target missing, F8 with wound, and eel acting weird...

May 22, 2007
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#1
Well looks like there was some action in my brackish tank after lights out last night. Everyone was fine last night but this morning when i turnede the light on I noticed the targetfish i got last week was missing, that a F8 puffer has a small circular wound on his belly, and that my moray eel is not so active and kinda looks like he's having some trouble digesting something... oh, and there's a big poop in the corner that seems more greyish than what usually comes out of the eel.

It doesn't quite all add up though because the wound on the F8's belly looks like it came from another puffer based on it's circular shape. The target's mouth isn't shaped like that nor is the eel's. I do suspect that the eel swallowed down whatever was left of the targetfish and maybe he's having trouble digesting the sharp spines of his dorsal fin. Hope he's ok. All of my other tank parameters are looking fine so I'm assuming everything was due to some sort of fight.

Any other thoughts on what may have happened?
 

f8fan

MFT Staff
Nov 19, 2004
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Bangor, Maine
#2
Sorry for your bad turn of events :(. It's impossible to say what happened - but with the sorta "witches brew" cooking in there with all these predators, there are any number of possibilities.

Perhaps this happened:

~The target fish fell ill and someone in the tank decided to start snacking on him during his demise.
~While the target snacking was going on, F8 puffer decided to try to get his share of the harvest.
~Someone didn't appreciate the F8 puffer partaking in the feed, and bit him to shoo him away (the GSP??)
~Gray poop, could this be from the comet you fed the eel a few days ago?
~Target fish could be tough to digest - hence your eel's discomfort.

I'm a puffer lover, so you know what I'm gonna say....
"Get those puffers in separate tanks"
But that's just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions....;)

Good luck.
 

May 22, 2007
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#3
The eel usually poops after eating comets and rosies, but this poop was a bit darker of a grey color than the usual stuff. Not incredibly different, but noticably darker and I'm trying to give as much info as possible.

Makes sense about the F8 maybe getting nipped by another puffer during the "harvesting" of the targetfish. The wound definately matches the shape and size of a puffer mouth.

Pretty sure the F8 will be ok, the wound doesn't look too bad, but I'm worried about Mitch (eel). He looks horribly uncomfortable, and didn't eat today. I've never seen Mitch turn down a meal before.
 

May 22, 2007
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#7
well, Mitch gobbled down a good hunk of a shrimp I threw in the tank so it looks like he's eating again, but he still seems like he's not acting totally normal. The wound on the F8 is looking good too.