Ornate Poly passed suddenly

RemainVayne

Plecostomus
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Sep 26, 2017
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Just had a 2 year-old 13.5" ornate polypterus pass away today after being seemingly fine last night when feeding. I noticed it struggling to stay upright and barely breathing this morning. When he died a few hours later, there was a yellowish film coming out of his anus. Not sure if that's related, but I can't find much about what this film may have been.

Water parameters are all excellent and the other fish in the tank (polys, giraffe cats, 2 cichlids, flagtail) are all acting normal today.

Any thoughts on what may cause a fish to die so suddenly without visible external symptoms? Or what that yellow film stuff may have been?
 

tlindsey

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Aug 6, 2011
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Just had a 2 year-old 13.5" ornate polypterus pass away today after being seemingly fine last night when feeding. I noticed it struggling to stay upright and barely breathing this morning. When he died a few hours later, there was a yellowish film coming out of his anus. Not sure if that's related, but I can't find much about what this film may have been.

Water parameters are all excellent and the other fish in the tank (polys, giraffe cats, 2 cichlids, flagtail) are all acting normal today.

Any thoughts on what may cause a fish to die so suddenly without visible external symptoms? Or what that yellow film stuff may have been?

Sorry to hear that and sorry for the loss. Out of all the Polypterus I've had the Ornate was the most difficult to care for.
 

Hendre

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My apologies, may have been some internal issue if there was something like that coming out. But don't dwell too much on it, sorry for your loss :(
 
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RemainVayne

Plecostomus
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Sep 26, 2017
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Thanks all. It's a crummy thing, especially on Christmas. It was only about 2 years old as 8 raised it from a small baby. He was a CB, so could it be poor genes too?

I was surprised at how heavy he was when I took him out. Aside from my teugs, the ornate was the largest and easily the fatest! Just a bummer that it seemed to come out of nowhere and it's unsettling not knowing what happened as obviously I don't want some to happen to its tank mates if it's contagious...
 
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tlindsey

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Thanks all. It's a crummy thing, especially on Christmas. It was only about 2 years old as 8 raised it from a small baby. He was a CB, so could it be poor genes too?

I was surprised at how heavy he was when I took him out. Aside from my teugs, the ornate was the largest and easily the fatest! Just a bummer that it seemed to come out of nowhere and it's unsettling not knowing what happened as obviously I don't want some to happen to its tank mates if it's contagious...
Out of 4 I've raised from a small size 2. grew to about 17 inches and believe they were all female's lol. Would die from a bacterial issue, Bloat , or jump out of the aquarium.
 
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TeeHawk

Jack Dempsey
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Sep 22, 2011
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Thanks all. It's a crummy thing, especially on Christmas. It was only about 2 years old as 8 raised it from a small baby. He was a CB, so could it be poor genes too?

I was surprised at how heavy he was when I took him out. Aside from my teugs, the ornate was the largest and easily the fatest! Just a bummer that it seemed to come out of nowhere and it's unsettling not knowing what happened as obviously I don't want some to happen to its tank mates if it's contagious...
Sorry to hear that man, something similar happened to me, too. I came home from Christmas with the family today after only being gone for the night and my ATF was dead. No idea what caused it, as there are no visible signs, I did a water change just before I left, and he was acting and eating just fine. My Odoe and my Endli, the tank mates are doing well. Not exactly the Christmas present we want, is it? :(
 

tlindsey

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Aug 6, 2011
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Sorry to hear that man, something similar happened to me, too. I came home from Christmas with the family today after only being gone for the night and my ATF was dead. No idea what caused it, as there are no visible signs, I did a water change just before I left, and he was acting and eating just fine. My Odoe and my Endli, the tank mates are doing well. Not exactly the Christmas present we want, is it? :(
Sorry for your loss.
 
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AaronKWolfe

Piranha
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Oct 24, 2019
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Any new tankmates or ANY way you could have introduced a parasite/disease (ie using a brush or net that was in another tank that may have had a disease or parasite in it)? That is my only possible thought
 
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