dead fish help!

[MBX5]

Ok so last night I lost 5 fish and no clue what did it. The only thing I could think it would be is emerald crabs? I have 3 in the tank and they are not too big. All my other fish that made it seem to be missing parts on the fins except the 6 line wrasse. I don't think and have never seen any big worms of any kind so it makes me go back to the crabs. Have any of you ever seen emeralds go after fish like this? I have checked all my parameters and none are out of range even with the dead fish.

 

[burkleman]

Is there any chance that you might have a mantis shrimp, that is really wierd I have never heard of an emerald crab doing that either.

Brandon

 

[MBX5]

I don't think I have one I have not put one in and the rock and all has been in the tank for about 2 years. The only other thing I have changed is my bulbs but never seen this from them.

 

["Umm fish?"]

Joe--sorry to hear this. Did you find any of the dead fish and are they missing parts? Or, are they completely gone?

 

[Misfit6669]

I would lean against the crab but I think the mantis would have been my first guess. Have you checked for any stray current? I think I would start with that after the chemistry.

 

[MBX5]

I did see some bones from the dead fish but that was about it. If it is a Mantis what would be the best way to find it? I just can't see it being one as I have had this all set-up for about 2 years and until last night I have never had a problem. I will have to look into the stray elec. must get a meter in the morning I guess.

 

[Trex420]

Sorry to hear about the loss. I doubt it would be an Emerald Crab. Were your corals fine? They would be more susceptible to chem and temp fluctuations than your fish. Overdosing on supplements?

 

[Sk8r]

Hmmm---could one suspect the wrasse, who alone had intact fins? I doubt it. But what were your other fish? Bottom-sitters? Hole-sleepers? Some habit made the others vulnerable, perhaps.
How big are the emeralds?

 

[wyemt]

I had the same problem about 2 months ago. I had changed my vho lights out and lost 4 fish within 2 days. I put a grounding probe in and have not had any problem since.

 

[lngball]

What is a grounding probe? I loss all my fish about 2 months ago to a bad case of ick... Sorry to hear about your loss!!!

 

[MBX5]

I have a ground probe and no stray elec. that I found today. The fish are anthias chromis and clowns. I set a trap last night and have yet to find any Mantis but I will give it a few more days. I did take out all but 1 emerald and all the living fish made it though last night. The crazy thing is that I never lost fish before the emeralds so that was why I first thought of them. All I add is what comes out of the calcium reactor and that is all fine. All levels in the tank are spot on. I did find one hermit that was on the big side and has a different color than any others I have seen so out he came also

 

[Sk8r]

That is way too bad. I know emeralds can get cranky, but usually it's just one fish, not five in one night. You've got mass murder on your hands. That's why I'd suspect a mantis or some other cause within the rocks that would take out several of the non-bottom-sitting sorts.

 

[BrokeColoReefer]

Man joe, thats sucks. You have always had a thing aginst emeralds anyway. I would have to agree, something ate them but i dont think it was a emerald (at least when they were alive) , is it possible that one of your other critters or coral in there released a toxin that those fish might have been sensitive too?

 

[MBX5]

Still no clue. I have spent the last few nights and days looking around and can't find anything in the tank that would do it All my fish that made it seem better and are still alive. How about new bulbs can fish get sun burn? Like if I run a DE with no shield? I did I know spent 2 days with no sight and a good tan on the face. From now on I have sun glasses on when I need to have the doors of the hood open!

 

["Umm fish?"]

They can get a bad UV burn. Do you have shields? I read a good article on this once, let me see if I can find it.

 

[MBX5]

Nope no shields I am going to get some new reflectors and they will have shields but the company that makes them has yet to release I took the new bulbs out and went back to the old until the reflectors come out. I just can't figure this out because I have never lost fish like this and have not changed added anything other than lights and emerald crabs. From the little research I have done when I did my red bug treatments it would have also killed the Mantis shrimp if I had any. This sucks I don't like when things happen and I have no clue!

 

["Umm fish?"]

I can't find it. It was an Australian who had basically fried all of her fish over just a few hours of unshielded MH.

 

[tkeracer619]

That sucks. I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago. lost 7 total im pretty sure.

I didnt know emeralds ate fish. I have 4 that have only put there arms out to warn fish away.

 

[MBX5]

I'm not sure if it was the crabs. I just took them out to be safe. I am now thinking it was the new lights I put in. I gut sun burn on my face and eyes the day the fish died. I have seen a few posts about BIG emeralds getting fish but don't think they would get all of them at 1 time.

 

[larryl]

Nope no shields I am going to get some new reflectors and they will have shields but the company that makes them has yet to release

I can't find it. It was an Australian who had basically fried all of her fish over just a few hours of unshielded MH.

I think you're on track about the UV thing - I found the article, it's by Ellen Thaler in the December 2005 Coral (Volume 2, Number 6). She broke the quartz glass shield on her light but rehung it anyway since her corals started suffering from lack of light. Lost a bunch of fish in the course of a day, the pictures show some with just shreds of fins left after they had been badly burned.


Larry