Any ideas, ANYONE? HELP!

[bethie]

I have a 29 gallon Biocube. The first month everything was great, but then the slaughter began. Something ripped the fins off my royal gramma. I went to my fish dealer guy and he says it was probably my damsels. So, I took the damsels out. Next day, something has ripped the fins off my blackcap basslet. Fish guy says, maybe the tiny leopard puffer (which had been acting aggressive). Puffer comes out. Next night, two beautiful firefish absolutely gone. No heads, nothing left. Fish guy says, sounds like a crab, so I take the emerald crab out. At this juncture, nothing is left but a clown fish, a yellow blenny, a cleaner shrimp, a new Gramma and a new firefish. (and three small hermit crabs). All seem harmless, yes? Well the next morning, the clownfish and Gramma are TOTALLY GONE and the firefish is missing the back half of half its body. Water tested perfectly. Fish guy says hermit crabs would pick at a dead fish but would eat eyes and stomach first, both of which were intact. I searched the rocks and sand, found no dead fish in them except a firefish head which was crammed in headfirst into a crevice. Besides that the carcasses were totally gone.

All that seems to be left in the tank is the cleaner shrimp and the yellow blenny. It is like all the fish evaporated. Any ideas? They are not in the filters either. I am petrified to put anything else in!!

 

[acrodave]

maybe you have a mantis shrimp in your live rock and or big hichhiker crab in the live rock as well

 

[Playa-1]

I would suspect you have a predator hitchhiker hiding in your rocks. Try a few 3am flashlight raids and see if you spot anything unusual in the tank. I know I recently spotted a small crab in my tank. Peeking out of a hole in the liverock. I haven't seen him since but I know that sukker is in there
I would pull any remaining fish out or they will just die a brutal death. I hear the blennies can get aggressive towards its own kind but I wouldn't expect it to attack the other fish like that.
I suspect a crab.

 

[alextheromanian]

id have to agree with both dave and playa ...maybe a mantis shrimp...if you look up videos on youtube of them youll see that they snatch and rip anything they can ...they even punch holes in glass.



turn the light off....keep a night light on and camp it out...see if he comes out...they tend to come out at night and prey

he might be in the rockwork or in the sand...they like to build tunnels in the sand and snatch the prey from underneath


scarry i know.

 

[jph]

you had how many fish in a 1 month old 29g tank?


J.

 

[Playa-1]

To Reef Central

 

[acrodave]

how do you do the new welcome playa. i know the one with the fish

 

[Sk8r]

i agree. Mantis or crab. They're hard to catch. Your best hope is at night, in the dark, with a red flashlight, a fishless tank, a wine carafe trap with a piece of raw shrimp in it, and a string around the neck.
It goes in, you yank the bottle upright and get it out.
Right now I fear you've got yourself an expensive little mantis tank. Many people like them and keep them as pets. Go to the mantis forum and get other advice on trapping them. They can be sold as pets, and your lfs may be able to take him once caught.

 

[bethie]

JPH, the tank had only the damsels in it for the first month. After that, no more than 4 or 5 fish total at once because they kept getting eaten I misstated whne I said it was fine for the first month- it was fine for the first month there were actually fish in it!

 

[Playa-1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993272#post12993272 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acrodave
how do you do the new welcome playa. i know the one with the fish

Copy and paste is the extent of my programming skills :lol:

Bethie you need to slow down on your stocking once you figure out what is killing your fishies. One or two fish additions per month is a common practice.

What ever is in there may not be alone. They are most likely being attacked while they are sleeping.

 

[mike Brolin]

i agree with mantis shrimp and or crab.