forensic investigation of fish's death.

[Sam816]

Hey all,

I added a yellow line cardinal to my QT(2.0ppm copper power)last week. It started eating right away. Was aggressive eater. Yesterday I found on the floor with a big bite on its stomach. Other fish i have in there are-
Rainsford goby (shy)
Carpenter flasher wrasse(fiesty but not capable of bite this size)
Orange back wrasse(shy)
Neon wrasse(tiny)
1 small clown(oblivious to other fish)
1 molly (has torn fin as well)
1 Klein's butterfly (panicky dude)
I've copper in there so hitchhiker shrimps n crabs r out of question. I see some thing black inside the body. I am assuming organs.
What could possibly cause such a death?

 

[Aboynamedsous2]

Could it have been hurt by a piece of equipment?

 

[Sam816]

Could it have been hurt by a piece of equipment?

Wouldn't it be like a tear rather than a bite shaped chunk missing? Could a parasitic worm/bug etc kill n escape? Full alien vibe!!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey all,

I added a yellow line cardinal to my QT(2.0ppm copper power)last week. It started eating right away. Was aggressive eater. Yesterday I found on the floor with a big bite on its stomach. Other fish i have in there are-
Rainsford goby (shy)
Carpenter flasher wrasse(fiesty but not capable of bite this size)
Orange back wrasse(shy)
Neon wrasse(tiny)
1 small clown(oblivious to other fish)
1 molly (has torn fin as well)
1 Klein's butterfly (panicky dude)
I've copper in there so hitchhiker shrimps n crabs r out of question. I see some thing black inside the body. I am assuming organs.
What could possibly cause such a death?

My guess is that it died from some issue unrelated to the hole, and then the other fish (my bet is on the Klein’s) bit it’s belly after death. Going for the softer belly after death is pretty common, while before death, it is an unlikely spot for an attack.
Jay