Found my starry blenny dead tonight :cry:

[Biff0rz]

Now, this guy was on the larger side so I assume he was a bit older, but earlier today he seemed all around normal. Tonight when checking the tank I spotted him in a cave laying on his side all stiff. Wife was crying because she calls him grandpa fish, so that sucks. But I took pics and noticed some leisions behind his fins -- I have few crabs, mostly snails, and noticed no critters around him. But I do find the marks suspicious. I'm not sure if they happened post death however. I checked all my tanks and params, nothing seems off, no other fish having issues. So I'm thinking its old age but I'm not really seeing what I've seen in the past with old age (frayed fins, lethargic behavior). Not sure if there's much more that can be determined via pics, but here they are...

no3 12.3
po4 0.17
sg 35ppt
78* (got up to 80* today at peak)
alk 8.79
ca 445
mg 1353
orp 436
ph 8.21

tank is 6y old
fish was purchased from dr reefs qt'd, 7/'24

 

[vetteguy53081]

Now, this guy was on the larger side so I assume he was a bit older, but earlier today he seemed all around normal. Tonight when checking the tank I spotted him in a cave laying on his side all stiff. Wife was crying because she calls him grandpa fish, so that sucks. But I took pics and noticed some leisions behind his fins -- I have few crabs, mostly snails, and noticed no critters around him. But I do find the marks suspicious. I'm not sure if they happened post death however. I checked all my tanks and params, nothing seems off, no other fish having issues. So I'm thinking its old age but I'm not really seeing what I've seen in the past with old age (frayed fins, lethargic behavior). Not sure if there's much more that can be determined via pics, but here they are...

no3 12.3
po4 0.17
sg 35ppt
78* (got up to 80* today at peak)
alk 8.79
ca 445
mg 1353
orp 436
ph 8.21

tank is 6y old
fish was purchased from dr reefs qt'd, 7/'24

Fish looks thin and also seemed to have an infection unless this area was attacked post death by scavengers and captive lifespan play have played a role but difficult to assess a cause of death once fish has perished and is out of water. Sorry for loss

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Now, this guy was on the larger side so I assume he was a bit older, but earlier today he seemed all around normal. Tonight when checking the tank I spotted him in a cave laying on his side all stiff. Wife was crying because she calls him grandpa fish, so that sucks. But I took pics and noticed some leisions behind his fins -- I have few crabs, mostly snails, and noticed no critters around him. But I do find the marks suspicious. I'm not sure if they happened post death however. I checked all my tanks and params, nothing seems off, no other fish having issues. So I'm thinking its old age but I'm not really seeing what I've seen in the past with old age (frayed fins, lethargic behavior). Not sure if there's much more that can be determined via pics, but here they are...

no3 12.3
po4 0.17
sg 35ppt
78* (got up to 80* today at peak)
alk 8.79
ca 445
mg 1353
orp 436
ph 8.21

tank is 6y old
fish was purchased from dr reefs qt'd, 7/'24

Sorry to hear.

The skin discoloration seems to point to the fish being dead for 6+ hours, that would have been enough time for some CUC to make that hole. That makes it difficult to know if the hike was there prior to death.

 

[Biff0rz]

Fish looks thin and also seemed to have an infection unless this area was attacked post death by scavengers and captive lifespan play have played a role but difficult to assess a cause of death once fish has perished and is out of water. Sorry for loss

Yea when he was laying on his side in the tank dead and earlier in the day he was full - pulling him out he did thin out. No lack of food that's for sure, he was constantly grazing. Thanks.

Sorry to hear.

The skin discoloration seems to point to the fish being dead for 6+ hours, that would have been enough time for some CUC to make that hole. That makes it difficult to know if the hike was there prior to death.

Thanks. That's what I suspected which sucks. I fed the tank around 5pm and discovered him at 12a. Regardless, I don't think I could have changed the outcome.