ppm in nitrates is whats ringing in my head ,

 

[Jasonrusso]

It wasn't that. He was in the tank for over a year. When I did acclimate him I put him on a 60 minute drip with a heat pad under the bucket.

Now my Lion is starting to scare me. He looks like he is breathing heavy. They were both on the same food. Maybe the food was contaminated?

 

[Sniperhank]

I'd test again. Now on to a possible second stressed out fish with parameter readings that should be ok? It is easier to believe a bad test.

 

[melosu58]

It could be something you can not test for. Has there been any cleaners sprayed nearby or any other substance that might have been exposed.

 

[Jasonrusso]

I'll test again. I already began water changes. I can only make 15 gallons at a time so I did 15 earlier, I'll do 15 again later and I'll do it twice tomorrow.

Is it too late for my lion? In my experience the heavy breathing is usually a death sentence.

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[Jasonrusso]

My lion died last night. I'm thinking the food was somehow contaminated. The other fish seem fine and that is the only link between the two. Everyone was fine early last week.

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[54seaweed]

what kind of food were you feeding them , I was reading a article about lion fish and anglers , also had a few other predators , any way it was saying feeding only prepared foods wasn't a very nutritious diet , and the sometimes fool you that they are eating but really not and starve , they claim live foods such as saltwater feeder fish and feeder shrimp entice there appetites and it will also make them a little more active as they will search for food , I wish I brought the magazine home as I can't remember everything they were discussing ,

 

[Jasonrusso]

They were strictly on prepared food. I felt that is was better for them due to the risk of parasites in live food. I guess I was wrong. How could they fool me that they were eating? I watched them swallow a fish or a piece of shrimp?

On another dismal note, my Eel also doesn't seem to have an appetite. This may or may not be related. He has gone on hunger strikes for weeks before, but he was also eating the same food as the other two.

 

[54seaweed]

predators like to hunt there foods , the occasional prepared meal is ok but they rather get the live foods , live feeders are actually a healthier food source for predators,
I get live saltwater minnows and shrimp I'm starting to breed my feeders again like I did in the past
live foods will also bring out them colors in your fish , I don't limit the live foods to just my predators almost all my fish love the live mysiss or even the grass shrimp just be sure to snap off the pointy beak on the grass shrimp , my fish all know me if I walk by my tanks they all just follow me
anything that can recreate the wild your fish will love

why are certain fish considered predators ?
Because they like to hunt and stalk there prey it's natural instincts