lost my young flame angel last night, no idea why :(

[srossnz]

This young flame angel was at the lfs for about 2 months, I had her for over 2 weeks in my display and it was totally vibrant, active, feeding etc. I saw no signs whatsoever that there was a problem of any kind and found her dead this morning. Very bummed out. I have a total water volume of about 65 gallons, a big refugium with skimmer and macro. All water params are reading perfect. My other 3 fish look perfectly fine, they are happily swimming around right now wanting food when I get close (a 6 line wrasse, yellow tail damsel and royal dottyback). I just wish I could know if it is something I did wrong. I examined the angel as closely as possible and there were no marks or anything on her at all. I've been working hard to do everything by the book..

[dmjordan]

if the other fish were picking on her it could have been caused by stress. some fish are caught with cyanide and the effects of it could have caused the fish to be slowly dying ever since she was caught. might not have been maintaing the right diet for the angel. could be from numerous different reasons.

[irishspy]

some fish are caught with cyanide and the effects of it could have caused the fish to be slowly dying ever since she was caught.

I'd bet money on this. Fish caught with cyanide often have fatal liver damage and die, even though they look healthy and eat just fine. I thought this practice had been got rid of years ago, but I guess not. :angryfire: I don't have marine aquaria but, if I did, I'd want to know where and with what technique the animal was caught.

Sorry for your loss, srossnz. :(

[buttered loins]

Some people still use cyanide to catch fish but i dont think that it was the cause. Becuase srossnz said that his flame angel was eating, if a fish is caught with cyanide it normally burns out the lining of the fishes stomach and the fish think that they are full all the time when actually they are starving to death. This fish was alive for more than 2 months so I am pretty sure its not a cyanide problem.

[tamableanimal]

Without performing a full necropsy on the fish the cause may never be known. If the fish was eating well and showed no signs of malnutrition or chemical damage to the epidermal layer and or scales of the fish. No signs of parasites and such, or injuries. I believe that you did everything properly to take care of it. Sometimes the fish suffer internal injurys in shipping and these injurys can take months to be fatal. It could also have been a genetic disorder or internal issue with the fish. With any of these last issues there is nothing you can really do to help or even notice before purchase. Cyanide poisoning unluckily is still a part of this hobby in some of the third world nations, but it generally effects the fish in 1 or 2 weeks not in months.
I am sorry for your lose, but I don't believe that you could have done anything differently to help.

[srossnz]

no signs of malnutrition or chemical damage to the epidermal layer and or scales of the fish. No signs of parasites and such, or injuries.
That's correct. Will keep monitoring my other fish closely. Thanks guys

[srossnz]

just did a standard battery of water tests all perfect: ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate zero as well, ph normal. I've been paranoid all day watching my remaining fish, so far they seem fine..