SSD or sudden Scat death

[blazetown]

So I was in depressed mood last night and consequently had dreams about it. So I wake up all <edit> and moody feeling and I look in my 30 gal and two of my Scatophagus are dead. I have no idea why , because there have been no changes in their environment at all. They may have succummed to death by lack of salt (if thats possible), from being in freshwater too long. I'm about to do an autopsy of one before I head out today. Any input from anyone would help lol. I'll check my nitrate and ph later tonight, as they may have succumbed to bad water (although the two smaller ones didn't).

 

[Draiman]

Sorry to hear. How big were they? I'm sure you know this already but adult Scats live in marine environments and don't do well in freshwater.

 

[blazetown]

Yeah I know. I figured that was likely the problem as the biggest one died. I'll see if the two that lived make it longer and likely switch them over to brackish.

 

[blazetown]

So number three of four is now dead and I'm going to perform a 25% water change. Number one or two is plugging my toilet right now...thought he/
she was smaller

 

[blazetown]

Well I had no where to throw number 3 and he was bigger than 1 or 2. I took the scissors to him and used the other toilet lol...they smell worse on the inside...

 

[dtknow]

What is up with flushing fish down the toilet? Throw them away, bury them in a plant pot or something. Their is no need to waste water flushing them down the toilet.

BTw, I'd get all the tank conditions checked but if everything is fine I agree they need SW for longterm success.

 

[blazetown]

What is up with flushing fish down the toilet? Throw them away, bury them in a plant pot or something. Their is no need to waste water flushing them down the toilet.

BTw, I'd get all the tank conditions checked but if everything is fine I agree they need SW for longterm success.

Yeah good call. If I still lived out in the country I would have a garden and compost piles to throw them in. I live in the city now though and garbage day was yesterday, AND the freezer is full. So in my infinite wisdom I figure " Hey if the spines are facing this way when it goes down it won't clog ." Yeah it was a combination of laziness and inconvience. I was hoping to have a brackish tank set up by now too lol. I believe my problem was stress from lack of salt and a lot of organic waste that I missed in my cleaning. The S. Argus look nice with plants but they shred them and I found several crevices full of rotting vegetation. I did about a 30% water change and the remaining Argus and other tankmates are all fine.