Do Cyanide Caught Fish Usually Eat? Other behavioral observations?

[dirtyreefer]

If you were to purchase a fish that was cyanide caught (I know you would never know if you did or not), would/can it eat and behave healthily for a certain time period before perishing? Just curious.

I do know that some caught with cyanide will have symptoms such as nostalgia, abnormally bright colors etc, but do they normally eat?

Also, what other symptoms would these types of fish exhibit?

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6818920#post6818920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dirtyreefer
If you were to purchase a fish that was cyanide caught (I know you would never know if you did or not), would/can it eat and behave healthily for a certain time period before perishing? Just curious.

I do know that some caught with cyanide will have symptoms such as nostalgia, abnormally bright colors etc, but do they normally eat?

Also, what other symptoms would these types of fish exhibit?

I didn't know they get nostalgia (and I'm not sure how that would manifest in a fish).

The classic cyanide poisoned fish is one that looks very bright and eats very well, but continues to waste away. Think of it as being unable to utilize the food it's taken in. IME, the wasting away has been more pronounced than the bright coloration in fishes that I've dealt with that were suspected to be cyanide caught.
It's very difficult to recognize cyanide fish ahead of time.

Dave

[JENnKerry]

Yeah doesn't the cyanide shut down the digestive system over time? So the fish can't get the nutrients it needs and eventually dies.

[Angel*Fish]

doesn't the cyanide shut down the digestive system over time
hmmmm.... that would explain what happened with a midas blenny years ago - poor little guy - he just kept getting thinner & thinner even though he tried to eat

You know sometimes I get so angry at the #$%! in the industry -i may have to start hanging out over in the "responsible reefing" forum - i'm so aggravated at a couple of LFS's right now i could spit ...but that's a whole 'nother rant :smokin:

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6820749#post6820749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JENnKerry
Yeah doesn't the cyanide shut down the digestive system over time? So the fish can't get the nutrients it needs and eventually dies.

It's even further downstream than that. It shuts down the molecular machinery that produces energy for the body's cells to use.

Dave

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6819556#post6819556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wolverine
I didn't know they get nostalgia (and I'm not sure how that would manifest in a fish). LOL


It's very difficult to recognize cyanide fish ahead of time.

Would be nice if Salifert could develop a test to detect traces in a dead fish -- or do you think it's completely gone leaving only the damage?

[Wolverine]

My understanding is that you have to get the tissue REALLY fast after death to test for cyanide, like right when they die. There are no living tests for it. Yes, it would be nice. Sometimes the wholesalers and MAC people will test fish from various collectors (which means sacrificing the fish, unfortunately) to see if they're using cyanide.

Dave

[dirtyreefer]

Originally posted by Wolverine
I didn't know they get nostalgia (and I'm not sure how that would manifest in a fish).

I thought I read something on wetwebmedia where Fenner mentions that you shouldn't purchase fish that are "having a private party" in the corner of the tank by themselves. Also, you shouldn't purchase fish that aren't aware of your presence.

[Angel*Fish]

Dave, there are some of us out here who would rather have to kill a fish than watch it suffer for days--

Maybe the local Reef Clubs could organize a consumer end thing in this area. Do you know if the test is expensive?

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6822448#post6822448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
Dave, there are some of us out here who would rather have to kill a fish than watch it suffer for days--

Maybe the local Reef Clubs could organize a consumer end thing in this area. Do you know if the test is expensive?

I believe the test is not reliable that far down the chain of custody. This is often done right when the fish get to the wholesaler, while they still seem healthy, or even at the collectors station at times.

I believe it is expensive, but I really don't know that for sure.

dirtyreefer, in general I would agree with that advice, I've just never heard it described with the word "nostalgia".

Dave

[Bret61081]

this is exactly what happened in the past 2 weeks to my lemonpeel angel. It was picking at the rocks, strips of nori and even picking at mysis and within a week and a half...got extreemly skinny and died =( my LFS got 2 and the other one died within 48 hours.

[dirtyreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6830470#post6830470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wolverine
dirtyreefer, in general I would agree with that advice, I've just never heard it described with the word "nostalgia".

Haha it must have been the crack talking. :) You're right, what I meant to say was "lethargic", not nostalgia. Thanks for the correction.

[PeeperKeeper]

LOL, I was imagining little Nemo, pining away, reminiscing about the great times he used to have back in the good ol' days on the reef.:rolleyes:

[Ochi]

Yeah cyanide basically causes cellular respiration to go KAPOOT and no ATP to be produced from the electron transport chain, since it binds to the 3rd protein carrier in the chain and stops the flow of electrons to oxygen...basically making no ATP produced.

Less severe cases of Cyanide poisoning can live for a while as some cells still function, while others don't. So I guess a fish with not severe exposure could continue to eat but slowly wither away from insufficient ATP production.

[ufchristyb]

I lost my two week old powder blue tang last night for no apparent reason. He was in a qt tank - water parameters were good. At 11:30 pm, he was eating bits of flake and nori, this morning he was dead at the bottom. He was an extremely brightly colored fish, and although he ate, it was never as vigorous as his tankmates (a yellow and purple tang). He also seemed less active than his tankmates. Could this be cyanide? I am looking for an explanation. The fish was showing no signs of stress, his breathing was normal, etc.