Who gave the Loraina Bobbitt to my Xenia?

[nclemmons]

I came home from work today to see that my xenia was sliced near its base like it was a piece of timber. It looke almost like a knife sliced 3/4 through it. I have fish crabs and shrimp. Is it possible one of the above attacked it. I cannot figure it out!

 

[DJ88©]

[moved]

 

[TippyToeX]

What kind of crabs and what kind of fish?

 

[Emster]

lol that title is too funny! I was on the ground rolling. Sorry about your xenia though.

 

[nclemmons]

Ive got the sterotypical Flame angel, hep tang, purple psudo, green chromis, watchman goby tank. Ive got small hermits: a couple scarlet, a lot of blue legs. I gota cleaner, fire , and coral banded shrimp. Oh yeah I put a purple and orange lobster in there a month ago, but Ive NEVER seen him since. I'm just stumbled by this one.

 

[nclemmons]

Oh yeah I got this ne solar wrasse 6-7 days ago, but he is sooooo timid right now. He hasn't even bit at much food much less any corals. He's beautiful when the light actually hits him. (about 3 seconds out of the entire day!)

 

[kimnjody]

Had the same thing happen to our xenia a couple of weeks ago, never figured that out either. Only thing different is that we have 4 emerald crabs in our tank also, and a lot less fish.

 

[dustybuddy]

umm....wouldnt it be the lobster??? purple and orange lobsters arent reef safe. are they?

 

[nclemmons]

I've never even seen the lobster and it's been in there for over a month. I would think that I would see him or his shell at some point. Plus, he emerges once just to hack away at my xenia. I don't know, sound fishy, or somethin'.

 

[dustybuddy]

icic. do you think ithe lobster is dead then?

 

[starseed]

I found the same problem tonight.

I think it's the peppermint shrimp though, which I need for my aspita problem.

The shrimps have just started to eat the Asp., but the are also trying other corals too.

I thought Peppermint shrimps were reef safe!?!?!?

Oh - and these are REAL peppermints ordered from Premium Aquatics - I know they are the aspita eating species, but like I said, they seem to be trying everything.

 

[starseed]

You know what?

I watched the Peppermints all night - there are 4 in a 55 gallon.

They were only eating dead corals and Xenia - the Xenia actually look happier and healthier today - I guess the peppermints were just "pruning" the Xenia.

There was another coral at first I thought they were attacking, but after watching (for like 2 hours), they were only eating a dying polyp (I had accidentially crushed it when adding Epoxy that day.

They just wiped out the last Aspita (I know I'm not spelling that right) the night before, so they might be testing the other polyps.

I think my respect for Peppermints just shot up!

But I'll be watching them tonight too.

 

[starseed]

By the way,

Lobsters are not reef safe and just because you can't see something in your tank doesn't mean it isn't there.

I think a lobster is about as reef safe as a live Dungeness Crab.

If there are big bites or chunks missing from corals or softies - best bet is a hidden crab (or lobster).

But if it is a crab or lobster, it will keep eating until you get it. If the destruction has stopped, then I doubt it was the lobster.

 

[amazingbobby]

uncut

uncut

When is the movie coming out, Xenia Uncut?

 

[jasper24]

I sat and watched my former emerald crab slice a stalk of xenia in half. This was the last straw. I had previously seen it munching on a zoanthid skirt. I traded him back to the lfs for 3 snails!