what is wrong with my firefish?

[kwandrsn]

I noticed my firefish isn't swimming around like he used to

I noticed his fins look tore up or something



Only thing new in my tank is a pistol shrimp

I also have 2 clowns and 2 chromis

 

[Supa Belle]

The chromis might be picking on him

 

[kwandrsn]

I've never seen any of the fish attack each other though. Could the pistol shrimp have done it?

Also the fins are ripped off as you can see in the pics. can he heal. What should I put in the water as in medications?

I don't have a quarantine tank and I would never be able to get him out without removing all my live rock. if you get close he darts into the rocks

 

[Supa Belle]

It's possible the shrimp tried to get him u can buy a stress coat with aloe and treat the whole tank it won't hurt the corals

 

[kwandrsn]

Abut particular brand? I have api stress zyme for our fresh tank. I'll but whatever I need tomorrow though I really like him I hope he can make it. He ate fine tonight. He is low in a lower flow area and I have only one pump on

 

[Supa Belle]

Yea that will work as long as it has aloe in it the saltwater one won't make as many bubbles/suds but u can use the one u have

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok thank you I will add some. Anything else I need to get? Will he grow new fins? Part of them are completely gone

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok I'm going to buy stress coat. That won't harm my coral right. I have over 25 types of coral and can't afford to replace them. Ya know what I mean

 

[kwandrsn]

Anyone else have any opinions

 

[Supa Belle]

Yea, his fins will grow back get the saltwater api stress coat with aloe and treat your tank a few more times it may take a few weeks but his fins will come back, I got a small blue velvet cause I felt sorry for it it was in a small cube at a LFS and they sold him to me for $5 cause the marroon clown 5x it's size was trying to eat him

 

[kwandrsn]

Well no sign of the firefish this morning :-(

 

[Supa Belle]

I hope he just found a hideing place and is safe

 

[kwandrsn]

I tore all my live rock apart. No sign of anything. Is it possible for the shrimp to eat whole fish in a night?

 

[Supa Belle]

Yea if he woulda died the shrimp woulda ate him they are scavengers

 

[Sniperhank]

Either way, the issue was not caused by the pistol shrimp. Those guys are harmless. It is more likely the chromis are the culprits in this case. If this happens again, I'd look right back at them. In terms of fins healing, just keeping your parameters perfect they will heal. There isn't a need to add chemicals to your tank when weekly water changes that you already do will fix it.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok I talked to the lfs I purchased it from and they are very sure the shrimp ate it. They had it there for quite some time and he said they seen it always pushing other shrimp and fish out of the rocks and that the firefish I had stayed in the rock and the shrimp didn't like it. I tore my tank apart and there wasn't even a trace of the fish. They also told me to bring it back in the morning and they put a firefish and a six line wrasse they had in a tank together on hold for me so I'm a little happier

 

[Sniperhank]

Glad you are getting a new fish...but it is highly unlikely a peaceful shrimp did the deed.

 

[kwandrsn]

He wasn't very peaceful from what I can see. They explained that the firefish was living where the shrimp wanted to and the firefish wouldn't leave. It was a Michaels shrimp

 

[kwandrsn]

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/245614-caution-red-pistol-shrimp-may-be-sketchy/