Did Peppermint Shrimp Eat My Jawfish?

[tidepool2]

Yesterday I splurged and bought an $89 Blue Spotted Jawfish for my 65 gal. reef tank at the LFS. I carefully acclimated the Jawfish and added him to my tank last night with the lights off. I saw my Peppermint Shrimp and the Jawfish in a stand-off, eye-ing each other and that's the last I saw of both of them. This morning neither the Jawfish or the Peppermint Shrimp have come out from the liverocks...or do you think they killed each other?

The only other fish I have in my tank are a Yellow Tang, a small Hippo Tang, and 3 Chromas. I don't think the fish were involved in this mystery. Have any of you ever lost a Jawfish to a Peppermint Shrimp or vice-versa?

 

[Pudge957]

Did you check the floor around the tank? 90% of the time they end up there. They can get through the smallest little crack. I can't see a shrimp killing a jawfish.


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[Pallobi]

not likely

 

[Floowid]

Every blue spot jawfish I have ever seen ends up either going over the overflow and down into the sump, or out onto the floor. Check those places. If your peppermint shrimp had anything to do with a fish murder then you have got the meanest orneriest Peppermint shrimp this side of the Pecos.

 

[jefathome]

He has an Altoids Peppermint Shrimp. It is Curiously Strong.

 

[Jack04]

i had a peppermint shrimp kill 2 skunk cleaners recently.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

He has an Altoids Peppermint Shrimp. It is Curiously Strong.

lol u made me chuckle :lol:

on a more serious note I agree that I don't think your peppermint shrimp would eat your jawfish. he probably jumped somewhere or is hiding under a rock.

 

[Mitchell]

highly unlikely

 

[Pallobi]

unless i missed it, is your tank covered? it should have been if not...

 

[tidepool2]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I've checked everywhere - even in my sump and overflow...but so far no sign of that little $89 little bugger! I'll keep looking. Thanks again for your help!

 

[tidepool2]

Oh I hope sooooo much that he's hiding under a rock! Does it usually take them very long to come out from hiding after being introduced to a new tank?

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

do you have a cover on your tank????

 

[Raceimage]

I had a yellow watchman that I hadn't seen for 3 weeks after I first introduced it in the display. I checked the tank at all different times during that period and there was no sign of it. My son briefly saw it after the third week and it slowly began coming out more frequently. It is out all of the time now. If you don't have any remains, don't assume that it is dead.

 

[tidepool2]

Thanks Gary for that bit of hope! I don't mind waiting - especially if there's a chance that I still have a Jawfish. I'll keep you posted!

Vacaville: I do have a cover over my tank because I know Jawfish can jump out. Haven't seen any sign of that Jawfish anywhere and believe me - I've searched!

 

[tidepool2]

GOOD NEWS! I found my Blue Spotted Jawfish this evening! With the lights out and using a flashlight I was able to peak into all the little nooks and crannies of live rock and sand until my light caught those brilliant blue spots and those amazing little amber eyes. I guess my Jawfish is resting up from the trip home and he's probably checking out whether the tank is safe. Hopefully he'll soon see that he's in a friendly tank and he'll want to roam around a bit.

Now I'm wondering where the heck is my Peppermint Shrimp? If the Jawfish ate my P. Shrimp I wouldn't complain because that P. Shrimp has eaten so many of my snails...there are lots of empty shells on the sand to prove it.

Thanks to everyone for your replies and help! I just love Reef Central.

 

[MedRed]

Yay!