Could a rabbitfish sting be fatal?

HackBetty

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I got a 2 barred foxface rabbitfish a couple weeks ago. My blue eyed bristletooth tang was not happy on day 1, but they quickly became buds and swam all over the tank together for the last week.

Everyone was fine 30 minutes ago. I just found the tang upside down, lifeless, in the bottom of the tank. I pulled him out as soon as I found him. No signs of life. After I pulled him out, he started turning white at the mouth, and then it spread towards his tail....

The internet says the sting from the rabbitfish wouldn't be fatal.

I test parameters weekly and everything is on par. Everyone else is swimming happily.

Thoughts?
 
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HackBetty

HackBetty

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Clowning_Around72

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I have never heard of this happening...
Are you certain there was no other possible problems?
 

littlefoxx

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Yes possible. Does it have any puncture marks? My foxface killed a wrasse a few days ago.
 

Paul B

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I don't know. I do know that I got stung by one and felt like killing myself because the pain is really intense. 😬
 

littlefoxx

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None that I can see. Just turning white post mortem.
Great to know.
Yeah this was her face, hard to see but there are three puncture marks in a line. Thought it was one of the eels at first but they leave distinct bite marks if they bite, these matched the foxface’s spines.

It turned white pretty fast like this and looked like if we had an infected cut that was oozing.

Found her dead the next morning. I was heartbroken 🙁 i have 3 other wrasses and all of them are still fine
 

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HackBetty

HackBetty

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None that I can see. Just turning white post mortem.
Great to know.
Yeah this was her face, hard to see but there are three puncture marks in a line. Thought it was one of the eels at first but they leave distinct bite marks if they bite, these matched the foxface’s spines.

It turned white pretty fast like this and looked like if we had an infected cut that was oozing.

Found her dead the next morning. I was heartbroken 🙁 i have 3 other wrasses and all of them are still fine
Sorry for your loss
 

helmsreef

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It’s possible, from my own experience I had seen it happen in front of me. I had a 6-7” one spot foxface sting a 3” Bella goby. The goby spiraled out of control and just died in the mid spiral. Sank lifeless to the bottom of the tank and he was dead. It can happen
 

littlefoxx

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Sorry for your loss
Thank you, she was a very mature huge wrasse. Her and the foxface were tankmates from a previous tank. I think it was an accident because he has been upset since she passed
 

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