Who killed my peppermint shrimp?

[brett559]

To combat a few aiptasias, I bought 4 peppermint shrimp about a month ago. I don't see them at often, but some would occasionally come out at feeding time. I know these shrimp can be fairly reclusive.

Today I came home to find my purple tang picking at a dead peppermint shrimp on the sand. Any idea what could have happened? A had a melanarus wrasse kill/eat about 8 pepps a while back - the melanarus has been removed.

I have tangs, fairy and flasher wrasses, midas blenny, royal gramma, clownfish, purple firefish and a flame angel. I can't see any of these guys attacking/eating a peppermint shrimp.

 

[Clowny88]

Was it a dead shrimp... Or a molt?

 

[brett559]

Pretty sure. The fish were going at it pretty hard and it looked somewhat fleshy. I was able to find two more today - maybe my last one is hiding out?

No aiptasias though!

 

[CafeReef]

My peppermint comes out for feeding sometimes but mainly just cones out at nighttime. When he molts it does look like he's dead and my clowns have gone at it.

 

[cakemanPA]

Betting on the Gramma