Dragonet jumped into light and died

[moretor1]

I've had this dragonet since the beginning of June this year. He's always eaten well and the pods in my tank weren't all eaten by him

I was sitting in my room and heard some splashing and a bump. I thought it was my clownfish doing clownfish things but when I looked my mandarin was going insane flying around the tank before landing upside down on a patch of zoas

I moved him to observe and thought perhaps he had gill flukes so I gave him a quick fw dip and when I put him back in the tank he started behaving semi normally.

He immediately went back to hunting pods and his breathing slowed down a bit but I could see he was having a lot of trouble staying upright at this point.

he sat directly on top of my hammer for a bit and I was worried he might be too tired to move so I gently scooped him up and put him behind the rocks where he normally hangs out

Came out this morning and he had not moved a centimeter from when I went to bed last night. Fins still fully flared but he was dead

The only thing I think that could have brought this on was a temp drop when I lowered my water level and then brain damage from flying into the hood of my tank.

He wasn't malnourished and I didn't notice any flukes at the bottom of the dipping container

 

[moretor1]

This was my first fish death in my system and honestly it's kind of devastating. I really loved this guy

 

[MDAquatics]

Man what a bummer. Im really sorry to hear about it.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I'm not an expert but the fins look ragged to me, something must have been bullying it, mandarins are not normally jumpers.

 

[purpfish]

Sorry to hear losing fish sucks big time

 

[dedragon]

sorry this happened, never fun. Might be time to invest in a net top on the tank so this cant happen again

 

[vetteguy53081]

I've had this dragonet since the beginning of June this year. He's always eaten well and the pods in my tank weren't all eaten by him

I was sitting in my room and heard some splashing and a bump. I thought it was my clownfish doing clownfish things but when I looked my mandarin was going insane flying around the tank before landing upside down on a patch of zoas

I moved him to observe and thought perhaps he had gill flukes so I gave him a quick fw dip and when I put him back in the tank he started behaving semi normally.

He immediately went back to hunting pods and his breathing slowed down a bit but I could see he was having a lot of trouble staying upright at this point.

he sat directly on top of my hammer for a bit and I was worried he might be too tired to move so I gently scooped him up and put him behind the rocks where he normally hangs out

Came out this morning and he had not moved a centimeter from when I went to bed last night. Fins still fully flared but he was dead

The only thing I think that could have brought this on was a temp drop when I lowered my water level and then brain damage from flying into the hood of my tank.

He wasn't malnourished and I didn't notice any flukes at the bottom of the dipping container

Sorry to hear. Between the impact and heat from the light, this was bound to be the result. Many Gobies and blennies are notorious jumpers warranting a need for a screen cover

 

[moretor1]

I'm not an expert but the fins look ragged to me, something must have been bullying it, mandarins are not normally jumpers.

Not 100% sure but it couldve been done by me trying to get him out from behind the rocks. That or my cleaner shrimp

Only other fish are 2 clowns and a ywg that stays in his cave

 

[moretor1]

sorry this happened, never fun. Might be time to invest in a net top on the tank so this cant happen again

Yeah it was on my Christmas list but $100 for a mesh lid for a biocube is kind of crazy

 

[purpfish]

Yeah it was on my Christmas list but $100 for a mesh lid for a biocube is kind of crazy

I made a lid with eggcrate and mesh for my Biocube before I got my kraken lid it worked fine

 

[dedragon]

Yeah it was on my Christmas list but $100 for a mesh lid for a biocube is kind of crazy

diy mesh ones are much cheaper but idk if they will fit if you are using the included biocube hood

 

[Blennioidei]

Sorry for your loss :crying-face: I always preffer to cover my tanks, even tho I like the open look

 

[moretor1]

diy mesh ones are much cheaper but idk if they will fit if you are using the included biocube hood

Im planning on taking the hood off when I get the mesh. Right now I have a noopsyche k7 v3 epoxied to the lid (long story) but it causes some shadowing so I need to mount it higher anyways

 

[moretor1]

I made a lid with eggcrate and mesh for my Biocube before I got my kraken lid it worked fine

I mean honestly if I stenciled out the edge of the tank, doing a diy acrylic and mesh lid wouldn't be horribly hard but since christmas is so close and money is tight I will wait

 

[moretor1]

Anyone have any suggestions for some other types of gobies? Something around the same size as a dragonet but maybe a bit less shy?

 

[ElementReefer]

Sorry for your loss. Be sure to have a little funeral for him. These are our pets. It is ok to feel grief.

 

[littlefoxx]

This was my first fish death in my system and honestly it's kind of devastating. I really loved this guy

Im sorry :( fish deaths are hard

 

[littlefoxx]

Anyone have any suggestions for some other types of gobies? Something around the same size as a dragonet but maybe a bit less shy?

Scooter blenny. Act like the dragonettes but the ones Ive seen out where not shy

 

[winxp_man]

Im sorry :( fish deaths are hard

All pet deaths are hard. For me anyways.

 

[littlefoxx]

All pet deaths are hard. For me anyways.

Same. I love my animals