Algae Blenny Dead...?

[RNich34]

I think my algae blenny got pinched between 2 rocks and ripped part of his gill off last night. He was fine last night when I went to sleep and then came home for lunch today. He was pinched pretty firmly between 2 rocks and part of his gill was destroyed. Could he have gotten stuck between the rocks and killed himself? It just seems really odd to me that he would be fine for about a month and then randomly die. His gill was pretty badly ripped up and his face was really white (when dead). Does this sound like a viable scenario of what happened? Has anyone had an experience of fish getting stuck between 2 rocks before?

Theres a good amount of algae in the tank, as I try to keep my nitrates between 20 and 40 so he had natural algae to eat, so I know his food source was fine. :frustrat:

The only other fish in the tank is a pink spotted watchman goby, who showed zero aggression towards the blenny.

 

[little_fish]

It possible be got stuck, but i would more suspect he got attacked. Do you have any emerald crabs?

Sorry to hear about your fish though :(

 

[RNich34]

No crabs, only snails and the Goby. I really think he did get stuck, as I was trying to slide the tank a couple of inches and the rocks must have moved and shrunk a hole that he used to go through or something. Nothing else really makes sense to me.

 

[little_fish]

Im sorry to hear this :(

I squished a chromis not too long ago when moved my tank