# Fish death



## marty_5555 (Oct 15, 2014)

A couple of weeks ago I was feeding my fish. I dissolve half a cube of mysis and squirt it into the tank with a pipette. My cardinal fish ate a little bit and then started freaking out, swimming really fast all over the tank, and then just stopped and was floating on its side. I scooped it out and put it in the sump, and it seemed to recover. Went to put it back in and the same thing happened, so I put it back in the sump, where he again recovered, to the point where I put him back in the tank and he was fine.

Until tonight, when the exact same thing happened again. Was feeding, and he started freaking out, erratically swimming and then wedged himself under a rock. I fished him out and put him in the sump but I'm pretty sure he is dead.

Has this happened to anyone else? Any ideas what it could be? All the other fish and corals are fine and I haven't added anything new to the tank.
Thanks


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Woah,
That’s bizarre. 

I cannot give you a definitive answer about what is happening. I have seen similar behaviour in a couple fish when dealing with something that was irritating them. Like flukes or ich parasites. It’s almost like they were itchy. Moving the fish to the sump might have taken the fish away from what was bothering it and then putting it back into the main tank brought it in contact with the parasite again.
I don’t think it would be the food, but feeding the fish may have attracted the parasite as well.
Q. Did you introduce anything into the tank recently? Do you quarantine?
I am really only speculating and hopefully someone else will comment more.


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## marty_5555 (Oct 15, 2014)

Thanks Crayon. No I don't QT (I know, I know) but the fish has been in my tank for at least 6 months, so I would be surprised if something was just showing up now, although I suppose it's possible. And no, I haven't added anything new to my tank, and have kept my maintenance routine the same.
The only thing I can think of is the pipette that I use to feed. The cardinal would come right up and put it's mouth on it, taking the food right from it. Maybe it got some air as well? Although this last time I don't even think he out his mouth on the end of it, just came very close and then freaked out.
It almost looks like what happens when a fish is being bullied, but he wasn't, and it just came out of nowhere. In addition to swimming erratically he would also breathe heavy and actually pale in colour, but that would only start after the freakout began.


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## littletnklvr (Nov 1, 2010)

How old was this fish when you got it,what else is in the tank, what type of cardinal?


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## marty_5555 (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm not sure how old it was, is it possible to know the age of a fish? It was small when I bought it and I had it for about 6 months or so. Have 2 clowns and an anthias, and it was a bangaii cardinal.


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## Chris01 (Jan 7, 2018)

Check any powered equipment in your tank they might be getting shocked by older or faulty equipment.


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## garwood (Oct 27, 2012)

I had a chromis just immediately drop dead after eating a piece of mysis for no reason. weird. I tried to pm you but for some reason it wont let me so ill try you here. you where asking me about my skimmer and yes it is still for sale.


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