Tang killed clown?

[DracoKat]

Hi all,

I added a squaretail bristletooth tang last night to my 75g.

Came home from work today to find one of my clowns missing. She didn't come out during feeding. Upon inspecting the tank, I found a piece of fin floating around. I can't find the body anywhere so I assume CUC cleaned it up quickly. I have to test for ammonia, I didn't do that yet.

I feel like the tang killed her.. possible? they were almost the same size and I had this clown for almost 4 years.

Tang is now in hiding, almost as if he's guilty. the other fish all seem OK, no wounds or torn fins. Male clown is OK but looks lonely.

What can I do to prevent the tang from killing another fish? If it was the tang? I can't prove it's the tang. any advice? I'd hate to rehome the tang.

 

[DracoKat]

the tang came out of hiding. no signs of struggle with him either. No torn fins or wounds

 

[rock_lobster]

I think clowns are usually more aggressive than tang.

 

[DracoKat]

I did notice the clown and tang giving each other a little chase last night. and found the tang in the clown's hiding spot. maybe they did fight and the tang won?

 

[rock_lobster]

fairly normal, from my experience its unlikely for a tang to kill an established clown fish. I could be wrong though I havent kept many tang.

 

[Tahoe61]

Did the clown wander into a power head while asleep.

 

[DracoKat]

its home is not near the powerhead, its on the opposite side. I have the maxspect gyre.. and it looks clean to me.

I keep hoping to see her hiding somewhere nursing her wounds.

 

[eatbreakfast]

It would be highly, highly unlikely that a new tang that is the same size of an established female clown would kill her in one night, if ever.

Territorial spats can happen, but are seldom fatal when between a clown and a tang.

Also, if it were the culprit it would assuredly not be having a guilty conscience.

 

[DracoKat]

ha, I didn't mean to imply that fish has a guilty conscience!

So it's possible the tang did NOT kill the clown? I wonder what happened to her- the tang was the newest thing added. everyone else has been with the clown for a while with no disputes that I am aware of.

I tested the water, everything is good. I can't find a body anywhere, just found a floating fin.

 

[Glasswalker]

I'd be skeptical of the tang killing the clown outright as well (in such a short time, at least unless the clown already had some issues going on that weakened her). But is it possible she was injured, and either:
A) Went carpet surfing as part of a chase (ie: do you have a tight fitting lid)
B) Is hiding in rock-work someplace not obvious as a result of injury?

Not surprising that the tang could injure the clown, surgeonfish do have the ability to severely injure a fish with their sharp tail fin, so that could explain the "spare" fin. Just surprising it would have killed it outright.

If the clown was killed, from what I understand it's not unheard-of for a fairly large fish body to disappear as a result of Bristleworms for example (pull the body under the sand bed and consume it). Not that I've personally experienced this. Though again, in a "business day" while you're at work, that still seems a bit "fast" for the whole sequence of events to go down.

Certainly interested to hear if you find her.

 

[DracoKat]

I have a screen top on my tank and I doubt she went carpet surfing. If she somehow did, then one of my cats ate her since I don't see anything around the tank near or far.
I even hunted in the sump, thinking maybe she somehow jumped into the overflow and got sucked into the sump. Not there either.
There are some lumps in sand that I can dig through later (making dinner, can't look now). I will see if a body turns up there.

I am still having hopes she's nursing her injuries somewhere deep in the rocks that I can't see. Tiny glimmer of hope. So tiny.

I have coris wrasse, exquisite wrasse, leopard wrasse, red-head solon wrasse and (3) barred gobies, along with the male clown. I doubt any of these guys would kill her? No one has any hints of damaged fins.

 

[Darth George]

Did the clown wander into a power head while asleep.

I was wondering.

 

[DracoKat]

I was wondering.

it was actually one of my thoughts too. I really don't think she can get caught in it. she's too big for the gyre. and don't see anything there either

 

[Darth George]

it was actually one of my thoughts too. I really don't think she can get caught in it. she's too big for the gyre. and don't see anything there either

Interesting. Coincidence maybe?

 

[Tahoe61]

What types of snails do you keep and other inverts?
Did you start with dry rock or live rock?

 

[DracoKat]

I started with dry rock. Doubtful of hitchhikers.

I have 2 or 3 tiny blue legged hermit crabs. Handful of dwarf ceriths, one small fighting conch (about an inch big), 4 or 5 nessarious snails, and two other kinds I can't think of the name. I don't think I have enough CUC for a 75g tank, actually.

I also have a coral banded shrimp, and a tiny serpent star (who barely has legs, they're growing back. doubt it's him either). Had them both for about a month now.
and an emerald crab that I've had for almost 2 years. Rock Boring Sea Urchin that's also about 2 years old as well.

I prodded through the sand with my poker. I didn't turn up a body. then again, I didn't do a very thorough search.
ammonia levels is 0, along with Nitrate and Nitrites.

 

[DracoKat]

I do have a long tenticle plate coral, about 3"wide at the base. Is it possible it could've killed her? Though I've never seen my clowns near it (had it for about 2 weeks now)