HELP! Fish dissappearing/Being eaten

[Wildstar1063]

In the past several months, I have lost several small fish out of my display tank,
sometimes they just disappear, and others time I will find a stripped carcass.

I have never seen what is killing these fish, but I'm guessing it is some kind of
crab or shrimp. It seems to only go after the smaller fish that sleep near the bottom
of the tank, in the rockwork, as it never has bothered my false percula, who sleeps
near the top of the tank. Nor has it bothered the rabbit fish who sleeps in the rockwork,
but is pretty big compared to the rest of the tank inhabitants.

On a side note, has anyone noticed that the verigated Rabbit fish is kind of a Chameleon?
When mine gets scared, it changes to a dark mottled color that kind of matches the
rocks.

Anyway if the killer is a crab or shrimp, how would I go about catching it?
and what bait should I use?

Thanks

Chuck E.

 

[kpk]

Chuck my first ? is do you have a green serpant starfish? I had read alot about them eating fish and I was gonna hold one for a day or so for a friend, well the first night it ate on of my ocellaris clowns.
Also you may look closely after lights out and look for a crab that is brown, sometimes hairy, with black tipped pinchers. They are gorilla crabs and they will eat small fish. I had a rather large one for about a year that i didn't know of and lost a clown goby, blenny and a few others. Finally fish him out with a piece of krill in my tweezers and pined him down. Grabbed him and killed him dead lol. The other night I was looking and saw another little punk. He was in a hole in the rock and I tried the same thing, but instead of trying to get him out of the hole I think I smashed in there hopefully killing him.
It could also be a mantis shrimp. Do you hear clicking at night? He would probably kill anything though not just the bottom fish...

 

[Wildstar1063]

KPK,

There are no stars in my tank, I have heard so many stories about stars
eating fish, that I never have had them in my tank.

I have tried looking at night for whatever it is, but have seen nothing. I was hoping
there was some sort of trap I could make to catch what ever it is.

Chuck E.

 

[corwise]

A friend of mine had a tiny lobster in his tank, that cleaned it out pretty good. I've also heard of various worms taking and eating a dead fish, but don't think they'll actually kill it first.

 

[dugg]

Any popping noises after the lights go out? If you don't have any serpents, maybe a mantis shrimp that hitchhiked in on a rock and is just getting big enough to start eating fish.

 

[Sk8r]

Do you have any large mushrooms? The elephant ear mushroom is a frequent fish killer, going particularly after sessile fish, fish that settle down to rest at night.

 

[Wildstar1063]

Dugg,

I have not heard any poppong noises, would I actually hear these noises
standing near the tank? or would I hace to put my ear to it?

SK8tr,

The only mushroom corals I have are the purple and green striped ones, I don't
think they eat fish

Anyone know how to catch a Lobster/Crab/Shrimp?

Thanks

Chuck E.

 

[dugg]

My giant green metalic mushrooms on average have 1 to 2 $30 meals a year lol.

 

[kpk]

Hey Chuck sorry to mention the trap. What I have done and it does work just takes time. Take a couple of gatorade bottles (the big ones, big openings) cut it down the neck like a funnel would look, and invert it so the funnel goes inside the bottle part. Not really good instructions, but you get the jist sp? Then put some food and wait, i would do a couple throughout the tank.

HTH

 

[Lazyreefer]

Sally light foots were my culprit! Ate about 7 royal grammas.

 

[Sk8r]

Bummer---nice crabs, til they grow!

 

[captbunzo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8295469#post8295469 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wildstar1063
There are no stars in my tank, I have heard so many stories about stars eating fish, that I never have had them in my tank.

Then you have been missing out, big time. All serpent and brittle stars are safe with the exception of green brittle stars. And they are one of the neater inhabitants of our mini reefs, IMHO.

Brittle stars are the ones with bodies about the shape of a quarter, long legs (3-6 inches or so), and lots of short spines on the legs (1/4 inch long or so). Serpent stars have the same body shape, minus the spines.

Both of these stars are easily fed with standard tank foods (flakes, pellets, or (better yet) frozen carnivorous foods).

And, btw, sorry to hear about your disappearing and dead fish. I hope you find the culprit. Kyles suggestion about the gaterade bottle trap is a good one...

 

[Wildstar1063]

Thanks for the info everyone, I am going to try the gatoraid bottle trap this weekend. If
I catch anything I'll post pics.

Thanks

Chuck E.