Who could kill my wrasse?

[VladimirE]

This morning I found one of my two McCoskeri Wrasses (female of the pair) on my sand bed. She was still alive (and even managed to swim when I reached to get her out), but her tail was completely missing, as well as flesh from back part of her body, leaving only spine sticking out - so it seems that something was eating her alive.

Among the suspects I have a young Tomini tang in my tank that is somewhat agressive but not too bad, a big acanthophyllia on a sand bed, a sand sifting goby (only fish in the tank that is active after lights out), a couple of big hermit crabs and a pistol shrimp.
It may be worth noting that a couple of weeks ago a yellow shrimp goby that was paired with the pistol shrimp also died for no apparent reasons, but it was not eaten or mutilated in any other way.

I'm trying to figure out what happened and if my other wrasse or a replacement goby that is in quarantine now are in danger.

 

[Doctorgori]

This morning I found one of my two McCoskeri Wrasses (female of the pair) on my sand bed. She was still alive (and even managed to swim when I reached to get her out), but her tail was completely missing, as well as flesh from back part of her body, leaving only spine sticking out - so it seems that something was eating her alive.

Among the suspects I have a young Tomini tang in my tank that is somewhat agressive but not too bad, a big acanthophyllia on a sand bed, a sand sifting goby (only fish in the tank that is active after lights out), a couple of big hermit crabs and a pistol shrimp.
It may be worth noting that a couple of weeks ago a yellow shrimp goby that was paired with the pistol shrimp also died for no apparent reasons, but it was not eaten or mutilated in any other way.

I'm trying to figure out what happened and if my other wrasse or a replacement goby that is in quarantine now are in danger.

Hmm now who amongst those listed has the attitude, tools and behavior to rip flesh like that? thing is, if one fish is holding a sucker tang mouth and another is holding a pair of crab pincers… dang, hard to say…

might have to call CSI Miami on this one

 

[J1a]

The other (male) wrasse is certainly one suspect.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Its fish among us

 

[Tamberav]

Wrasses do not pair... it's possible the female was starting to turn male (as most do in home aquaria) and the resident male took it out. Usually it is the female that takes the male out though.

 

[VladimirE]

Second wrasse sadly died today, this time the side was damaged. I noticed yesterday that it started hiding in the cave during the day and the side was wounded. I removed both hermit crabs just in case, but it seems that the wound got worse over night, and today the fish was dying. I don't think that the internals were visible yesterday, although I'm not sure because the fish was very reclusive.

 

[JPM San Diego]

a couple of big hermit crabs

Just how big were those hermit crabs? I have had bad luck with crabs that grow to significant size.
Even "vegetarian" crabs are opportunistic omnivores. IMO, if they can catch it, they will eat it.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’d say mantis, but you probably wouldn’t find bodies if it was.
Kinda looks like a uronema sore, though that mark looks more like an inflicted wound to me.
#fishmedic

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Second wrasse sadly died today, this time the side was damaged. I noticed yesterday that it started hiding in the cave during the day and the side was wounded. I removed both hermit crabs just in case, but it seems that the wound got worse over night, and today the fish was dying. I don't think that the internals were visible yesterday, although I'm not sure because the fish was very reclusive.

Ugh, that is an ugly lesion. How long have you had these fish? If less than a month or so, have you considered Uronema?

Jay

 

[VladimirE]

Ugh, that is an ugly lesion. How long have you had these fish? If less than a month or so, have you considered Uronema?

Jay

They lived one month in QT and two months in display, when the first one died. Second one died a month after the first. I believe uronema would have affected the chromis too?
Also, the first wrasse didn't have any lesions. It was a very disturbing alive half of a fish with a spine sticking out.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

They lived one month in QT and two months in display, when the first one died. Second one died a month after the first. I believe uronema would have affected the chromis too?
Also, the first wrasse didn't have any lesions. It was a very disturbing alive half of a fish with a spine sticking out.

No, It might not have spread to the chromis, Uronema isn't really contagious, the fish come in with it it seems. However, the time line here (3 months) seems too long to be Uronema....I just wanted to rule that out.

Jay