Strange things happening to Caribbean Fish

[billi jack]

Recently I've had a Bi-Color Pseudochromis and a Royal Gramma die on me.
They were not in the tank together. About a month ago I found my Royal
Gramma (which I had kept healthy for six months) stuck between 2 pieces of
live rock. He was dead. The strange thing was he was stuck head first
between the 2 rocks. I really had to pull on it to get it unweged. It was
really strange. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the
fish committed suicide. The carcass showed no signs of disease and he ate
fine earlier that night.
I replaced the Royal Gramma with a Bi-Color Pseudochromis. He has been
doing fine and today I saw its rear fin sticking out a hole in the rock. It
was the same deal, he was wedged in there and I really had to pull to get it
out. The fish was dead but it showed no signs of disease or trauma. All
the other livestock is doing well in the tank. The other fish are a flame
hawk, maroon clown, damsel, and a Yellow watchman goby. I also have a
cleaner shrimp.
Does anyone have any ideas on why these fish seem to be acting this way to
cause them to die?

[Pszemol]

"billi jack" > wrote in message ...
> I really had to pull on it to get it unweged. It was
> really strange. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the
> fish committed suicide. The carcass showed no signs of disease and he ate
> fine earlier that night.

Did you move rocks that night?

> The fish was dead but it showed no signs of disease or trauma.

How did you tell the fish was dead? Was it disintegrating?
Are you sure you have not taken out a normal, healthy fish?

> Does anyone have any ideas on why these fish seem to be acting
> this way to cause them to die?

"Acting this way" is NORMAL for royal gramma and other similar
fish - when stressed by you, aquarist, or by other, bigger fish,
they seek hideout in a rock crevices and wedge themselves
head first... Somtimes the tail sticks out, sometimes not...
Sometimes fish curls itself to stick to the rock best.
All to not get any chance of larger predator to scoop it out.
It usually ventures during eveing, right after the lights
go out and other, bigger fish go to sleep...

[Mark]

Is your tank grounded? Elecrical "noise" will stress fish out, especially
newcomers.



"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> "billi jack" > wrote in message
...
> > I really had to pull on it to get it unweged. It was
> > really strange. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the
> > fish committed suicide. The carcass showed no signs of disease and he
ate
> > fine earlier that night.
>
> Did you move rocks that night?
>
> > The fish was dead but it showed no signs of disease or trauma.
>
> How did you tell the fish was dead? Was it disintegrating?
> Are you sure you have not taken out a normal, healthy fish?
>
> > Does anyone have any ideas on why these fish seem to be acting
> > this way to cause them to die?
>
> "Acting this way" is NORMAL for royal gramma and other similar
> fish - when stressed by you, aquarist, or by other, bigger fish,
> they seek hideout in a rock crevices and wedge themselves
> head first... Somtimes the tail sticks out, sometimes not...
> Sometimes fish curls itself to stick to the rock best.
> All to not get any chance of larger predator to scoop it out.
> It usually ventures during eveing, right after the lights
> go out and other, bigger fish go to sleep...

[Cindy]

You got some critter in there that pulled them in, maybe?

[Mort]

Could you have some sort of a hitch hiker crab that is attempting to drag
them to it's lair for a meal?


~Mort

"billi jack" > wrote in message
...
> Recently I've had a Bi-Color Pseudochromis and a Royal Gramma die on me.
> They were not in the tank together. About a month ago I found my Royal
> Gramma (which I had kept healthy for six months) stuck between 2 pieces of
> live rock. He was dead. The strange thing was he was stuck head first
> between the 2 rocks. I really had to pull on it to get it unweged. It
was
> really strange. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the
> fish committed suicide. The carcass showed no signs of disease and he ate
> fine earlier that night.
> I replaced the Royal Gramma with a Bi-Color Pseudochromis. He has been
> doing fine and today I saw its rear fin sticking out a hole in the rock.
It
> was the same deal, he was wedged in there and I really had to pull to get
it
> out. The fish was dead but it showed no signs of disease or trauma. All
> the other livestock is doing well in the tank. The other fish are a flame
> hawk, maroon clown, damsel, and a Yellow watchman goby. I also have a
> cleaner shrimp.
> Does anyone have any ideas on why these fish seem to be acting this way to
> cause them to die?
>
>

[Mark]

I don't think that's the case otherwise there'd be evidence of being eaten.


"Mort" > wrote in message
. ..
> Could you have some sort of a hitch hiker crab that is attempting to drag
> them to it's lair for a meal?
>
>
> ~Mort
>
> "billi jack" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Recently I've had a Bi-Color Pseudochromis and a Royal Gramma die on me.
> > They were not in the tank together. About a month ago I found my Royal
> > Gramma (which I had kept healthy for six months) stuck between 2 pieces
of
> > live rock. He was dead. The strange thing was he was stuck head first
> > between the 2 rocks. I really had to pull on it to get it unweged. It
> was
> > really strange. I've never seen anything like it. It's almost like the
> > fish committed suicide. The carcass showed no signs of disease and he
ate
> > fine earlier that night.
> > I replaced the Royal Gramma with a Bi-Color Pseudochromis. He has been
> > doing fine and today I saw its rear fin sticking out a hole in the rock.
> It
> > was the same deal, he was wedged in there and I really had to pull to
get
> it
> > out. The fish was dead but it showed no signs of disease or trauma.
All
> > the other livestock is doing well in the tank. The other fish are a
flame
> > hawk, maroon clown, damsel, and a Yellow watchman goby. I also have a
> > cleaner shrimp.
> > Does anyone have any ideas on why these fish seem to be acting this way
to
> > cause them to die?
> >
> >
>
>

[Pszemol]

"Mark" > wrote in message news:L%M0d.175857$mD.128886@attbi_s02...
>I don't think that's the case otherwise there'd be evidence of being eaten.

That was exactly the reason I guessed these fish were alive...
Dead fish would not stayed over night in a healthy reef.
Especially so small fish. Thats why we keep our "cleaning crew" there.
If the fish would die last evening, there would be nothing left next morning.

[billi jack]

I don't think they were dead very long wheen I found them. The
Pseudochromis was still barely breathing when I found it but it was very
close to being dead. The Gramma was definetly dead though. This was a big
gramma. I would say it was the biggest fish in the tank. Maybe it was some
type of electric shock that casued it. <shrugs>

"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> "Mark" > wrote in message
news:L%M0d.175857$mD.128886@attbi_s02...
> >I don't think that's the case otherwise there'd be evidence of being
eaten.
>
> That was exactly the reason I guessed these fish were alive...
> Dead fish would not stayed over night in a healthy reef.
> Especially so small fish. Thats why we keep our "cleaning crew" there.
> If the fish would die last evening, there would be nothing left next
morning.

[Pszemol]

"billi jack" > wrote in message ...
> I don't think they were dead very long wheen I found them. The
> Pseudochromis was still barely breathing when I found it but it
> was very close to being dead.

??????????????????????????????????????????????
How did you tell it was "close to being dead"?
I do not get it... please explain the reasoning!

> The Gramma was definetly dead though.

Have you seen it decomposing?

> This was a big gramma. I would say it was the biggest fish in the tank.
> Maybe it was some type of electric shock that casued it. <shrugs>

I am puzzled again...
Royal gramma is rather very small fish, even when fully grown adult!
What other fish you had in the tank if the grama was the biggest???