What do I do now?

LALA123196 · Oct 8, 2020

In the beginning: Set up new 55gal, transferred engineer goby, pink basslet (dottyback?) and live rock from existing tank. Tomato clown had been acting strangely and had large patches of white, so I left him. (I couldn't get him out earlier.)

I then noticed goby's tail was injured - thought maybe it was hurt during transfer.

Added coral beauty, little striped blenny and a hawkfish a week later. Within a day or two, the coral beauty had a big 1/8" white spot near its gill. (Since hawkfish was charging at everyone in the tank, I thought maybe it was a bite.)

Now: It has been about 3 wks. Engineer is acting crazy; it swims erratically, tail still looks like a fresh bloody injury and he hasn't eaten much. Yesterday, he laid motionless, over a rock for about two hours. Thought he was a goner, but when I went to scoop him out, he went back to crazy swimming. The coral beauty's spot is better some days. But other days, there are two spots. Missing a couple of scales on the other side. Everyone else seems ok, but pink basslet (dottyback?) remains terrified of watchman and barely comes out to eat.

Any suggestions???

Jay Hemdal · Oct 8, 2020

Hi, welcome to Reef2Reef!

Well, I say welcome, but really, your's is a tough case! There seem to be a number of issues going on, and they may not be all that related.

What ended up happening to the tomato clown?
What the engineer goby has may have begun as an injury, but now is a systemic bacterial infection. Can you move it to a treatment tank?
Can you post your water quality parameters? Probably not an issue, but I want to rule that out.
Is the coral beauty still feeding ok?
I'm not sure, is the striped blenny=watchman?
Are you sure the hawkfish isn't harassing the dottyback?

Jay

LALA123196 · Oct 10, 2020

Jay Hemdal said:
Hi, welcome to Reef2Reef!

Well, I say welcome, but really, your's is a tough case! There seem to be a number of issues going on, and they may not be all that related.

What ended up happening to the tomato clown?
What the engineer goby has may have begun as an injury, but now is a systemic bacterial infection. Can you move it to a treatment tank?
Can you post your water quality parameters? Probably not an issue, but I want to rule that out.
Is the coral beauty still feeding ok?
I'm not sure, is the striped blenny=watchman?
Are you sure the hawkfish isn't harassing the dottyback?

Jay

Hi Jay, thanks for the response!
1.) I had been advised to freshwater dip the clown. Which I did - 3 mins in 50/50 solution. He was in horrible shape and died within a few hours.- see pic
2) E. Goby (Goby Wan Kenobi) ate more yesterday, but has since crammed himself in a rock crevasse. Hopefully he can get out! I will set up a QT tomorrow. I think you are right about the bacterial infection. He and the clown were always together.
3) pH=8.2, NH3=0, Nitrites=0, Nitrates=10ppm, Salinity=1.022
4) Coral beauty eating like a champ. Very camera shy, burning think I finally got a decent shot with my real camera...will post tomorrow. 5) Striped blenny is not a watchman. - see pic 6) Dottyback is definitely being bullied by the hawkfish. The others seem to ignore his charging and harassment. I've never had a mean one like this...