Sudden death

[Odile]

Hi,
My male Apistogramma hongsloi is dead and I don't understand why. He was doing well until friday morning and his behaviour was normal. Friday nigth I fed him frozen brine shrimps and he didn't seem very keen to eat them but was still showing off to the female. When the ligth was turned off I suddenly couldn't see him, then found hiem lying on his flank and breathing rapidly, and he didn't move his fins. Unfortunately I had to leave for the week end and this morning I found him dead...
The female, my corydoras and shrimps seem in good health, any idea of what may have happened to him ? Can it be related to the food ? There hasen't be any change in the tank lately...
My pH is 6, the tank is filled with RO water and has kH 0 and gH<4, nitrites are not detectable with my test and nitrates are less than 10mg.L-1

 

[Mike Wise]

Most animals try to hide illness. It's hard to say what the problem was without an immediate necropsy. It's too late to do it now.

 

[Odile]

So it was just bad luck ? I hope the female doesn't suffer from the same thing then... I found a shop where they can order another male for me but I wanted to be sure there wasn't something I did wrong.

 

[Mike Wise]

Probably it was something that came with the male. I wouldn't buy a new male until I was sure that the other community members don't have what he had. This is why I recommend 4+ weeks of quarantine before adding any fish to an established tank.