Looks like my firefish took a beating

[sturner91]

Not sure what happened but came home to my firefish limping along. I assume it was some hermit crabs because I have been seeing them go towards him when he touches down.
It's a sad day to see him like this. This was my girlfriends fish. I've caught him and put him in isolation but I do not forsee a recovery from this. Disregard the dirty glass. Tank is undergoing some changes. I cleaned after I relocated him.

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[taby15]

It will heal but I don't think it will ever be the same

 

[juniorrocketdad]

It should be fine just get rid of those hermits

 

[Half Vaped]

I've seen fish beat up as badly recover. But their fins don't always end up quite the same as before. Dosing its food with Selcon and vitamins may help it recover faster.

How much are you feeding it? It has a pinched stomach which could be internal parasites. Prazi-pro may help.

 

[sturner91]

As of now i am working on cutting back feeding due to over feeding the tank. He's the most scared in the tank. Barely ever comes out, almost always in the rocks hiding.

Any suggestions on what to dose food for healing? We'll see if he makes it thru the night. Not looking too good, barely moving

 

[CoralsAddiction]

I've seen a helfrichi and purple firefishes come back from worse. It will be fine.

 

[supscribe]

Damn what a bad day that fish had I hope it pulls through

 

[ThRoewer]

That doesn't look like the damage a hermit would do but rather like it was done by another fish. What other fish do you have in there?

 

[humaguy]

That doesn't look like the damage a hermit would do but rather like it was done by another fish. What other fish do you have in there?

This....

 

[madweazl]

That doesn't look like the damage a hermit would do but rather like it was done by another fish. What other fish do you have in there?

Agreed

 

[sturner91]

Blue hippo, bi color angel, sailfin tang, a wrasse, some chromois, a watchman goby and a bullet goby. The angel has always been territorial to new fish being added but fish that were already there he was accepting of. The angel went right after the hippo and the sail when I put them in, but they quickly proved their place.

Unfortunately the firefish did not make it thru the night. If you guys are thinking it's a fish rather then hermit then I would lean towards the angel. I was seeing hermits attempt to climb on the firefish and start picking at it not sure if that was because the damage was already done or what. But as of this morning the firefish has been flushed due to no movement, eyes filmed over and stiff.

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[juniorrocketdad]

If I had to bet I would bet on the sailfin tang

 

[sde1500]

If hermits did that then something was already wrong with the fish. Tang or Angel more likely.

 

[sturner91]

If I had to bet I would bet on the sailfin tang

You think the sailfin, why? That was the most recent fish I added. I've never witnessed any aggressive activity from that fish, just from the angel. And like I said that Angel is darting for any new fish added. The tank originally started with the firefish, 2 clowns and the watchman.

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[juniorrocketdad]

Ime angels are usually peaceful, zebrasoma tangs are very active and territorial, a slow moving firefish is an easy victim

 

[snorvich]

That doesn't look like the damage a hermit would do but rather like it was done by another fish. What other fish do you have in there?

Exactly. That supposition is supported by its reclusive behavior.

 

[sturner91]

Ime angels are usually peaceful, zebrasoma tangs are very active and territorial, a slow moving firefish is an easy victim

Odd, because my angel is the most aggressive fish in my tank. Thing went right after my blue hippo once I put it in and same with the sailfin. It damaged my sailfin a little bit but she's proven her ground now and is recovering fine.

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[Half Vaped]

As of now i am working on cutting back feeding due to over feeding the tank. He's the most scared in the tank. Barely ever comes out, almost always in the rocks hiding.

Any suggestions on what to dose food for healing? We'll see if he makes it thru the night. Not looking too good, barely moving

I find that small, frequent feedings help reduce aggression, to some degree. In both my freshwater and saltwater tanks, I find that fish are more likely to beat up on each other after a day or two of "fasting" (a.k.a. too lazy to feed the tank).

Instead of big, once or twice a day feedings, try feeding smaller amounts throughout the day. Look up carbon dosing and algae scrubbers if you need help with nutrient control. Hungry fish are angry fish.

 

[sturner91]

I find that small, frequent feedings help reduce aggression, to some degree. In both my freshwater and saltwater tanks, I find that fish are more likely to beat up on each other after a day or two of "fasting" (a.k.a. too lazy to feed the tank).

Instead of big, once or twice a day feedings, try feeding smaller amounts throughout the day. Look up carbon dosing and algae scrubbers if you need help with nutrient control. Hungry fish are angry fish.

So I usually feed on average one to two pinches per day. That would vary from flake food to pellet or frozen. I actually just installed an algae scrubber and am in the beginning process of algae growth. But I made my tank go blackout for two days with 0 feeding because I accidently put too much reef roids in the tank, the next day I had a nice cyano carpet. Unfortunately I haven't been able to do a water change yet, that's tomorrow's project.

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[Half Vaped]

Depending how big your pinch is, you may be underfeeding your tank. Reef fishes can put away a surprising amount of food. If your Angels, Tangs and Wrasse are properly fed, their stomachs should be obviously rounded, but not overly so. Definitely not concave like in the picture of your Firefish.

If you found your Firefish beat up immediately after the blackout, I would suspect the aggression was brought on by insufficient feeding.