some of my sps tips are being broken off what can it be

[murphreef]

ok well over the last few weeks id wake up in the morning and things would be broken....

first it was mainly my blue milli the new tips would be broken off on one branch or a different branch.... then all was ok.... then today this frag

what could it be??

i have some large turbos in the tank a big abalone that was a hitch hicker but i dont see snails breakin tips off.... i do have a black crab that has flat pinchers and ive only seen him pick at rock work .... i havent seen any fish nip at the corals especially at night all the fish sleep.... so im wondering whats goin on...

anyone else have a similar experience with there new growth tips being broken off by something... and if so did u ever find out what caused it?

thanks for the info

 

[gcarroll]

I have had the same issue for 3 years. I have no idea what it is but something in my tank has a taste for the radial coralites. I iritates ne because just when my coral repairs and begins to grow, the tips get eaten again.

 

[ChickenCannoneer]

What fish do you have in the tank? I have a clown that will relly do some damage to SPS if the coral gets too close to his RBTA's. HTH, Tim

 

[murphreef]

as far as fish go i have the following

a fuzzy dwarf lionfish
blue hippo tang "he now eats clams so i had to get rid of him"
yellow tang
mandarin dragonet
lawnmower blenny
diamond goby
siscortail goby
sebae clown fish" hes hosting my RTBA on the other side of the tank"
4 lyertail anthias
yellow wrasse

i havent seen any bite at the acros and they all sleep atr nite

but it does suck when ur corals got new growth then something either eats or breaks off the tips....

 

[menard]

U said black crab W/ flat pinchers ? Theres your acro. muncher. This crab likes eating growth tips,hairy acros,montis. growing edge and tips. Hope this helps, get rid of it,If its mean to pull all the rocks to get it ,I would do it..............PEACE

 

[murphreef]

oh yeah man that suckers guna be hard to catch i gota see what i can do

how do u know that he east acros??

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7744275#post7744275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murphreef
oh yeah man that suckers guna be hard to catch i gota see what i can do

how do u know that he east acros??

Believe me I saw them in action. I have multiple tanks.this hitchhikers gotta go.When they sm.they eat algae as they grow the diet change to more meaty soft calcium based, which is your corals.

 

[turtlespd]

i had the same problem in the past. Wake up and *** someone fragged my prized sps. One night i was awake late and noticed a harry crab and i saw him crawling up to the tips and BAM...boy was i ****ed. SO, now on i kill all crabs except the porcali smooth crabs.

 

[murphreef]

man how am i guna catch him?

i really dont wanna tear the tank apart but geeze i cant have him chowing on the tips of my sps either

this really blows i hate hitchikers lol

 

[Zoom]

Wide mouth glass bottle work very well just put some bait in the bottle before you go to bed just be sure you till it some to the side so when he go in he can not get out you have to till it enough so he just slip and slide in the bottle .

 

[murphreef]

sounds like an interesting way to catch him.... i wonder how many hermits i can catch too lol

thanks for the ideas ill give that a go and see what happens??

what kinda bait should i use?

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7745182#post7745182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murphreef
sounds like an interesting way to catch him.... i wonder how many hermits i can catch too lol

thanks for the ideas ill give that a go and see what happens??

what kinda bait should i use?

Shrimp or clam. The good all Good seasons salad dressing mixing glass bottle works wonders just don't tell no one in the house what you are using it for:lol:

 

[murphreef]

thanks steve for ur help.... i dont know if i have any of that salad dressing at home lol but ill find something!

 

[slobound]

Hahahaha... I was telling you about that crab yesterday!

 

[murphreef]

yeah i know garrick lol!

i woke up this morning to see some of the ends of the fars growth all munched up!

gota get hime out!

 

[amuruges]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7744275#post7744275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murphreef
oh yeah man that suckers guna be hard to catch i gota see what i can do

how do u know that he east acros??

I use shis-kabob skewers, whne I see one I put the skewer on the top of the shell and plunge it in and take it out...... I had abig one that looked like it was clearing the algae patches and once it was gone it started to taste test my frags...

 

[turtlespd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7745563#post7745563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slobound
Hahahaha... I was telling you about that crab yesterday!

SEEEE! should of listen to the man!

 

[murphreef]

yeah true lol well he is reclusive i really didnt want to kill him with a skewer but i guess if i have to.... i was guna throw in him the sump with my other hitchicker crab and let them fight it out

alright so im guna get the skewer ready then if i cant catch him a safer way!

he always looked so harmless thought pickin at the rocks but now hes pretty big and hes probably got a bigger appatite and theres no algae on my rocks