Troubles with Butterflyfish

[michael r]

My Butterflyfish hasn't been looking so hot for the past few days.
It's been hiding a lot, and mostly hovering in a single place whenever it comes out.
Today I found it lying on it's side, dark, but breathing. She isn't swimming but every so often when I check on her she has sometimes moved to another place, but will still be lying on her side. No bodily abnormalities except for the noted darkness.
She recently recovered from Lymphocystis and had an anal problem, which has also cleared up. She's been eating great since day one and I've always managed to keep Ammonia and Nitrites at zero and Nitrates at 10. I've had it for approximately a month, but the aquarium has been set up for 6 months.
I also have 2 Firefish, 1 Cleaner Shrimp and 2 Ocellaris Clownfish. These are doing fine. It's a 90 gallon aquarium.
Any suggestions?

 

[beth]

What are you feeding it and how often? Is she still eating?

 

[michael r]

I usually feed Mysis Shrimp, Brine Shrimp, Zooplankton, Bloodworms, NLS pellets and veggie flakes. She was eating fine up until the days when she began hiding. At first she'd come out showing interest in the food but not eating it and now lost it altogether.

 

[michael r]

Well she's unfortunately now passed on...
I believe I did my best in keeping her happy and am still confused as to the cause of her death. The only other fish I've had die in this same manner was a Banggai Cardinalfish, who was doing fine at first but become lethargic and shy and died within a few days.

 

[dinogeorge]

Can you see any white spots on her? Butterfly’s are notorious for susceptibility to ick. It sounds like she is in the first stages of it. Turning off your lights on your tank might help her out too, if she is acting shy and seeking darkness.
Good luck man.

 

[beth]

What kind of butterfly was it? Sometimes, we just never know what happened. Butterflies are highly specialized with their needs, that do have to be carefully addressed.

 

[michael r]

It was a Falcula (C. falcula) and definately had no spots. I've read that the Falcula is usually a hardy Butterfly, as long as it is undamaged from capture. I suppose mine was caught poorly and failed in the end.

 

[saltn00b]

strange you had another type of fish die in the same way.

 

[michael r]

I can only assume two things:
1. The Banggai Cardinalfish which died the same way was wild, and caught poorly.
2. The Falcula Butterflyfish was caught poorly.

 

[sepulatian]

What kind of water movement do you have? Banggai's that are wild caught are iffy. Falculas are usualy pretty hardy though as far as butterflies go. Please let us know what air flow you have. The fish's diet isn't all that great. Brine has no nutritional value, mysis is ok as a treat. Bloodworms are not for SW fish and pellets are not all that good either. I am so sorry that you lost your fish. Please think about improving the diet of the fish that you have and for the fish to come. Feed frozen formula foods. There are many different kinds available. Pick up some liquid vitamines as well and add them to one meal per day.

 

[michael r]

Yeah no problem. I'll get some frozen formula foods like Formula 1 or 2 and some Angel/Butterfly frozen food. I bought the bloodworms because that's all the Butterfly ate at the store.
I have a single Maxi-Jet 900 powerhead, an Aquaclear 500 power filter (which I just use for water movement) and then my Coralife SS125 Skimmer (which I've modified to work very well).

 

[parker171]

my long nosed butterfly died the same way, im pretty sure it was from acclimation shock