Fatal fish injury from live rock

[Gaston1]

Can fish suffer a fatal injury from wedging themselves into sharp live rock? We have a new saltwater tank with live rock, and got a single Royal Gramma to start. 2 days later we found this small fish wedged under the rock, COMPLETELY GUTTED. It looked as though its belly had been cut with a knife. We are utterly stunned - what could have happened?

 

[Subsea]

Welcome to r2r.

I doubt that the fish gutted himself. Possibly a panicked fish would jam themselves between rocks, in that case abrasions to body may be seen. What else is in that tank and how long set up.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Fish swim in and out of reefs all the time, and they don't hurt themselves unless already sick.

How long has the tank been running?

 

[Gaston1]

Welcome to r2r.

I doubt that the fish gutted himself. Possibly a panicked fish would jam themselves between rocks, in that case abrasions to body may be seen. What else is in that tank and how long set up.

That's the thing - that fish was the ONLY animal in the tank. The only other thing would be some ravenous hitchhiker hidden in the live rock?!

 

[Gaston1]

Fish swim in and out of reefs all the time, and they don't hurt themselves unless already sick.

How long has the tank been running?

the tank has been running for about 4 weeks

 

[IslandLifeReef]

If you have true live rock, i.e. it came from the ocean and always stayed wet, then the most likely explanation is that the fish died and a scavenger hitchhiker took advantage of the situation and had a meal.

 

[Gaston1]

If you have true live rock, i.e. it came from the ocean and always stayed wet, then the most likely explanation is that the fish died and a scavenger hitchhiker took advantage of the situation and had a meal.

Fish swim in and out of reefs all the time, and they don't hurt themselves unless already sick.

How long has the tank been running?

about 4 weeks

 

[SlugSnorter]

If you have true live rock, i.e. it came from the ocean and always stayed wet, then the most likely explanation is that the fish died and a scavenger hitchhiker took advantage of the situation and had a meal.

if params were solid, and fish had no issues otherwise. I think it could be some nasty hiding out in the rocks.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

if params were solid, and fish had no issues otherwise. I think it could be some nasty hiding out in the rocks.

Yeah, it could be. However, they had the fish for 2 days. Hard to say that there were no issues with the fish. The tank is about 4 weeks old. Who knows about parameters.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Params? did you acclimate the fish?

 

[gbroadbridge]

the tank has been running for about 4 weeks

Sorry about the fish, but 4 weeks is much too soon for a Royal Gramma.

At that point, even if cycled, you're not much past the snail and crab stage, or maybe a single clownfish.

How are you checking Ammonia and salinity?
If you are using an API test kit, please get a reliable ammonia test such as Red Sea.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

People trip and fall, bang into stuff. Gravity and motion happen as we go about our daily lives and physics determines winners and losers. Fish swim about and can bump into corals or rock esp if they get startled and dart unexpectedly. Happened before in my reef. Eye injuries. Also lost a bimac in the rocks. Wedged. Happens. Rare but possible.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

If that is gulf live rock I'd be checking for mantis shrimp and gorilla crabs.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I did battle w a gorilla crab many moons ago and it bent my elven skewer rendering it useless, despite rolling for initiative I did later prevail w my +5 holy avenger. dang that beast.