what the heck is going on?!?!

[goby2004]

2 of my fish died in the past week or so. the first one was a clarkii clownfish, and had been missing and when we found him, his fins were torn up, and breathing hard. when we tried netting him, he shot away but seemed unable to swim straight and started to go in circles, then sat still in an awkward bent way.... tonight, a pink square anthias, was just happily swimming around when he suddenly started to swim frantically around in circles as well, and his mouth was extended, the sat on the ground, and just died there....

i was then suspicious when our baby snowflake eel (about 5-6 inches) came out of nowhere, and started to yank him around by the tail and pulled him into a corner....

what is going on???? is my eel going nuts or is it something else???

 

[wrightme43]

Any bug spray, or aerosal sprays used recently in the house? What are tank parameters. temp, salinity, ni na am ph? How old is the tank? Just questions to help narrow down a cause. Steve

 

[goby2004]

we havent used any sprays, the temp is 78.7, salinity is 1.025, not sure on the nitrites and nitrates, ph is about 8.2 and weve had this tank for about 5 yrs....

Randy

 

[wrightme43]

Then I would have to say it is just a very odd situation. Maybe try to get up at night and watch for aggression from a nighttime predator, maybe a mantis shrimp or some other hitchiker. Its very hard for me to tell with out seeing it.

 

[NaH2O]

Randy - this might just be one of those things. Have your parameters been pretty stable? I would go ahead and test everything, and do a water change just in case there is something with the water. Not that this is your issue (you didn't say anything about the corals), but if I see either of my neighbors doing yard work, I close the windows, just in case they spray something and it gets in the water. How does the other livestock look? Corals, other fish, etc.? I don't know much about eels or their feeding behavior....when they feed, do they grab a healthy fish....is it possible the baby eel could be trying to get the fish and injuring them to the point of death?

 

[goby2004]

we were thinking about the eel being a killer but it doesnt seem like him, he used to be the friendliest.... but it was really wierd to see him come out of nowhere and snatch up the dead fish........

ill test the water today

 

[MCSInc]

Just to be on the eel's side. Because you were there paying attention to the tank, maybe he thought that you were feeding him.

Just for a thought - is there any thing in there that could give them a pretty good sting. Even down to Aptasia or majonos? How are the rest of the inhabitants doing?

 

[NaH2O]

Also in the eel's defense...it may have just taken advantage of the situation - a fish dead or dying. I didn't mean to imply the eel was the cause, I was just trying to eliminate a possibility.

 

[goby2004]

there is an anenome, i dont see any aptasias, but on something that could sting the anthia, then it wouldnt be related to the clarkii clownfish, becuase it was its host. the other fish are fine. the corals are all great, except for the button polyps, there are half open but theyve been that way for about 2 months.....

also i noticed on one of his side some of his scales were flaking off, some torn spots as well....

 

[saltguy21]

I have a 9 inch snowflake. he seems like a wuss but every now and then a damsel disappears or loks pretty rough. what are you feeding the eel and how often?

 

[goby2004]

frozen brine shrimp try to feed twice a day but occasionally skip a feeding....