Help with diagnosis - first death :-(

[findingsimple]

Woke up to my first tank death.

I added a few (5) Dispar Anthias early on. They’ve been a happy inquisitive bunch. A few weeks back the larger ones started flashing their dorsal fins and displaying behavior trying to figure out who would be the male.

Shortly after the largest started hiding in a cave for a few days and emerged with a shorted tail (very red) and slight change color. My assumption was it was going through a transition to being the male as I’ve seen a few photos where the boys had a longer red tail - It started eating more consistently again and being more active

Fast forward a few more days I woke up this morning to

(the white flecks are sand)

The smallest of the anthias has started displaying the same behavior now - so I’m going to presume that my assumption about transitioning to male was incorrect and something else very wrong is happening.

In terms of tank mates I have
* 2 clowns (both quite placid)
* lawnmower blennie (only seems aggressive to the rocks lol)
* juvenile mimic tang
* fairy wrasse
* flasher wrasse
* bunch of varieties of snails

All seem a ok/ happy/playing/eating - don’t look sick in any way

thoughts? Ideas?

I am going to try and move the small anthia to a hospital tank this morning just in case

thanks in advance

 

[threebuoys]

Pictures of the other fish still alive will be very helpful in diagnosis. The tail is clearly gone in the photo. Diagnosis based on a photo of the dead fish is very difficult however. My guess is the shortened tail you observed prior to death may has been due to injury or infection. However, nothing jumps to the top of the list based on the photo.

Have you noticed any heavy breathing, open wounds, or aggression between tank mates?

 

[findingsimple]

I had an issue a while back where my flame hawk was nipping my tang but the flame hawk was moved to his own tank (so it can’t be it) but otherwise nothing.

My only thoughts on that front is it is either in fighting with the anthias or the mimic tang at night.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Woke up to my first tank death.

I added a few (5) Dispar Anthias early on. They’ve been a happy inquisitive bunch. A few weeks back the larger ones started flashing their dorsal fins and displaying behavior trying to figure out who would be the male.

Shortly after the largest started hiding in a cave for a few days and emerged with a shorted tail (very red) and slight change color. My assumption was it was going through a transition to being the male as I’ve seen a few photos where the boys had a longer red tail - It started eating more consistently again and being more active

Fast forward a few more days I woke up this morning to

(the white flecks are sand)

The smallest of the anthias has started displaying the same behavior now - so I’m going to presume that my assumption about transitioning to male was incorrect and something else very wrong is happening.

In terms of tank mates I have
* 2 clowns (both quite placid)
* lawnmower blennie (only seems aggressive to the rocks lol)
* juvenile mimic tang
* fairy wrasse
* flasher wrasse
* bunch of varieties of snails

All seem a ok/ happy/playing/eating - don’t look sick in any way

thoughts? Ideas?

I am going to try and move the small anthia to a hospital tank this morning just in case

thanks in advance

These guys do fight in groups and you may see occasional chasing. two males will be a little war. The tail looks like that of aggression damage as it does not signify tail rot and the hiding speaks for itself- either fear or illness.

 

[findingsimple]

Thank you @vetteguy53081 @threebuoys I'll run with the aggression angle and see if I can figure out what's happening with some hidden camera action if I get a chance

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you @vetteguy53081 @threebouys I'll run with the aggression angle and see if I can figure out what's happening with some hidden camera action if I get a chance

Was going to mention, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a jerk at feeding time.
Review the video and see who it may be

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

+1 on this seeming to be aggression damage followed by possible secondary bacterial infection. Do the tails on all the other anthias look whole?
Jay

 

[findingsimple]

+1 on this seeming to be aggression damage followed by possible secondary bacterial infection. Do the tails on all the other anthias look whole?
Jay

Yes the other anthias (except for the little one I mentioned) look fine.

 

[findingsimple]

Just a video from this morning to show the tail/s of the little one and others

 

[findingsimple]

Little guy actually lost an eye overnight and I never noticed

Shall see what tonight brings

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Little guy actually lost an eye overnight and I never noticed

Shall see what tonight brings

Eye loss can also be from aggression.

Jay

 

[findingsimple]

Partner witnessed what can only be described as a ufc cage fight between 1 of the anthias and the mimic tang at bedtime in one of the caves.

Poor, innocent baby tang that was being picked on has become the bully it seems.

Pretty impressive for a juvenile mimic tang to be causing that much damage to bigger fish