Need some help please

[mx51]

This morning when the lights in my tank turned on and my fire fish came out I saw a big chunk missing on the side of him. Like something bit him....
We only have a pink spotted watchman goby , a fire fish and a purple fire fish.
Would anybody no what could of bit him???? We do have a lot of Bristol worms and some of them live right where the fire fish sleep. We no we have. A Pistol shrimp but we haven't seen him but we no he is in there.
Thank you for any help!!!!!

 

[mx51]

Here is a picture of it

 

[mx51]

Sorry it's up side down

 

[pyithar]

i'm guessing the purple firefish

 

[dfm34]

Just out if curiosity where is your live rock from?? Could you have a mantis shrimp or other hitchhiker you are not aware of. You could stake out your tank a hour or so after lights out with a red lens flash light you might find out that way. Only a suggestion but hope it helps. Good luck.

 

[mx51]

My live rock is from Tampa bay saltwater I could be wrong but I don't think I have a mantis... My wife watches the tank every night when the lights go out with a flashlight with red lens. If something came out and showed its self believe me she would not miss it... Lol
I got to looking at my purple fire fish today and he/she looks pregnant, is this possible? If so would the babies survive?

 

[Jritter02]

Won't bristle worms eat fish?

 

[coralsnaked]

Fire fish do not get pregnant and give birth to live fry as some fish do. I doubt you would even notice the females abdomen swell with eggs. It only swells for less than 24 hours before she would release the eggs. Unfortunately a large abdomen could be the sign of an intestinal bacteria.

 

[mx51]

Fire fish do not get pregnant and give birth to live fry as some fish do. I doubt you would even notice the females abdomen swell with eggs. It only swells for less than 24 hours before she would release the eggs. Unfortunately a large abdomen could be the sign of an intestinal bacteria.

So does this mean there is something bad in my tank? Where does the bacteria come from,and how do I get rid of it?

 

[mx51]

Won't bristle worms eat fish?

My understanding is bristle worms can eat fish, but my question would be can they bite or take a chunk out of a fish?

 

[Teenreefer15]

Bristle worms can eat fish but I doubt it was them. Maybe the pistol shrimp is still alive or you could have some nasty hitchhikers from the live rock. Besides that I don't really know what to say.

 

[Sk8r]

Bristleworms can only eat fish if they're rotting and slimy with mold. They have no jaws, just sucking tubes to suck up slime. Innocent, in this.

That sort of wound is usually made by a crab or a pistol shrimp or mantis shrimp.

 

[mx51]

Thank you sk8r for the info that is very helpful. But now I am really interested in this bacteria my purple fire fish could have? Where would it come from,is it something bad in my tank or am I feeding the wrong foods?
Thank you for any help