new fish keep disappearing!!!!

[deansreef]

I have a 180 gallon reef and about 180 lbs of live rock; tank set-up since march of 05. I have had a cbb, a tuskfish, 3 green chromis and a foxface in the tank for about a year...over the last few months I added a six line and 2 bangaii cardinals; the fish disappeared in a matter of days. I added a large Lawmower Blenny a few days ago...the fish was almost 5 inches long and this fish has disappeared!!!

No rock has been added since the initial set-up and my original 7 fish never disappear just any new fish that I add.

What can be making these fish disappear??

Dean

 

[Sk8r]

mantis or green brittle star

 

[auto_loader]

Could be a crab too.
Get a flashlight and start looking around at night.

 

[deansreef]

there is no brittle star as I would see the arms somewhere...the crab should have eaten one of my other fish if there was one large enough I would of thought.

 

[Sk8r]

And have you looked behind the tank. Jumpers can be pretty quiet.

 

[deansreef]

look behind and on all sides...look in the overflows and in the sump- no fish!!!!

 

[kryppy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8617685#post8617685 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deansreef
there is no brittle star as I would see the arms somewhere...the crab should have eaten one of my other fish if there was one large enough I would of thought.

You might think that, but I found this guy living in my 90 gallon
which has minimal rock. I caught these pictures a few months ago and haven't seen him again! He is HUGE!

Took off like lightning from the flash of the camera right under the sand!

 

[dwculp]

You would be amazed at what can live in your tank unnoticed. My small 40 gallon tank is over two tears old and since day one I have had a clicking noise which I am sure is a pistol shrimp, I have never seen it in two years, just heard it.

One evening I was watching the tank and sitting on a rock is a 4-5 inch white brittle star I had never seen before and have not seen since.

 

[Skateboarder]

I had a mantis shrimp in my 75 for 4 years until I decided to upgrade I saw him swimming around when I put the rock. Never saw him until then.So definately look tonight for crabs,brittles,etc

 

[otolith]

But if he has a mysterious critter eating his fish, why would it only eat the new fish?

deansreef, it doesn't make much sense. I guess I would look at where you've bought your fish, the general health of the fish when you've picked them up, etc.

 

[deansreef]

i will look tonight with a flashlight and see what is out and about in the night!!!!!

 

[Sk8r]

The only fish of your original set whose behavior I don't know is the tuskfish---who could for all I know be a serial killer in cahoots with the others, but I kind of bet on a nocturnal hunter.

 

[deansreef]

no predators in the tank that I could see...this is a mystery; only new fish disappear!!!