Cardinal with a hole

[Samper]

My female Cardinal has a hole in the left side of her. She's not looking good and this morning it wasn't there. Any ideas?

[Samper]

This hole is about an eighth of an inch and looks like something burrowed into her.

[Ninong]

Mantis shrimp???

[Samper]

If I have one he has been in there for a long time. I have heard no clicking nor seen anything under the moon lights. The cardinals when they rest usually stay toward the top of the tank and huddle together. If it was a small mantis which it would have to be would the flame hawk be able to take it out? Shrimp are part of his natural diet and he took out everything else.

[Meric]

Mean little buggers that will kill every fish in your tank.

See these articles:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/rs/index.htm

http://www.rshimek.com/rogue's_gallery.htm#Cirolanid%20Isopods

[Samper]

I'm not discounting anything at this point. The cardinal developed the hole sometime after the lights came on so I'm hoping that it isnt a Cirolanid Isopod.
I will be watching very closely when the lights come on from now on. On a more sad note the Cardinal is still alive but struggling bad. My male hasn't left her side all day and if the flame comes around to examine the situation he chases him away. He then goes and nudges her gently off and on but death is inevitable. I called my lfs and they are holding another female for me until Wednesday of next week when I can make it down there. That'll give me a week to figure out what's going on.

[Penguin]

Meric took the words out of my mouth. Could be a cirolanid isopod. Check the tank after the lights go out and see if you see anything.

[Samper]

If it is I don't understand where it could have come from......my LR has been in the system for months.

[Samper]

Is there a good chance that if it is a cirolanid isopod that it or they will take out a fish every night?

I had the room dark and kicked on my moon light real quick, didn't see anything.
I'm leaving the other cardinal in for the time being to see if it gets eaten real quick. From the reading I gather that's a for sure sign of them.

[Penguin]

Is there a good chance that if it is a cirolanid isopod that it or they will take out a fish every night?

I don't know.

my LR has been in the system for months.

I think this makes the isopod theory less likely. Chances are you would have seen some evidence (wounds, unexplained deaths) before now. But who knows.

[Samper]

The cardinal didn't get consumed last night or picked on by anything, even my hermit crabs which is odd but anyway I'm ruling out the isopods for now.