Mithrax crab eats cardinal fish pics HELP!

[ReefDreamz]

I just put 2 bengai cardinals in my tank last night. When I came home from work I saw my red mythrax crab eating one of the cardinals with a swarm of hermits joining the feast. Im not sure if the crab actually killed the fish but I know the fish looked totally healthy last night when it went in the tank. Question is should I take out the crab, I know he eats hair algae which I like but it obviously also has a taste for fish meat. Also should I try and get the remainder of the carcass out of the tank or should I leave it for the scavengers it looks like its about half gone already?

Proof:

 

[sufunk]

Highy, highly doubt the crab killed the fish. 99.9% chance the fish died and the crab is getting a free meal. I wouldn't take the crab out based on fear of him killing fish.

If you have a sufficient clean up crew, you are fine leaving it in for them to eat. If they dont finish it off, you can take out whatever is left after a day or so.

Probably should do a water change regardless since the water quality may have contributed to the fish dying.

 

[ReefDreamz]

Really? I dont know because the fish looked fine when I put it in the tank last night also all the other fish (firefish, midas blenny, cardinal) are doing fine and so are the corals. I think my water is pretty good I have barley any nuisance algae and my water is clear. Out of the RO/DI my tds is 0. I dont doubt you that the crab didnt kill the fish but I do doubt it was water quality. Either way I'll do a water change. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Shagsbeard]

One more good reason to quarentine fish. My bet is that your fish "died" before he even got to your house. Many of these fish are poisoned to make capture easier, and the lingering effects bump them off later. I'm not saying that's the case, but it's far more likely than your crab killing it.

 

[ReefDreamz]

I dont know I saw the lady at the LFS catch the fish it seemed fine plus the place seems like a really nice store. But then again I cant explain what happened and the other cardinal that I got at the same time same store from the same tank is still alive and swimming.

 

[poppin_fresh]

Welcome to the world of SW fish. Just because a fish looks good at the store and all your other fish look good... there are no guarantees. Some fish just dont transplant well. The first day they look great and the next they are crab fodder.

If you can figure out why, you will become very rich!