Disappearing fish? Suggestions to sources?

[mkr_00]

I set up a new 150 gallon reef with a 29 gallon sump. I stocked it with 200 lbs of live rock from tbs and have removed around 30 gorilla crabs. Still have a few I think. I have had several fish just vanish. In the 4 months since the initial cycle I have lost 3 mollies that I used to cycle, a lawnmower blenny , a flame angel , a powder blue tang and two royal gammas. I still have a few small fish and a few cleaner shrimps. There are also peppermints and several porcelain crabs along with the clean up crew. I haven't heard any clicking or popping at all so I don't think I have a mantis. Any suggestions to what is killing the fish. I never find bodies and the top is sealed among with filters on the overflows. I don't know what could be killing them. They are fine for weeks and then disappear.

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[mkr_00]

i have removed a couple baby pistol shrimps but havent seen any adults. not sure what to do. im also not sure why the larger fish are the main ones to go. i have been reef keeping for years and have lost dish but not this many so quickly

 

[mkr_00]

I pulled every piece of rock out and dipped into hyper saline water. Got around 30 more freaking gorilla crabs and one big pistol. Could this guy be my culprit? I've never had one but he is the only thing big enough to take down a tang and flame angel. I took a picture but can't figure out how to post it. This is it though


https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/images/products/Invertebrates/large/Caribbean_Pistol.jpg

Honestly. If it's not him. I'm at a loss

 

[Bent]

It still could be a spearing mantis. How big was the PBT?

Are they gone gone? Like no bodies?

Edit: helps if I read.

The fact that you still have crustaceans leans me toward a fish specific predator. The fish you listed are pretty big, but if they were smaller when they died it could be a number of predators.

My first two suspects are a bobbit worm or a spearing mantis, since they typically drag the victim into the sand bed.

So if your not finding bodies, and the fish were good size, that would be my bet.

Do you have a deep sand bed?

 

[mkr_00]

I haven't found bodies except one flame angel which had no gashes in it. The sand bed is about an inch. Not what I would call deep. The tang was medium size. Bigger than the flame angel. I've also lost a skunk cleaner, 4 emerald crabs and a couple peppermint shrimps. I expected to find a mantis when I dipped the rock. The pistol is the only thing other than gorillas that I found. I didn't sift through the sand though. The only thing remaining other than cuc is a skunk cleaner, one peppermint, a small six line and a Molly. There are around 15 porcelain crabs too

 

[mkr_00]

Since I've lost most everything. I was considering getting a cuttlefish and make sure that the predator is taken out along with everything else. I have around 50 gorilla crabs in my quarantine tank as snack

 

[Bent]

How long has it been since it cycled?

What's your water Params?

 

[mkr_00]

It's been fully cycled for around three months. Initially set up in the end of May. Everything is at zero except nitrates that are around 5ppm. Pb is 8.3. Sg is around 1.026 and calcium is around 400 ppm. I've been dosing vodka and doing biweekly water changes to lower nitrates after the initial cycle from live rock die off. The temp gets up to around 82 in the afternoon but is usually 79 or so. I've been adding fish slowly to avoid a spike and all is well for a few weeks. The they all see to disappear in a matter of days after living and eating for 3 or so weeks.

 

[anbosu]

It sounds like you aren't quarantining your fish. If that's the case it's probably a parasite or some other fish disease, not a predator.

 

[Rubasu]

If you're not finding bodies, that could just be because the crabs will end up eating the dead fish. So I wouldn't think straight to a predator if you don't find a body.

I had a 6-line die a while ago (none of my other fish) - I think it was due to stress, but I never did find the body... And I still have fish from that time, so it surely wasn't a disease either

 

[mkr_00]

I'm not sure what it is but the I've lost 7 in two months. Mostly within days of each other and then weeks of nothing. I had four mollies that cycled the tank. They were there now only one. I lost one on the firsts night but found the body. I expected stress. But everything else was eating and seemed fine for around three weeks then one would disappear a day and then nothing for a week and then one a day for a couple days. It's wierd. I'll let it settle for a while and try adding one to see what happens I guess