My fish vanished...

[twps]

Too funny, Biff.

PRC - I'm not surprised by what happened. Just amazed at the reactions of the critters, that's all.

I know my dog has a personality, but I didn't know fish did.

 

[VAreef]

It is obvious what happened.

The two of them got wrapped up in the heat of the moment. Their energies were feeding off of each other. And before they knew it, they had murdered an innocent fish.

They were shocked at what they had just done. Could it really be possible? Were they really monsters? Or were they just two excitable fish, swept away in the spur of the moment bloodlust in which they found themselves, uncontrollably, wrapped up.

They couldn't even look each other in the eyes. They knew what they had done, but couldn't confront it. So they went their separate ways, to their caves, to deal with their agony alone. The guilt from what they had done continued to eat away at them from the inside out. They were consumed by these feelings of sorrow. Oh, what ever could possess them to dispatch of their damsel comrade in such a way?!?!

Unable to eat, unable to move, paralyzed by the fear, guilt and sadness, the two damsels remained, alone, terrified of who they had become.

OK seriously too much CSI. It's a good show and all...

 

[Bifferwine]

I don't watch CSI. That's all my imagination right there.

 

[VAreef]

Oh you dont know what your missing. CSI has to be the all time best shows ever.

That reminded me of when they are recreating the murder though

 

[andysgirl8800]

clicking....yeah, I was thinking that too

 

[Holby_cat]

Biff you may have too much time on your hands just throwing that out there!

 

[twps]

Update - The yellow tails continue to act very strange. The larger is swimming vertically (nose straight up) usually with one side against the glass. They're both staying in one spot mostly together, not eating. I've been able to get a closer look at them and they're beaten up, scales missing near their tails. They're sitting in one spot for so long that any sand particles stick to them. At first I feared this was Ich, but when they swim you can see it's sand or debris that falls off, and it's usually only on their heads.

 

[andysgirl8800]

And you haven't seen (or heard) any evidence of a predator?

 

[twps]

Nothing at all. I've done more research on damsel behaviour, and I'm almost certain from the behaviour they displayed they were trying to establish territory. They'd back up to each other and fan their tails then nip each other. The domino liked to tease the larger one who hid all the time by popping into his cave, then he'd get chased out. So I'm guessing they teamed up and attacked him. No signs anywhere of the domino or a predator... And no clicking. (I must admit that took me some time to understand what was meant - mantis shrimp, right?)

 

[Navarchus]

Do you have an anemone? I had a carpet anemone eat my fish before. Even hairy mushrooms can do it, so i've been told.

 

[Bifferwine]

It sounds like your fish are just beating each other up. If you want to save them, you will have to separate them. This is why it's not a good idea to try to keep damsels in a community tank.

 

[PRC]

Have you tested your water? What are your levels at?

 

[twps]

No carpet anemone. Some hermits, snails, 2 yellow tail damsels, a red star fish, and a diamond goby I added last night in hopes to whiten my sand.

Water parameters:
PH 8.2
Nitrate 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Amonia 0ppm
Salinity 1.026 (I expect adding some fresh RO water will reduce this)

That's all my test kit tests for, should I be testing for more? (ie. Calcium, Alkalinity)

 

[Bifferwine]

Your salinity is perfect at 1.026. That's the salinity of natural seawater in most corals reefs in the ocean.

Everything else looks great too. You shouldn't have to test for calcium now -- that won't make a difference. But alkalinity is important. Hopefully the damsels won't bother the goby. They are hardy fish, but have a tendency to jump.

 

[PRC]

Is your sand still brown?

 

[twps]

I just walked in the door to find my new goby doing his thing cleaning the sand. He hid last night after being introduced. It's getting cleaner!

 

[PRC]

Great! Is he cleaning the diatoms?

 

[twps]

Looks like it to me, to the best of my knowledge.

What does marine ich (SP?) really look like? The little blue damsel looks good, the big one, not so much. I think it's just sand, because he likes to hide in the rocks where it blows around a bit, but hard to tell.

 

[Bifferwine]

Ich will be obvious -- white spots all over the body of the fish.