CSI: Death of Mr. Blenny

[bobwire]

Well today is a sad day. My 2 1/2 year old is mourning the death of our Bicolor Blenny. Actually, she thinks it is hiding. I hope maybe you all will be able to help me CSI this one.
I have a sneaky suspicion that he had not been eating well since the new clean up crew arrived. I noticed two days ago that his royal purple had become a pale lavender and was concerned that he was not getting enough to eat. However, I observed that he ate a good amount of food during feeding time. Also there is a good bit of algea that he could be consuming. His habits had not changed too much. He had been in a new hole a good deal more, other than that he was his normal weirdo self. Today my wife called me and told me that the emerald crab had killed him. However, I feel as though the semi-peaceful crab was just scavaging the carcase. In fact everyone in the tank has a rather full belly. He didn't have any enemies, and as far as I know, he wasn't in a gang, doing drugs, owing money to a bookey, or anything that can get you whacked. Water is perfect (temp, salinity, and chem).
Any thoughts???
I feel as though the color change is the biggest lead.

 

[poniegirl]

What and how many were his tank mates and other feed competitors? How long had he been in the tank?
It could very well be a disease issue or other occurance, like so many in these marine tanks that just make us

I'm sorry for your loss and good job with the hiding thing, Dad!

 

[whitey_028]

Things that make you go hmmmm..............

 

[puffer32]

I am sure it can be replaced without her ever having to know it died, some times thats easier, don't have to lie, she will just think it came out of hiding.

 

[bobwire]

Originally Posted by puffer32
I am sure it can be replaced without her ever having to know it died, some times thats easier, don't have to lie, she will just think it came out of hiding.
Oh I'm not worried about that, she will forget about it in a day or so. The thing that is bothering me is why the sudden death.
Has anyone heard of a bicolor's color fading? And was it followed by death?

 

[bobwire]

Originally Posted by PonieGirl
What and how many were his tank mates and other feed competitors? How long had he been in the tank?
It could very well be a disease issue or other occurance, like so many in these marine tanks that just make us

I'm sorry for your loss and good job with the hiding thing, Dad!
Great questions.
He was accompanied by:
1 GSM
1 nemo (pec... Something)
3 assorted damsels
1 banded coral shrimp
1 emarald crab
5 turbo snails
1 sand sifter SF
He had been there for about 4 weeks?

 

[puffer32]

My bi changed colors all the time, lips would get white, and he would get these stripes on his sides.I had him about 3 or 4 months and he died mysteriously also, one day he was fine, then he just died. He might have been stressed by my midas blenny, but I never saw it. I have since replaced him, and the one I have now doesn"t change colors.

 

[poniegirl]

Originally Posted by BobWire
Great questions.
He was accompanied by:
1 GSM
1 nemo (pec... Something)
3 assorted damsels
1 banded coral shrimp
1 emarald crab
5 turbo snails
1 sand sifter SF
He had been there for about 4 weeks?
Coral banded shrimp are sometimes not very nice people. Keep an eye on him for aggression toward tankmates. He would have been a food competitor, and a pretty defensive one at that.

 

[bobwire]

Originally Posted by PonieGirl
Coral banded shrimp are sometimes not very nice people. Keep an eye on him for aggression toward tankmates. He would have been a food competitor, and a pretty defensive one at that.
I definitely know what your talking about. He has always been a little eaisly provoked. But I've never witnessed behavior that would suggest that he was the culprit. Not to mention that the Bi was very skidish and didn't let anyone too close.
I've halfway ruled out disease. No one else in the tank is sick and it has been awhile. Water condition is still fine too. I left him (bi) in there to fill the bellies of my fish and inverts, and still didn't even see a big change.
PS what should I do to replace him? Suggestions anyone?

 

[bobwire]

Originally Posted by puffer32
My bi changed colors all the time, lips would get white, and he would get these stripes on his sides.I had him about 3 or 4 months and he died mysteriously also, one day he was fine, then he just died. He might have been stressed by my midas blenny, but I never saw it. I have since replaced him, and the one I have now doesn"t change colors.

That is just like mine. Well except for the lines. Anyone else experience this?

 

[bobwire]

I'm not sure if this is related, but there is some news from this case.
I am still unsure of what happened to Mr. Blenny, but I have seen some other deaths in my tank. About four days ago, 2 different Turbo snails have disappeared. All that is left is a ugly empty shell. I am slighty suspicious of my Emerald Crab. A couple of questions:
1. Do EC eat live TS?
2. If not, then what could have caused these deaths?
3. Have EC's been know to attack fish?
And a question from a previous post:
4. Does the fading color on a bi-color blenny ring a bell to anyone else?
Thanks again Puffer32 for the info.

 

[bobwire]

Bump! Anyone know?

 

[squiddly]

Betcha anything that the banded coral shrimp ate the snails. I caught my arrow crab munching one yesterday.

 

[nctarheels]

im thinkin cyanide poison. i mean its not all too uncommon and they last for a month or so until they belly up for no reason. were his colors bright about a week before he died?

 

[bobwire]

Originally Posted by nctarheels
im thinkin cyanide poison. i mean its not all too uncommon and they last for a month or so until they belly up for no reason. were his colors bright about a week before he died?
For the most part, his colors had been fading slowly for about two weeks. Since I allowed my fish and inverts to make a meal out of him, does that make them prone to poisioning?
Good comments so far.

 

[jdragon]

it could very well have been a disease that you just didn't know about. That happens a lot more than you'd think. It seems like a sudden death because you thought he was healthy. I don't think your emerald crab would have done this, and the CBS i don't think would have been able to do enough damage in one strike before the blenny swam away. My guess would be cyanide poisoning or some other disease.