Ive been losing fish, but never finding a body. this has happened 3 times in the last two months. I have lost a rainfords goby, candy barred goby, a dusky jawfish and a coral banded shrimp that i noticed has gone missing. the two gobies came missing days after addition. I have a 36 gal bow, 50 lbs live rock, with a 2 inch aragonite bed. 2x65w pc lighting, 10 gal sump that harbors extra live rock some sand and macroalgae. Inhabitants include a royal gramma, yellow tang, one of the various brittle stars (rather large body is about 1.5 inches across) ermit crabs, few snails and sone various corals- hammer, lemnalia, pagoda cup, candy cane and a few zooanthids. could the culprit be the star fish. I understand that the cleaner crew would dispose of bodies quickly, but its only the rock dwelling fish that keep going missing, everthing else is perfectly healthy and the tank parameters are in check, the two powerhead pickups are screen protected, the same with the overflow, ant idead would be appreciated
missing fish? no body to be found
- Thread starter sabbatus
- Start date
Packersfan21
New member
Do you have a lid on your tank? It's possible they jumped out. Also a 36 gallon is way to small for a yellow tang.
Any clicking coming from your rocks....maybe a mantis shrimp.
Are your brittlestars green? Larger green brittlestars have been known to attack smaller fish. I had one that was fed popcorn shrimp to keep him full and happy. He was returned to the lfs after he was the size of a dinner plate.
Maybe a predatory worm or a larger crab (not reef friendly)? Investigate at night with a flashlight. I say you probably have a predatory worm.
Are your brittlestars green? Larger green brittlestars have been known to attack smaller fish. I had one that was fed popcorn shrimp to keep him full and happy. He was returned to the lfs after he was the size of a dinner plate.
Maybe a predatory worm or a larger crab (not reef friendly)? Investigate at night with a flashlight. I say you probably have a predatory worm.
i am lidless, nothing around the aquarium. I have searched for the bodies on the floor and under everything nothing, i have checked for all the possible crustacaens. no mantis or crabs i am familiar with these. i am interested in this worm idea. i did catch a glimpse of something wormlike once how would i go about finding and eradicating this little bastard
Packersfan21
New member
Yup very true. I have seen pictures of it with dead gobies in it's mouth. This is most likely your culprit.
Packersfan21
New member
You could try netting him if he comes out after the main lights have gone out.
