Tailspot head injury

[Remi]

Dear,

Do you think the head injury can be from another tailspot (same size) or by hitting a rock? I notice it yesterday afternoon and it was dead this morning.

 

[Reef.]

My guess and it’s totally a guess would be its more likely to be a collision with a rock or the tank, fish I believe would tend to bite the tail or fins, don’t think they go for the head generally.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Dear,

Do you think the head injury can be from another tailspot (same size) or by hitting a rock? I notice it yesterday afternoon and it was dead this morning.

This looks more like injury than infection, but subject to infection
It should heal on its own, however keep an eye on for healing and not soreness
If infected, treat in a separate tank with seachem neoplex

 

[Remi]

This looks more like injury than infection, but subject to infection
It should heal on its own, however keep an eye on for healing and not soreness
If infected, treat in a separate tank with seachem neoplex

Thank you for your time and reply. Unfortunately it died this morning before I wake up. It was eating fine before night and went to its cave for sleep.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for your time and reply. Unfortunately it died this morning before I wake up. It was eating fine before night and went to its cave for sleep.

Oh no- sorry to hear

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for your time and reply. Unfortunately it died this morning before I wake up. It was eating fine before night and went to its cave for sleep.

While that does look like an injury, think about the logistics of the fish self-damaging: coral reef fish have evolved to live safely in close contact with coral and rocks. Especially blennies that spend so much time in contact with the bottom - they are just NOT prone to "running into things". About the only time you will see that is if somebody really frightens them by pounding on the tank or something. Even then, a little fish like this does not have the body mass to cause serious injury to itself, to the point of dying overnight.

Did you see any aggression between the two blennies? I've always kept just one to a tank because I presumed they are territorial.

Jay

 

[Remi]

Thank you. To give you a better context, one was bought and the second came as hitchhiker from a live rock I bought at another LFS. There were together since 3 weeks, they are territorial. One submitted to the other. Aggression were very little, mainly 3/5 visits per day when the dominant was putting himself perpendicular to the submitted. It is for this reason I wanted opinions from others, as I have difficulty to believe the other could have bite him like this on the head. I am assuming injury too of course by being frightened by a fish (tailspot or other). Also the new cave it chose had like a small rock peak where it could potentially injured.