Dead Coral Beauty

[albert]

Found morning my Coral Beauty (Centropyge bispinosus) dead with a hole in stomach. The hole edges are very clean like cut with a sharp instrument. Could it be result of some parasitic disease or were he possibly killed by crabs or CBS? At least two days ago he was swimming as usual, can't remember whether i saw him yesterday or not

[quarryshark]

Wow, sorry for your loss. Not sure what killed him, but the hole could be the clean up crew going to work.
Not sure, just a possiblilty.

[albert]

Originally Posted by quarryshark

but the hole could be the clean up crew going to work.

Quite possible, there was couple of hermits duty with his body when I took it out. They probably attack the weakest point of the prey first. I'd never saw this before 8O

[fishfreek]

Its very hard to tell if that was the cause but if you ahve a good established tank with a hermits, shrimp expecially the CBS, and bristleworms its almost impossible to find a dead fish before they get first dibs. THe fish has lots of color to it and thats not something normally found on dead fish so I would be inclinded to belive it died very recently.

How well was it eating? From your first photo it looks like it was eating well.

[albert]

Originally Posted by fishfreek

Its very hard to tell if that was the cause but if you ahve a good established tank with a hermits, shrimp expecially the CBS, and bristleworms its almost impossible to find a dead fish before they get first dibs.

I got him three weeks ago. Here's the picture taken next day after introducing. Yes, I have two fire shrimps, one skunk and CBS, about 30 hermits, 30 snails and a black banded serpent star Ophiolepis superba, sure they will take care of victim immediately.

Originally Posted by fishfreek

THe fish has lots of color to it and thats not something normally found on dead fish so I would be inclinded to belive it died very recently.

How well was it eating? From your first photo it looks like it was eating well.

I found the body in the morning in the Sinularia (bottom left corner on the picture below), which means that it happened inbetween 1 and 8 AM. When I went to bed nothing unusual were seen.

How well it was eating is little bit hard to tell, because it didn't take any supplemental food like most of my other fishes, but still was always picking algae from LR and tank walls. Maybe it took spirulina flakes too, but it was almost all the time hiding behind and in the rockwork, so can't confirm that.

[Atari]

Sorry for your loss

BTW- Beautiful tank! 8O How long have you had the Idol?

[albert]

Originally Posted by Atari

How long have you had the Idol?

Three weeks also, it came along with Coral Beauty RIP.

[indy]

That is a nice looking tank. How long has it been setup?

[albert]

Originally Posted by indy

How long has it been setup?

Three months. Actually this is an upgrade from my old 100 g tank. Initially I moved part of sand and LR from old to new setup, added 25 lb new live sand to refugium and 125 lb new LR. After two weeks the cycling was finished, then I moved rest of sand and LR along with all other habitants.

It has been very stable, even after adding lot of fishes three weeks ago. The biological filtration with LR and DSB in refugium seems to work very well. I'm cultivating Caulerpa in refugium as well, so no nitrates are detectable.

Almost forgot, in the refugium there is living my favorite creature - the peacock mantis! 8)

[lando]

Sorry to hear about your coral beauty. Great looking tanks though! Good luck with the Morish Idol. Sadly, they only live a couple of months in captivity. I hope yours is the exception and not the rule. Best of luck! Lando

[quarryshark]

Wow, cool Mantis!! Its ashame they are so nasty.
Nice pic!!

[albert]

Originally Posted by lando

Good luck with the Morish Idol. Sadly, they only live a couple of months in captivity. I hope yours is the exception and not the rule. Best of luck! Lando

Why? Do you have personal experience with Moorish Idol?

If you mean feeding problems, then mine is the best eater I'm ever seen. It eats absolutely all I'm offering, except sponges, many times referred to as the native main food for Idols. BTW, I have lot of various sponges in the tank. All other fishes are acting peaceful toward him, so I don't see any problem... still... knock, knock, knock

[albert]

Originally Posted by quarryshark

Wow, cool Mantis!! Its ashame they are so nasty.
Nice pic!!

Nasty
I found mantis the most intelligent and fascinating creature in my tank

More my mantis pictures and videos available <<here>>

[kenor33]

thats one sharp a$$ Tank

[lando]

Albert...I have not had any first hand experience with the Moorish Idol. I have never considered even housing one of these fish. I can only pass along what I have read here and heard from others. There is something we are missing with these fish. Something we have not figured out yet. Your story starts as many others did. The fish eats great, looks great, and acts great. Then without warning...dead. Large public aquariums even consider this fish very challenging to keep, and many are unsuccessful at it. I am in no way trying to dampin your spirits or look down on you for getting one, just sharing a little of what I have heard. BTW, your pics are great! Good luck and keep us posted...Lando

[quarryshark]

[quote="albert"]

Originally Posted by quarryshark

Wow, cool Mantis!! Its ashame they are so nasty.
Nice pic!!

Nasty
I found mantis the most intelligent and fascinating creature in my tank
quote]

Nasty, yes they have been know to wipe out entire tanks. No too keen to find one munching one of my fish. That being said.
I have nothing against them, in fact I was slightly dissapointed that I havn't gotten one on any of my rock. I had my 10 gallon standing be just in case.