Xanthene dyes such as rhodamine B undergo an interesting mass-spectrometric fragmentation reaction that eliminates small neutral alkanes such as propane. This fragmentation reaction has been investigated in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometer by means of laser photodissociation with visible light as well as by collision-induced dissociation. Different isotopically labeled decarboxyrhodamine B compounds were used to investigate the fragmentation mechanism. The results support a concerted mechanism for the formation of the alkanes instead of a two-step radical mechanism.