Foxface died

[Steven91]

Hello

I have had my foxface, named Scotty, for about 4 months now, and tonight when I went down to admire my fish late at night with all the blue light I noticed he was limping along, I did my water parameter checks making sure everything was inline but he sadly passed away. I did not see any spots or anything wrong with him, was eating fine when I went to work this morning. All the other fish seem to be okay, I have some picks of him out of water to see if maybe someone can tell me what happened.

Water parameters are as follows:
Salinity: 1.028
Ammonia: 0 ppm (tested 3 times as one was a shade off 0 but was not .25)
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 15 ppm

All tests were done by API as it is what I had on hand

 

[Humblefish]

Your salinity @ 1.028 is on the high side. Is it normally that high or has there been a sudden swing?

 

[Steven91]

Your salinity @ 1.028 is on the high side. Is it normally that high or has there been a sudden swing?

its been hovering around 1.027 and 1.028, its been stable, no sudden swing up or down. Next batch of water I'm making its gonna bring the level down to 1.026/1.025 but its been around 1.028

 

[Maritimer]

I'm sorry for your loss . . .

The first thing I'm noticing in your photos is rib bones. Scotty was _very_ thin - if he was eating well, then he wasn't getting the nutrition from that food.

~Bruce

 

[GHsaltie]

Perhaps internal parasites were at play? OP did you notice any white stringy poop from him?

 

[FlyinBryan]

Sorry for your loss, the foxface is a cool fish! For what it's worth, IMO, 1.028 is on the high site. Regardless of swings etc that's a lot of pressure over time. I would bring my salinity more in line with 1.0255 and try again.
I'd give you mine as he went through and systematically killed all of my fish in a 150. I'll trap him later and move him to a sump or give him away. He's a rogue mean little guy.

 

[Steven D]

If the salinity was stable then .028 isn't that out of wack, the thing that concerns me is the nitrates [emoji848] maybe consider a good water change and also lower that salinity slowly back down to a good parameter [emoji1303]

 

[Steven91]

Perhaps internal parasites were at play? OP did you notice any white stringy poop from him?

I didn't notice any white stringy poop

Sorry for your loss, the foxface is a cool fish! For what it's worth, IMO, 1.028 is on the high site. Regardless of swings etc that's a lot of pressure over time. I would bring my salinity more in line with 1.0255 and try again.
I'd give you mine as he went through and systematically killed all of my fish in a 150. I'll trap him later and move him to a sump or give him away. He's a rogue mean little guy.

My next water changes I'm gonna lower my salt down to more where it should be. I loved my foxface, so much personality mine had, I know my lfs has a magnificent in as well as 2 regular foxfaces, maybe once I get everything figured out I'll try again

 

[BigJohnny]

If the salinity was stable then .028 isn't that out of wack, the thing that concerns me is the nitrates [emoji848] maybe consider a good water change and also lower that salinity slowly back down to a good parameter [emoji1303]

15ppm nitrates does not harm fish in anyway

 

[Steven91]

so I am guess we are chalking this up to a higher salinity and not a disease?

 

[BigJohnny]

so I am guess we are chalking this up to a higher salinity and not a disease?

The salinity might have pushed it over the edge but your fish looks incredibly skinny, it was either starving or had internal parasites.

 

[Crashjack]

According to NOAA, salinity in the ocean's reefs range from 1.024 - 1.032 s.g. (32-42 ppt). https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coralwaters.html . I think we got hoodwinked by fish retailers decades ago and have allowed those urban legends to control the way we keep our tanks... sort of like avoiding swimming in the local lake because of that poor water skier who met his demise skiing through a nest of baby water moccasins.

 

[BigJohnny]

According to NOAA, salinity in the ocean's reefs range from 1.024 - 1.032 s.g. (32-42 ppt). https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coralwaters.html . I think we got hoodwinked by fish retailers decades ago and have allowed those urban legends to control the way we keep our tanks... sort of like avoiding swimming in the local lake because of that poor water skier who met his demise skiing through a nest of baby water moccasins.

Yea if it was at 1.028 consistently not an issue although definitely higher than ideal (no hoodwinking involved, there are many reasons why lower salinity is better for the fish), i missed the part where he said it wasnt a swing. Just the internal parasites then IMO.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Was the foxface eating? Was he hiding a lot, breathing heavily, hanging near the bottom of the tank, bloated abdomen? Those are all other symptoms of internal parasites or infection.

Have you ever checked any of your fish for flukes? A 5 minute freshwater dip would tell for sure...if you can catch any one of your fish you could check.

 

[Steven91]

Was the foxface eating? Was he hiding a lot, breathing heavily, hanging near the bottom of the tank, bloated abdomen? Those are all other symptoms of internal parasites or infection.

Have you ever checked any of your fish for flukes? A 5 minute freshwater dip would tell for sure...if you can catch any one of your fish you could check.

He was eating but not like he was normally, and I felt like he was hiding a little more than usual, he would generally be more active when it's feeding time and when he sensed I was near the tank but the day he passed he wasn't as active

 

[ngoodermuth]

My first suspect would be internal parasites. I'd keep an eye on the rest of your fish...if one has them, they usually all do (since fish eat each other's poo ) If you observe white, stringy poop from ANY of your fish, or similar symptoms (eating but not gaining weight, lethargy, etc) you'd want to treat them all with metroplex/focus soaked food.

 

[Steven91]

My first suspect would be internal parasites. I'd keep an eye on the rest of your fish...if one has them, they usually all do (since fish eat each other's poo ) If you observe white, stringy poop from ANY of your fish, or similar symptoms (eating but not gaining weight, lethargy, etc) you'd want to treat them all with metroplex/focus soaked food.

I'm keeping an eye on all my fish, right now everyone seems to be healthy

 

[Crashjack]

Yea if it was at 1.028 consistently not an issue although definitely higher than ideal (no hoodwinking involved, there are many reasons why lower salinity is better for the fish), i missed the part where he said it wasnt a swing. Just the internal parasites then IMO.

If you know of any scientific literature to support that fish are better off in a salinity lower than their natural habitat, please pass along. If an animal is better off in an environment different than its natural habitat, especially a fish, there has to be some scientific documentation to support it... I can't find any.