I think something is eating my fish..

[bluebill]

Just want to see what you all think. I have lost 3 fish in last two weeks (a chromi, blue damsel, and a clown goby) and cannot figure out why or where they went. first it was the clown goby and all to the other fish in the tank were acting scared to death which is not normal. I check the water and everthing was normal. Then a cromi went missing and now today I notice the damsel was gone (finally, I have been trying to get him out of the tank for six months). I have yet to find any carcasses or remains of any fish. No amonia, no rise in nitrates, or nitrites, which I would suspect if a fish was decaying in the DT. So I am now thinking somthing is eating them. I only have 3 hermits (red) sand star, 2 turbos, couple of cerith snails, and a bunch stomatella snails besides my clown fish, 2 remaining chromis, and a dotty back. Any help, what do think? Thanks.

 

[fishchef]

Sometimes with your live rock you get a free crab. Most of them are nocturnal. They can be in the tank for a long time and all of a sudden fish come up missing. Put a tall clear glass in your tank overnight with a piece of shrimp at the bottom. They can't get out if its tall enough. Good luck.

 

[Retired Reefer]

Listen for a clicking sound it could be a mantis.

 

[greech]

I would definitely be setting some traps at night. It would not take long for even a CUC of just snails and hermits to devour a fish that died for whatever reason so not finding the carcass is not all that unusual.

 

[Algaenot]

Hide the tartar sauce!

 

[bluebill]

What is the best way to make a trap?

 

[fishchef]

Have you caught anything? The tall clear glass with a piece of solid food works great if you have a crab that you can't find.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Tall, smooth sided glass, baited with some fresh seafood, tipped against the rock work at night will catch a crab.

 

[sanchoy]

i rule out the mantis shrimp. If you don't hear clicking sounds. Check parameters again, could be ammonia.. fish will hide before their death, then clean up crew/bristle worms will devour the remains.

 

[flyhigh123]

use a red light at night time to look into your tank... depending on size of tank, u can use a small water bottle, cut the top, invert it and bait inside,

or use a small glass container like they said, but it depends on what is eating your fish.

maybe you should list what u have in tank. Do you have any brittle or serpent stars?