Thrashed Cardinal Fish

ladygwen · 08-22-2007, 04:40 PM

Hi All

I have a 75G that beens set up since last Feb. All water paramters are good.

salinity - 1.025
ph -8.2 - 8.4
no2 - 0
no3 - 0
amm - 0

I have 1 false percula, 3 pajama cardinal a variety of corals, hermits, sexy shrimp, and nassarius. I had a tank blow out in June but since the tank was replaced everything has been just fine. That is until this afternoon. When I fed the fish last night everything was okay and also when the lights went out. The early this afternoon as the lights started coming up I did my usual check of everybody and notice my medium sized cardinal looks completely thrashed. His tail is shredded and it looks as though someone took a large chunk out of him between his dorsal fin and tail. Now everyone else looks just great as usual and we haven't added anything new to the tank in well over a month. I just don't know what to think of this ??? disease vs. butt kicking.

Any enlightenment would be appreciated
Thanks
Ladygwen

prow · 08-22-2007, 06:00 PM

got a pic? just a geuss but i think the clown did it.

CATALYST · 08-22-2007, 06:27 PM

I used to have a molly in with my clowns. The clowns chewed up his tail pretty good. Molly got banished back to the fresh tank after some tlc in the qt.

AQTCJAK · 08-22-2007, 08:47 PM

I would say a beating

prow · 08-22-2007, 11:26 PM

FYI, do try to keep the water parameters good, always of course, but more so now. with ripped up fins, no matter the cause, the fish is more susceptible to come down a fungal infection or other optunistic nasties. (because of the exposed tissue and the stress from whatever did cause the damage in the first place). dout you will have any issue, just be on the look out.

ladygwen · 08-22-2007, 11:36 PM

I would have a very hard time believing it was my clown as he is in no way aggressive and never has shown any signs of aggression. They were added to the tank 2 months apart, first the clown then the cardinals and have been together for a year. Since the first the clown was like oooh I have friends now. He started hanging around and even started schooling with them to the point that I would joke that I actually had 4 cardinals and that the clown was even starting to look like a cardinal. The most "aggression" the clown has ever shown is his "game" of occasioanlly plucking a snail off the glass and watching it fall to the sand.
As for a picture I have unfortunately been unable to get one as everytime he comes to the front of the tank and I go any where near the tank he goes to the back behind rock where I can't take a picture. BUt he does look quite bad, the spot between his dorsal fin and tail is basicallly splayed open. I was very concerned about disease but couldn't imagine a disease that would attack so aggresively overnight.
Any thoughts on what I might be able to do for him or if it's possible he could survive(by the way he wouldn't eat this evening)

Thanks for any and all suggestions and help
Ladygwen

prow · 08-22-2007, 11:46 PM

just because you have not seen any aggression does not mean its not happening. cardinals are nocturnal and may have wondered into the clowns area and got it when the clown noticed.
you discribe a splayed open. is it like a slash? you may have a mantis or a rough crab. do you hear any clicking at night?

ladygwen · 08-22-2007, 11:58 PM

It's not really a slash, it's more like a quite a large chunk has been taken out of that area and then what's left is splaying open. It's also pretty ragged edges.
Also no clicking at night.

Thanks You
Ladygwen

prow · 08-23-2007, 12:50 AM

cool, some good news. no mantis or crab, than, i am sticking with the clown did it.

CATALYST · 08-23-2007, 01:21 AM

I have pink skunk clowns...totally not aggressive...totally guilty. They do kinda have territories. Maybe the other fish got a little too nosey.

AQTCJAK · 08-23-2007, 01:55 AM

I would say the other PJC I have a rather large one in the shop that is very aggressive twards other fish

ladygwen · 08-25-2007, 01:29 AM

Sadly the cardinal succumbed to his injuries today. It is a sad day

Ladygwen

framerguy · 08-26-2007, 06:53 PM

Sorry for your loss ladygwen. You didn't mention a serpent star fish, do you have one? My serpent caught one of my cardinals and ate his tail down to the bone before the poor thing could get away. Mine has survived tailless though for about 5 weeks now. I can't catch the serpent or he would go in the fuge. Sorry again, I hate loosing any of my babies.

ladygwen · 08-27-2007, 10:43 PM

No, no stars, the only thing other than the fish & critters I had mentioned earlier is a pencil urchin. But I must say I am quite amazed that yours has survived for the past five weeks tailless. I think the biggest problem here was he was in shock, I could even entice him to eat. He went down hill very quickly.
I'm beginning to believe it was the large cardinal, but of course I'll never be sure
Thank You
Ladygwen

08-22-2007, 04:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
ladygwen Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Thrashed Cardinal Fish Hi All I have a 75G that beens set up since last Feb. All water paramters are good. salinity - 1.025 ph -8.2 - 8.4 no2 - 0 no3 - 0 amm - 0 I have 1 false percula, 3 pajama cardinal a variety of corals, hermits, sexy shrimp, and nassarius. I had a tank blow out in June but since the tank was replaced everything has been just fine. That is until this afternoon. When I fed the fish last night everything was okay and also when the lights went out. The early this afternoon as the lights started coming up I did my usual check of everybody and notice my medium sized cardinal looks completely thrashed. His tail is shredded and it looks as though someone took a large chunk out of him between his dorsal fin and tail. Now everyone else looks just great as usual and we haven't added anything new to the tank in well over a month. I just don't know what to think of this ??? disease vs. butt kicking. Any enlightenment would be appreciated Thanks Ladygwen __________________ GOT KILT ???

08-22-2007, 06:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,990 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish got a pic? just a geuss but i think the clown did it. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

08-22-2007, 06:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
CATALYST Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 978 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish I used to have a molly in with my clowns. The clowns chewed up his tail pretty good. Molly got banished back to the fresh tank after some tlc in the qt.

08-22-2007, 08:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,136 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish I would say a beating __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

08-22-2007, 11:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,990 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish FYI, do try to keep the water parameters good, always of course, but more so now. with ripped up fins, no matter the cause, the fish is more susceptible to come down a fungal infection or other optunistic nasties. (because of the exposed tissue and the stress from whatever did cause the damage in the first place). dout you will have any issue, just be on the look out. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

08-22-2007, 11:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
ladygwen Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish I would have a very hard time believing it was my clown as he is in no way aggressive and never has shown any signs of aggression. They were added to the tank 2 months apart, first the clown then the cardinals and have been together for a year. Since the first the clown was like oooh I have friends now. He started hanging around and even started schooling with them to the point that I would joke that I actually had 4 cardinals and that the clown was even starting to look like a cardinal. The most "aggression" the clown has ever shown is his "game" of occasioanlly plucking a snail off the glass and watching it fall to the sand. As for a picture I have unfortunately been unable to get one as everytime he comes to the front of the tank and I go any where near the tank he goes to the back behind rock where I can't take a picture. BUt he does look quite bad, the spot between his dorsal fin and tail is basicallly splayed open. I was very concerned about disease but couldn't imagine a disease that would attack so aggresively overnight. Any thoughts on what I might be able to do for him or if it's possible he could survive(by the way he wouldn't eat this evening) Thanks for any and all suggestions and help Ladygwen __________________ GOT KILT ???

08-22-2007, 11:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,990 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish just because you have not seen any aggression does not mean its not happening. cardinals are nocturnal and may have wondered into the clowns area and got it when the clown noticed. you discribe a splayed open. is it like a slash? you may have a mantis or a rough crab. do you hear any clicking at night? __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

08-22-2007, 11:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
ladygwen Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish It's not really a slash, it's more like a quite a large chunk has been taken out of that area and then what's left is splaying open. It's also pretty ragged edges. Also no clicking at night. Thanks You Ladygwen __________________ GOT KILT ???

08-23-2007, 12:50 AM	#9 (permalink)
prow Manta Ray Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 3,990 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish cool, some good news. no mantis or crab, than, i am sticking with the clown did it. __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

08-23-2007, 01:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
CATALYST Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 978 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish I have pink skunk clowns...totally not aggressive...totally guilty. They do kinda have territories. Maybe the other fish got a little too nosey.

08-23-2007, 01:55 AM	#11 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 7,136 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish I would say the other PJC I have a rather large one in the shop that is very aggressive twards other fish __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html

08-25-2007, 01:29 AM	#12 (permalink)
ladygwen Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish Sadly the cardinal succumbed to his injuries today. It is a sad day Ladygwen __________________ GOT KILT ???

08-26-2007, 06:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
framerguy Manta Ray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 3,526 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish Sorry for your loss ladygwen. You didn't mention a serpent star fish, do you have one? My serpent caught one of my cardinals and ate his tail down to the bone before the poor thing could get away. Mine has survived tailless though for about 5 weeks now. I can't catch the serpent or he would go in the fuge. Sorry again, I hate loosing any of my babies. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) Still Workin' on it! 375gDT built in wall, Gargantuan DIY Beckett Skimmer, 100g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, 30 gallon DSB/ cheatomorpha refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... chronicles-akwareum

08-27-2007, 10:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
ladygwen Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Thrashed Cardinal Fish No, no stars, the only thing other than the fish & critters I had mentioned earlier is a pencil urchin. But I must say I am quite amazed that yours has survived for the past five weeks tailless. I think the biggest problem here was he was in shock, I could even entice him to eat. He went down hill very quickly. I'm beginning to believe it was the large cardinal, but of course I'll never be sure Thank You Ladygwen __________________ GOT KILT ???

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