Fishes Have Been Disapperaring

drm180

drm180

Reefing newb
I had a Damselfish and two Ocelaris Clowns in my aquarium. Over the past few weeks they just disappeared one by one. First, the smaller clown. Then, the damsel. Then just last night, the larger clown. I have not been able to find remains of any of them. There is nothing wrong with the water that I know of. What could be killing and eating them? I have a BTA but it is not very large and it doesn't look like it could eat anything as large as my whole fishes. Any ideas?
 
No, I haven't noticed any. The only thing different I have noticed is some little pincer that reaches out from under the rock my xenia is on. It has moved the sand and made the xenia sink down in the sandbed a little.
 
Did you look behind your tank. They could have jumped. I had a swallowtail and a clown fish both jump for no reason i could find. But I did find the bodies behind my tankstand....
 
Do you have a cat? Maybe they're jumping and the cat is eating them before you can find them?
 
I just checked the back, there is nothing there. I do have a cat, though I don't think it can get back behind my tank to get it. The only place they can jump out is the back.
 
Just looking in your tank you may not be able to find all the critters and hitchhikers in there... some are pretty good at hiding!
 
If you dont have a mantis shrimp in your tank they had to have jumped. But take out the rock and see if you find any fish laying on the bottom. sorry for you troubles. dont give up though
 
drm180 said:
The only thing different I have noticed is some little pincer that reaches out from under the rock my xenia is on. It has moved the sand and made the xenia sink down in the sandbed a little.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised no one saw this!! You may have a predatorial crab or a mantis shrimp if you are seeing this. Pull out that rock (using some tongs, not your bare hands) and see if you can get a better view of this mystery critter.
 
I looked under the rock and only found a bristleworm but the sand was really loose so I guess something has been living in there. I'll check again when the lights go out. I think that's when I saw it last time.
 
my guess is a mantis. You could pull the rocks up and out but he could still find a crevice to hide in and your just not seeing him. I'd almost be willing to bet on this one. Your more than likely gunna have to set a trap. I'd prolly set one and just see if anything happens.....just wait a few days.....set trap because he will defintly be hungry and get him out. then ship it to me =)........if you dont know how to trap, speak to yote, ive heard he's the man.
 
Bifferwine said:
I'm surprised no one saw this!! You may have a predatorial crab or a mantis shrimp if you are seeing this. Pull out that rock (using some tongs, not your bare hands) and see if you can get a better view of this mystery critter.
Click to expand...

I saw it.:D
I'm betting on a crab myself.Predatory crabs do their dirty work under the cover of darkness.So its not surprising that you've only seen a pincher.
To set an effective trap,you have to know what size critter your dealing with.Once you've got that figured out,just use a glass jar or something and place it at a 45 degree angle,againt your rocks.Bait it with a silverside or piece of clam.When the predator goes inside for the easy meal,he cant climb back out.
 
What? No one has asked about water parms yet? I'd guess that water quality is not it but you cannot rule out water quality as an issue until we know what the parms are.

Salinity
Ph
Temperature. Has it changed a lot ion a short period of time?
Nitrates (They can kill fish if high enough).
 
I'm going to try a trap tonight to see. I only have mysis shrimp and krill. Will krill work instead of a silverside? Sorry I didn't include the water param. yet. They're all normal.
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.2
Temp. - Usually stays at 80 but goes to 82 slowly every now and then
Nitrates - 0 on two different test kits
 

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