LCDRDATA
New member
Yesterday afternoon we got a 2" ocellated dragonet (aka skooter blenny) and brought him home to our 75 gallon reef tank. He was an early birthday present for my wife (birthday today). He settled right in and was soon working his way around a small area of the bottom processing the live sand - with the poofy little clouds of processed sand coming out of his gills we named him "puff." A couple of hours later he was working his way around the lower reaches of the live rock, just has happy as can be.
When I got home from work this evening, however, I found him perched (as if he were eating) on the screen just inside the mouth of the overflow to the sump. Sadly, he was not eating, he was dead - not at all a good birthday present!
Now for the questions. First, likely cause of death? He certainly seemed healthy enough both at the LFS (they'd had him for some time) and once we acclimated him and put him in the tank. Could he just not handle the constant flow/pounding once he got into the overflow? Second, reason he was in the overflow - is it more likely that he went in looking for food and couldn't get out, or that he was nearby and just got pulled in?
We'd like to get another one - my daughter was particularly taken with Puff for the brief period he was with us - but I wouldn't want his successor to end up the same way. I could probably get some screening across the very top of the overflow, but if he'd just get pinned to the top and beaten to death by the inflow then he'd better off at the LFS. I'm open to any experienced conjecture, suggestion, etc. Thanks!
When I got home from work this evening, however, I found him perched (as if he were eating) on the screen just inside the mouth of the overflow to the sump. Sadly, he was not eating, he was dead - not at all a good birthday present!
Now for the questions. First, likely cause of death? He certainly seemed healthy enough both at the LFS (they'd had him for some time) and once we acclimated him and put him in the tank. Could he just not handle the constant flow/pounding once he got into the overflow? Second, reason he was in the overflow - is it more likely that he went in looking for food and couldn't get out, or that he was nearby and just got pulled in?
We'd like to get another one - my daughter was particularly taken with Puff for the brief period he was with us - but I wouldn't want his successor to end up the same way. I could probably get some screening across the very top of the overflow, but if he'd just get pinned to the top and beaten to death by the inflow then he'd better off at the LFS. I'm open to any experienced conjecture, suggestion, etc. Thanks!
