Lion fish death

[Kadecor]

Hello, I work at a pet store and the lionfish that the aquatic section had died in a very strange way. I would like to know the reason for the death so I can help make sure it never happens again
It developed a weird lump then died

 

[threebuoys]

tumor? did you dissect?

 

[MnFish1]

Looks like tumor or abscess?

 

[Kadecor]

Unfortunately I am not there today so I cannot dissect. It was very weird because Saturday it was just a tiny little lump about the size of a half a pea. And so between Saturday and this morning it happened. Very fast.

 

[Cell]

@lion king

 

[lion king]

Without a dissection it's only going to being guessing. Tumors can grow fast from a number of exposures. Coming from the abdomen it could also be bloat. Bloat is caused from a blockage and twisting of the gut, I have seen this from feeding rosies.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Maybe it’s the angle, but the fish looks very thin. Internal parasites are a possibility.

 

[ReefLife_Guy]

Unfortunately I am not there today so I cannot dissect. It was very weird because Saturday it was just a tiny little lump about the size of a half a pea. And so between Saturday and this morning it happened. Very fast.

It is not going to be a tumor if it grew that fast. More likely an abscess, which fits more with a very rapid death. Tell someone to open it, likely fluid filled.

 

[AKL1950]

Did it eat something that can eat it’s way out. Happens with lizards and hard shell older crickets.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello, I work at a pet store and the lionfish that the aquatic section had died in a very strange way. I would like to know the reason for the death so I can help make sure it never happens again
It developed a weird lump then died

I can't see, is this posterior to the anal opening, or does it involve that structure? If the latter, then a prolapse is a possibility.

Jay

 

[lion king]

A prolapsed rectum is caused by straining to pass a blockage or something else that caused digestive distress, you would see tissue actually outside of the anal opening. I don't know the accurate term for diarrhea is fish, but some sort of bacterial infection in the gut would cause a prolapse rectum.

How long was he in the tank and what was being fed, any medication used, formalin dips, etc.

I have seen prolapsed rectum and they usually resolve themselves and don't move so quickly to death. I have loosely associated formalin and formalin by products to lions getting a prolapsed rectum.