Murderous peppermint shrimp??

[Jamifen]

Hello All! So, I have been reefing for about a year now, and have been so thankful for this forum when planning and seeking advice. Even with all of your expert knowledge, it has been a roller coaster of an experience! My latest problem is that I recently purchased a few new peppermint shrimp from a reputable site that many trust to help keep the tank clean. The first mishap was when the Kole tang I purchased at the same time, turned up dead and half eaten one morning a week later, even though it had been perfectly healthy the night before. I chalked it up to just not making the adjustment to his new tank successfully, and the dealer has a 14 day policy, and refunded me. Then, one by one three blue chromis I'd had for a year, were found dead or dying on seperate mornings. After a weekend away a few days later, I noticed my two inch starry blenny had completely vanished upon my return! Followed by my adorable clown that I'd had since the beginning, and who was sweetly paired with my bubble nem, found floundering around with a ripped tail, and who died despite my efforts to save him. Yesterday, my two inch sand sifting star, disappeared arm by arm nibbled away over a two day period!!!

I am distraught, and the only common denominator seems to be one remaining peppermint shrimp whom I found munching on what remained of the star! I think he must have eaten his shrimp mates as well!! There are no other predatory creatures in my tank. All of the corals are thriving, except my zoanthids which also disappeared shortly after the arrival of the peppermint shrimps. My only remaining inhabitants are a matted file fish, who stays at the top of the tank, and one small yellow goby who hides under the rocks, along with some snails, and one red sea star. My water parameters are spot on, and the fish all looked and behaved quite healthy before their demise. Whenever I found a dead or dying inhabitant, it was morning. I pass by my tank many times throughout the day, but see nothing unusual during waking hours. Any thoughts? Has anyone else ever had a murderous shrimp?! Also, tips on trapping the shrimp without tearing my whole tank apart....

 

[CarrieB]

I can't imagine a peppermint shrimp taking down a tang. Seems much more likely to me that the tang brought in velvet or flukes to the tank and it spread to the other inhabitants.


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[rajilnaja]

The chromis mostly likely slowed picked each other off over time, seems to be pretty common. The sand sifting star probably just slowly starved/starving to death honestly.

 

[Georb]

. You know what it's time to do.

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[3S1K]

I would say the vanishing bodies are probably from the shrimp feasting on them. I doubt the peppermint shrimps is the one that killed them though.

 

[Sk8r]

Peps clean up a crime scene, don't create one, excepting the random theft of a poci polyp. YOu have some other sort of problem, perhaps ich or velvet and the biggest suspect is the kole, who may have brought something hidden in his gills.

 

[Sambo107]

Agreed peppermint shrimp dont cause the death they just get the leftovers

 

[Jamifen]

The chromis mostly likely slowed picked each other off over time, seems to be pretty common. The sand sifting star probably just slowly starved/starving to death honestly.

No, his legs were eaten off one per night over three nights, until his (abdomen) was ripped apart. Thanks though.

 

[Jamifen]

The chromis mostly likely slowed picked each other off over time, seems to be pretty common. The sand sifting star probably just slowly starved/starving to death honestly.

Just hard to imagine that after living peacefully together for a year, they would decide to kill each other in one 3 day period.... Thanks though!

 

[Jamifen]

Peps clean up a crime scene, don't create one, excepting the random theft of a poci polyp. YOu have some other sort of problem, perhaps ich or velvet and the biggest suspect is the kole, who may have brought something hidden in his gills.

Thanks! If so, how do I treat the tank? There's only the matted file, and yellow goby left, and they both seem just fine. I definitely won't be replacing anything for quite some time, until I know everything is okay in the there. Advice would be appreciated

 

[Jamifen]

. You know what it's time to do.

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I'm definitely there, but need advise catching him. Tied a string onto an empty bottle with a silverside in it last night, thinking if he went in I'd yank it out, but he didn't take the bait. I caught a rogue crab in my tank using this method, but they aren't as agile as a shrimp...

 

[Sk8r]

It's a basic rule of multiple damsels that if the tank is too small or becomes too small as they grow, they will gang up on the weakest, usually in fights over sleeping spots, until there are few enough fish to equal the sleeping spots they prefer.

 

[Georb]

Easiest way to catch shrimp... Put the net behind it slowly and have something in front of it. Have the item in front jerk towards it and it will jet into your net.

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[Stolireef]

No way its the shrimp. A ticked off tang would demolish it in a minute. Most likely an infection (flukes, ich, etc.). I'd take the other fish out of the tank and do the whole fallow thing for, I think, six weeks.

 

[CarrieB]

No way its the shrimp. A ticked off tang would demolish it in a minute. Most likely an infection (flukes, ich, etc.). I'd take the other fish out of the tank and do the whole fallow thing for, I think, six weeks.

Six weeks for velvet, 76 days for ick. I figure it's worth the extra time for the additional insurance.


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[jda]

If you must catch the shrimp, then I might suggest that you have a alternative plan for another cause. There is next to no chance that a peppermint killed any of those things, but I understand if it makes you feel better. Don't take too much time to keep on searching for another reason.

 

[Jamifen]

Thanks for the input everyone! Much appreciated

 

[Sonyardo]

You would be surprised what a rogue lil crab can do. But I agree, that most likely, you've introduced something nasty into the tank (disease or parasite) with the new additions. The Shrimp was just cleaning up the mess.

 

[Stolireef]

Was thinking about this. Sounds a little like you may have a mantis in your tank. They can be very good at hiding and they'll take on just about any fish.

Was your rock live rock or did you start with dry rock?