[JenLeeWoo]

Help!

Last weekend I noticed that 3 of my Chromis were looking unwell, so I removed them to my quarantine tank and started treating with Maracyn. When I looked closely the largest one (who was the second-largest of my chromis and generally getting picked on) had a slice in his belly. I figured he got sick and then attacked by the largest chromis, and he died the next day. The smallest 2 are improving in the hospital tank.

This morning I went downstairs and fed the fish and my Banggai Cardinalfish has a big cut in it's belly as well. It looks fine otherwise, but has always been a slow fish. I have 4 10-14" long engineer gobies that have recently started snapping at the other fish in the tank, and I can only guess they caught the 2 slowest ones! Am I not feeding them enough, or are they just completely outgrowing my tank?!?! Should I move the Banggai to the hospital tank with the little chromis, (and the Maracyn) or should I leave him in the main tank and hope he recovers? Is there anything I can do about the gobies? Should I feed them more so they stop seeing their tankmates as food?

Please help!

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75 gallon marine aquarium with: 2 Ocellaris clowns, 1 Banggai Cardinalfish, 1 Purple Firefish, 4 Engineer Gobies, 6 Green Chromis.

60 gallon Freshwater aquarium with: 1 golden Angel, 2 Black Knife Ghostfishes, 1 Plecostamus, 2 Harlequins, 1 Golden Algae Eater, 2 White Clouds, 1 Corey Catfish, 3 clown loaches, 8 Mollies.

www.angelfire.com/trek/jenleewoo

[Frank M. Greco]

I don't find this to be abnormal for these fish. As they get larger, they bwecome much more territorial, and will go after other fish. Your beest bet would be to remove them into another tank. As to the injured fish, if they appear to be healing well on their own, then leave them. Otherwise, use MelaFix, not Maracin. Erythromycin (which is what Maracin is), is not very effective in saltwater.

Frank M. Greco
Professional Aquarist
http://www.frankmgreco.com
http://www.franksaquarium.com