KevinB Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I'm trying to figure out what's going on in my 75g tank. I've list two fish in the past month in the same manner. The first was an orchid dottyback, the second was my coral beauty. The other inhabitants are a foxface, lawnmower Benny, and a pair of clowns that I added between the two deaths. Both fish had been in the tank for at least 6 months. Both fish showed what looked like an injury on their side, right behind the gills, as in a open wound. Both times it appeared suddenly. The dottyback showed a single wound, the coral beauty showed two wounds next to each other. The wounds were more or less vertical, about 1/4" to 3/8" tall by about 1/4" wide. Once I saw the wound I would treat the melafix, and the fish would die within 48 hrs. The foxface is not aggressive at all and has been in the tank for at least 4 months. The Blenny about the same time. I've seen the Blenny defend his territory but when the offending fish left, he would stop. I've also seen the foxface with a bite mark on his side now and then, but it never was any real damage. The bite mark would appear to be about the same size as the blennys mouth. The wounds on the injured fish did not necessarily match this, but its hard to say. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Do you have any shrimp, crabs, etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 I have two emerald crabs that have been in the tank for at least 9 months, and one cleaner shrimp. I have hermits, most small, one larger one. Fwiw, every other night I spend about 10 min looking over the tank with a light to see what's coming out at night. I haven't noticed anything unusual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Regular light or a red light? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Almost sounds like you may have some kind of aggressive hitchhiker in your rocks. It should be easy enough to sequester the emeralds and the large hermit and see if it continues, but I'd be looking for a mantis shrimp of some sort hiding in your rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 I use either a red or white, depending on what I feel like looking at. Mike that's one thing I'm worried about, I think the emeralds and hermit will go to the sump for a while. Is there a disease that shows this pattern that anyone knows of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Here's a good site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 George posted as really good website which you should read through for future reference if nothing else but considering how fast this is happening I'm much more inclined to think it's a mantis shrimp like Mike said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Yeah I had looked through that site earlier today and didn't see anything that matched. This appears more like a wound with no discoloration . Almost like a chunk was taken out. I'm going to see what I can catch over the next few nights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 While an Emerald Crab has powerful enough claws to inflict serious damage, it would have to be starving to attack a fish. If the Emerald Crab was the culprit, chunks of meat would have been missing from the fish carcass as the crab eat the fish. How do you plan to catch it? I have one in my 135G lagoon, it needs to go. I saw him in bright light, he was not timid at all. It is obvious that some of these reef fish are ignorant of danger that was not a part of there previous Eco systems. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 You should try a mantis trap. I would think a mantis shrimp would outright kill at least once instead of multiple woundings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 I am using a bottle trap tonight, and will pull out the emeralds as I see them. Not sure about it being a mantis as my cleaner shrimp is still in there as well as my harlequin shrimp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I am using a bottle trap tonight, and will pull out the emeralds as I see them. Not sure about it being a mantis as my cleaner shrimp is still in there as well as my harlequin shrimp I said mantis but was also thinking a gorilla crab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bige Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Did you catch anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinB Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 No, and since them I've been too busy, but I haven't seen either of my crabs in a long time, so I guess I'll just keep an eye on things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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