clown has fins torn.

[apu701]

ok i had a horrible sight when i turned on my lights today.

I got a RBTA a few days ago and it went into hiding in a cave. It ate a half of silverside the second day. Then i received a nice maroon from a fellow reefer for free. the second nite it started to host the RBTA. This morning when i looked the clown has his top, bottom and side fins all torn up.. i would say about 30% on both side.

I dont understand what could cause such damage?? i have no other fish except a watchman goby which is 2" long. THis maroon is about 4 inches. Also a cleaner shrimp.

i know even if the RBTA tried to eat it or something it might be like 1 fin on one side but this i BOTH sides, plus the top and bottom!! ***!!! its tail is perfectly ok..

i feel horrible bc i received this clown for free and i promised to take care of it.. i hope if that person i got it from is reading this that im sorry.. i didnt know this was gonna happen..

please help me... the maroon is kinda shy of the RBTA now, but i did see it trying to rub against it but now the clown is just swimming free on top.



any advice on how to proceed.. how long till fins grow? is there something else hiding in my sandbed or rocks such as mantis shrimp? i do hear like a clickin sound occationally but never seen it despite using red lights at night.. could this be it?

arrrgg.. angry, confused, and sad at the same time...

 

[gberry]

You mentioned that the nem had been hiding in a cave in your rock. Seeing how the clown is a decent size, is it possible that the nem is going into hiding and the clown is trying to get to it? I know when either of my anemones shrink up to purge in the evening, my maroons try to 'burrow' into them, almost like they're trying to force the anemone to open up again. If the cave that your anemone is withdrawing into is too small for the clown, it could be tearing it's fins up while 'digging' into the anemone. Is all the fin damage towards the front of the fish?

 

[apu701]

the cave was achually kinda big. the tail was ok... and the anemone was attached to the right side and plenty of room all around it.. there was a film over the clown's lateral lines on both sides.. could the anemone have stung him and then he freaked out and hit the walls or something? could this be brookanella? but it happened overnight. im still confused on what happened? thank you for replying..

 

[Reefynewby]

Interesting, but it's highly unlikely the nem coulda stung him
The clowns have a protective coat, and it's most likely like gberry said, hurting himself tryin to get in. I know that maroons are one of the roughest on their anemones, so he was tryin hard to get in probalby

 

[reefman13]

Well, I have a similar problem with my Maroon, (really small guy) and he is in my NC12 with a small FRIENDLY damsel, and I noticed that not keeping up on my water quality has led to his fin deterioration, I also am trying to bring my temp down significantly (It gets up to 88 degrees) and I have noticed that his pertains to it too.