Suffering Bimac Anthias

jdbot · Dec 6, 2025

One of my bimac anthias had white stringy poop a few days back, but was otherwise ok and eating well. Progressively, it started to eat less and be more picky (but no more white stringy poop). Then a couple of days ago, it was brutalized during the night and I found it the following morning with a fairly chomped off caudal fin and some clear bites off its dorsal fin as well.

The fish is now "suspended" in water, vertically. It has not eaten at all for the last three days and developed popeye on both eyes (more severe on the left one). It was leaning on the glass and I managed to get it onto an acclimation box to try to protect it from further aggression. Very labored breathing and I'm wondering if I should do something to end its suffering (assuming is unlikely it will make it). Also saw a white spot towards the fin that I wasn't sure if a bite or parasites, so wanted to get perspective from #fishmedic

A video (and image) in white light (particles in water due to the stir from the acclimation box)

Thanks for any thoughts!

vetteguy53081 · Dec 6, 2025

jdbot said:
One of my bimac anthias had white stringy poop a few days back, but was otherwise ok and eating well. Progressively, it started to eat less and be more picky (but no more white stringy poop). Then a couple of days ago, it was brutalized during the night and I found it the following morning with a fairly chomped off caudal fin and some clear bites off its dorsal fin as well.

The fish is now "suspended" in water, vertically. It has not eaten at all for the last three days and developed popeye on both eyes (more severe on the left one). It was leaning on the glass and I managed to get it onto an acclimation box to try to protect it from further aggression. Very labored breathing and I'm wondering if I should do something to end its suffering (assuming is unlikely it will make it). Also saw a white spot towards the fin that I wasn't sure if a bite or parasites, so wanted to get perspective from #fishmedic

A video (and image) in white light (particles in water due to the stir from the acclimation box)

Thanks for any thoughts!

This fish has been mutilated by a tank mate and is now moribund, in which it will likely not eat or breathe going forward

jdbot · Dec 7, 2025

vetteguy53081 said:
This fish has been mutilated by a tank mate and is now moribund, in which it will likely not eat or breathe going forward

That's what I thought and why I was wondering if I should try to end its suffering. Thank you @vetteguy53081

vetteguy53081 · Dec 7, 2025

jdbot said:
That's what I thought and why I was wondering if I should try to end its suffering. Thank you @vetteguy53081

If not dead this morning, but condition has not changed, its a call you will have to make.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 7, 2025

jdbot said:
One of my bimac anthias had white stringy poop a few days back, but was otherwise ok and eating well. Progressively, it started to eat less and be more picky (but no more white stringy poop). Then a couple of days ago, it was brutalized during the night and I found it the following morning with a fairly chomped off caudal fin and some clear bites off its dorsal fin as well.

The fish is now "suspended" in water, vertically. It has not eaten at all for the last three days and developed popeye on both eyes (more severe on the left one). It was leaning on the glass and I managed to get it onto an acclimation box to try to protect it from further aggression. Very labored breathing and I'm wondering if I should do something to end its suffering (assuming is unlikely it will make it). Also saw a white spot towards the fin that I wasn't sure if a bite or parasites, so wanted to get perspective from #fishmedic

A video (and image) in white light (particles in water due to the stir from the acclimation box)

Thanks for any thoughts!

Sorry to see that.

If it is still alive this morning, here is an article I wrote on euthanizing fishes:

Fish Euthanasia

Euthanasia Euthanasia is a word derived from two Greek words that roughly translates to “good death”. In other words, euthanasia is the painless killing of an organism. In general usage, there is also the underlying understanding that euthanasia is performed on terminal patients only. This...

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