Bullying or something else?

[USMA36]

Blue green chrome with a chunk missing. I have 3 in tank about a year now. Never any issues just noticed this and now he is hiding behind plumbing. Seems to be swimming and breathing ok. Newest addition was a coral beauty about 3 months ago.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Blue green chrome with a chunk missing. I have 3 in tank about a year now. Never any issues just noticed this and now he is hiding behind plumbing. Seems to be swimming and breathing ok. Newest addition was a coral beauty about 3 months ago.

Do you have a quarantine tank set up? I'd move him over asap and start with antibiotics to to help it from getting infected. Looks pretty bad. But definitely looks like something has been chomping at him. #reefsquad @Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

Prognosis is bleak, but your best option would be to perform a 30 min MB bath to help him heal: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/

After that, he will undoubtedly need follow up antibiotic treatment in a QT: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/antibiotics.283711/

 

[USMA36]

Ok. Not something that will likely heal on its own? I don’t know how I’m going to catch him. He still swims quite well.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ok. Not something that will likely heal on its own? I don’t know how I’m going to catch him. He still swims quite well.

It might, but the chances are extremely slim. If he doesn't die from infection, whomever is bullying him will keep on doing it until he's dead.

 

[dbl]

My guess is it's one of his two "friends". I started with five and they got along swimmingly well for about three years. I thought I had skirted all the posts saying they will eventually start to kill each other. I'm now down to three so the "thinning of the herd" has begun. May well be something entirely different in your case.

 

[USMA36]

I started with 5 a year ago. 2 were killed off within a month. These 3 have been good for a year. It could be one of them, I’m. It sure. I have been watching but have not caught the offender. I also cannot catch he injured fish. He’s too quick.