Injured Firefish

Question

Firefish   QUESTION: 1. 20 gallon nano reef, aquaclear 50 filter, 30 lbs live rock, crushed coral, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, ph 8.3
2. 1 small maroon clownfish (will be moved later), pistol shrimp, hermit crabs, snails. small polyps and corals (button polyps, pulsing xenia, mushrooms) and a recently introduced firefish (yesterday)
3. 20% water changes per month.
4. Not R/O water
5. Recently added firefish

Renee,
Yesterday, I carefully acclimated a new firefish to my tank and watched it carefully after that. It hid in the rocks after about 20 minutes and I saw the pistol shrimp come close to it and snapped at it. It quickly swam out and I didn't notice anything wrong with it right away (I could have just missed it). This morning I noticed the poor thing has 2 big red spots on one side and I'm afraid the skin might be broken and get infected. It's swimming in one spot and not eating. It keeps opening and closing its mouth (not sure if that's normal).
It's already stressed from the change of tanks so I'm afraid it won't make it! I really want the little guy to live. What are the chances he'll survive and what can I do to increase them?
I have a spare 10 gallon but it's just the tank and it's not setup.
What should I do? I'm so worried!
Thank you so much!
(sorry the picture is not very good, and it doesn't show the extent of the damage)

ANSWER: Hi Paula,

What happens when a Pistol Shrimp snaps his claw is an excellerated water blast that is so fast, it becomes hot.  In one snap, a shrimp is literally shot with a firey blaze, killing it instantly.

Your firefish is lucky to be alive.  His spots are both a bruise and a burn in one.

It should clear up throughout the month, but do an extra water change 2 weeks apart, rather than monthly.

I do advise R/O water.  I go to Food Max and purchase water in the refill station.  It is UV sterilized (no germs) and it's R/O filtered.  This is the safest thing for a fish in ill condition and I do recommend it.  Tap water has so many bad things in it.

I don't advise moving the fish, but I do advise feeding the Pistol Shrimp.  He is starving and hunting out of a natural predatory urge to eat.  I use Krill and I feed mine everytime he starts making pistol noises.  I do not keep mine in the fish tank.  I chose to keep him in a refugium and I've had him for over a year there.  They are very hardy when fed, but without a goby to guide him to food, he's going to snap at anything which he views as "prey" if he's unfed.

Pistol Shrimp are blind.  They cannot see or sense food when it goes to the bottom of the tank.  Therefore we must feed him.  I used pellets once, because I saw my shrimp go to them when they went down, and yes, he ate one or two, but he started failing.  They are not receiving enough nutrients from flake food or pellet food and will require actual shrimp. The cheapest are the Krill...frozen.  They really love these.  I put it by his door's opening and hold it there while he comes to get it, with pinchers.

If you see the area burned getting white fuzz, or if it looks infected, then you might consider removing him to a hospital tank, but for now, don't.  He's had a huge amount of stress.  Being shipped, being in a pet store (where often they are underfed and ill-cared for) and then put into a new home and then attacked by a shrimp.

It's best to let him rest.

Healing should begin in a few days and toward the end of the week, if he looks like the skin did break, did bubble or ooze, don't panic too much if you don't see anything actually growing on it.  It's an internal burn...it's going to hurt, possibly ooze a bit, but my bet is the skin will repair itself throughout the next week to month.

I would be very careful about water conditions right now.  Please try not to stir anything up and keep extra water changes going til he's healed.

You might invest in a cleaner shrimp to clean his skin...and if you do that, you would need to move your pistol to a place where he's not around other tank inhabitants.  I have also seen them munch hermit crabs.  A crab or shrimp is a potential meal to the little guys.

I will cross my fingers that he makes it!  Right now, it's at that stage where it could go either way, but I suspect that after 3 days, if he's still alive and shows no signs of peeling, he will survive.

Happy fish-keeping and keep in touch if you need to.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Renee, sorry to bother you again, but I have a few concerns.
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your reply. Me (and my fish) really appreciate it. Thank you thank you thank you!
Here's my first question: How do I get my fish to eat? I tried feeding him, and he made a few weak attempts at grabbing the food but then ignored it. I saw him put some in his mouth but then spit it out. Do you think he'll have enough strength by tomorrow to eat food?
Also, he seems to just stay in one spot and swim against the current. I think if the current were weaker, he could get at food easier....
Do you think it would be a good idea to remove a powerhead?
Next question, my aquaclear filter is missing the intake tube, so when I got the fish I turned it off. Now I don't think its a good idea to lose filtration, especially at a time like this. Would it be safe to stick a nylon sock over the intake tube so he won't get sucked in?
Also, I've had a bucket of water preparing for a day because it's time for a water change. This isn't RO water, but should I add it anyway and use R/O for the next water changes?
Another thing, is there any medication like melafix or something that I can add? Or would it be better not to?
Last question... what should I do with my pistol shrimp? For now, all I have is frozen blood worms and brine shrimp and some freeze-dried mysis shrimp and flake food. Would he take any of this? I can buy the krill sometime this week but I'm afraid that this might happen again before that. Also how do I get him to eat it? I think he's scared of me, he always hides and the food is always floating up to the surface...
Sorry! This is a lot of questions but you seem like a very knowledgeable person and I'm just very worried.
Again, thanks so much for your help!
I'll keep you posted, if you don't mind.

Oh, and as a side note, you know that maroon clownfish? He's staying awfully close and keeps rubbing against a mushroom coral... I don't think the coral seems to like it and the clownfish seems desperate for an anemone friend. Odd, isn't it? Should I maybe consider getting one for him?

Answer
Hello Paula,

I don't think it's a good idea to remove the powerhead.  Not at all.  Circulation is essential to the entire aquarium.  Without it, you will grow more bacteria in spots where a powerheat will keep water moving.

Definitely turn the filter back on and yes, hosiery would be a great idea.

Do not add any medication to the tank.  Especially melafix.  A product which is pretty useless.

I'd use R/O water this time as well, if I could.  It seems senseless to waste the water but it's healthier for the hurt guy to use R/O.

I'd give him frozen blood worms.  Put them by the shrimp's doorway.  I'd consider rehoming him down the line.  They are not good reef-tank inhabitants because they can eat fish and other shrimp.

Maroon clownfish are known to rub up against anything rubbery.  It's pretty normal.  He won't hurt the mushroom.  His skin actually has good stuff on it that could feed the mushroom.

I hope this helps and good luck with the poor little fellow who got hurt, Paula.

Renee