Mysteriously Gutted Gramma....?!

Gaston1 · Mar 30, 2022

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? He was the ONLY animal in the tank....could it be there is some sadistic hitchhiker hiding in the new live rock that could have done this?!

SlugSnorter · Mar 30, 2022

Gaston1 said:
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? He was the ONLY animal in the tank....could it be there is some sadistic hitchhiker hiding in the new live rock that could have done this?!

yup, if the fish was gutted, it is likey you have some nasty ******* in there. Did you cure the rocks? also, check at night to see activity.

SlugSnorter · Mar 30, 2022

Gaston1 said:
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? He was the ONLY animal in the tank....could it be there is some sadistic hitchhiker hiding in the new live rock that could have done this?!

did you not see the fish for a bit and moved the rocks around?

gavinz · Mar 30, 2022

SlugSnorter said:
yup, if the fish was gutted, it is likey you have some nasty ******* in there. Did you cure the rocks? also, check at night to see activity.

Following this because I’m curious as to what you’ll find!

Timfish · Mar 30, 2022

Live rock will have scavengers like bristle worms small shrimp and crabs, all will start feeding on the carcass of a dead fish. As far as to why your fish died it may have already had a problem before you added it to your system, it's just one of those things we can't ever be sure of.

Sharkbait19 · Mar 30, 2022

Welcome to the forum - sorry it was under these circumstances.
You will find a predator if there was one.
More likely it was what @Timfish said and the fish does, probably to disease or poorly acclimating to the tank.
The clean up crew or whatever was in the rock played cleanup.