Lps eyes eaten out?

[stevejrnc]

Ok levels are fine
but over the past few days I've noticed some creature
in my tank has a taste for the eyes of some of my le lps
corals
blue meanie micromussa and le passion fruit chalice
I don't think it's a fish cause they would go for the fleshy more meaty part
right?
But this is just the eyes that are gone
you could actullay see the just the eyes missing on the micro
the purple/blue flesh is still on the micro
and the passion fruit is missing eyes
I'm stumped

I'll add pics tomorrow if needed

 

[ReeFMarinE]

I had the same problem with my chalice, missing two eyes. All levels perfect. I was never really given an exact reason other than maybe a piece of food was on the chalice eye/ mouth and a crab may have gotten carried away. I also did find 2 med. reef crabs within a week of this happening.

Mine grew back and are now fully healed. Are eyes still disappearing? and do you spot feed them.

 

[RokleM]

Any shrimp, specifically peppermints?

 

[stevejrnc]

:-( mucho peperments about 45
however I have 0 aptasia

 

[RokleM]

And you have tasty LPS.

Start looking how to catch some of them and find someone who needs them.

 

[MechEng99]

Are you 100% sure you have peppermint shrimp, and not camelback shrimp?

I had a crab once that I watched rip a coral to shreds after I had fed the coral. You may have something looking for whatever the corals are eating.

 

[RokleM]

Are you 100% sure you have peppermint shrimp, and not camelback shrimp?

I had a crab once that I watched rip a coral to shreds after I had fed the coral. You may have something looking for whatever the corals are eating.

Peppermint shrimp are known for attacking LPS, nothing new and not misidentified camelbacks. It certainly could be something else, but with 50 shrimp in a tank with massive overfeeding (unless it's a 1000g+), I would almost guarantee that's the issue.

 

[MechEng99]

AND, camelbacks are frequently mis-sold as peppermints...and are much more likely to go after the coral in a typical scenario. But you're right...that many shrimp (of whatever type) are going to go after whatever they can if they're hungry. I would also expect camelbacks to go after more than just the mouths looking for food.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Peppermint shrimp are known for attacking LPS, nothing new and not misidentified camelbacks. It certainly could be something else, but with 50 shrimp in a tank with massive overfeeding (unless it's a 1000g+), I would almost guarantee that's the issue.

+1 mine developed a taste for my pink hammer and are banned to the sump. And they are definitely peppermints, wurdemani i believe.

here's a tip to catch them... put some food in a fish net and wait. they are the biggest pigs ever!!!! took me 2 min to get 2 out of my tank.