Mysteriously Gutted Gramma.....

[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?

 

[albano]

You sure that there’s not a crab hiding in the rocks

 

[stovenut]

What else is in the tank? Crabs? Critters?

 

[stovenut]

New tank... likely a stressed out fish. The fish died under the rock in hiding. Or the fish died and a critter took the fish under the rock to enjoy a fine meal. Sorry for your loss. Test your water parameters (nitrate, ammonia, phosphate) to make sure the tank is ready for it's first fish.

 

[Gaston1]

What else is in the tank? Crabs? Critters?

Nothing that we've seen so far....

 

[Gaston1]

You sure that there’s not a crab hiding in the rocks

if it is, it is hiding and must be no bigger than a sunflower seed....could that be it?