Something killed my Mandarin. ... help investigate pls

[miserkris]

Last night i noticed my sally light foot crab eating my dead Mandarin. I bought him small now after a year he is big. Attacks anything that goes near him.

I have also seen my ora black occ clown attack others.

Mandarin was healthy eating frozen and live had him for one and half years. I have A fuge too.
If i know the culprit I'll take him out. I have a pipefish I'm worried about now.

I have seen the clown couple of time to gently nip at Mandarin if he moves close to him. Mandarin would then flare up his top fin in response to threat.

Crab was getting his fair share. .. he'd come out and eat daily as i fed pellets, frozen etc.

Does anyone think that the adult sally crab has enough strength to pounce and hold a Mandarin? Maybe he got him when he was asleep?
Sally crab had tiny pincers too

Lmk what u think.
Thanks

 

[DustyReefer]

From what iv'e heard SLF crabs are highly predatory and once they get large can and will kill what they can get their claws on, hence why iv'e always strayed away from them. So IMO I would remove the crab before he gets somebody else.

 

[humaguy]

thinking the clown stressed it out or and killed it and the crab was happy for the free snack...

 

[TarheelReefer22]

I would say crab... sounds like clown just would prevent her territory from being invaded and wasn't constantly attacking which would have been the obv cod. Imo no crab is reef or tank safe and will kill and eat any life in the tank they can get in their claws. I have even persoanlly witnessed an emerald crab predading on my lps and sps polyps even with plenty of food provided by my self. Emerald crabs are said to graze mostly on algae and considered reed safe but I have also seen one geab my mckocers flasher wrasse while sleeping and although it didn't kill him the crab did take a nice chuck of din which he happily consumed one the wrasse made his escape... long story short remove crab

 

[miserkris]

Thanks guys. SLF crab might be cute but he's gonna come out. Will get a crab trap asap!

 

[SushiGirl]

Any pics of the mandarin before this happened?

 

[namxas]

I agree...it was most likely the SLF...they can be pretty predatory, esp. if they have some size on them.

 

[miserkris]

An update.
The diy bottle trap only attracted hermits and not the SLC. Used a shrimp bait.

I used my HF long grabbers or tongs, to catch him. So far i was able to cut off 5 of his legs lol.... he's still fast, hungry and even eats his own leg pieces ewww.

I moved my pipe fish to the fuge. I'll either kill the crab or get it out.