who did it ?

yahutch · #1 07/25/2006, 01:18 PM

I have been downsizing the amount of tanks I have to take care of and in the process I added 3 tiny emerald crabs and 2 serpent stars to my main reef from my frag tank. the very first night my 2 yr old cleaner shrimp went missing . I had also added my clowns and their anemone at the same time , so I kinda thought maybe it was the anemone . that was about a month ago . this weekend I tried adding 2 more cleaners to the oposite side of the tank from the anemone . at lights out they were still in the cave were I placed them . next morning I find 1 half eaten cleaner and no sign of the other . who is eating my cleaner shrimp ? I have a good feeling it is an emerald , but they really are tiny and these were some large shrimp . would the serpents eat a live healthy shrimp ?I have 2 pistol shrimp in there as well , they have not been bothered ( they have lived there for 2 yrs with the original cleaner and some pepps so I do not think it was them ) . because I have 200 lbs of live rock in there it might be awhile before I can catch the kulprit , can anyone recommend a reef friendly cleaner fish for my tangs ? Thanks

hansnfrans · #2 07/25/2006, 01:25 PM

Well, since it was half eaten, that rules out the anemone. I know that green serpent stars will eat fish if large enough, not sure if it would eat a shrimp, but if they do eat shrimp I doubt that it would leave half of a shrimp behind. That only leaves the emeralds.

craftytony · #3 07/25/2006, 01:34 PM

I would guess the emeralds also...but could be something you have yet seen, as even though i've pulled rocks out of my tank multiple times and scrubbed them all down when first putting them in, i've already caught 3 crabs i had no idea were in there!

yahutch · #4 07/25/2006, 01:40 PM

thanks , I agree - must be the emeralds .I guess I doubted myself because soo many others keep them together without problems . the serpents are reds ( known to be less aggresive ) and they are still small . if there is any chance it was them , they will be relocated as well. time to set up crab traps , somebody has been getting some expensive meals . too coincidental that I could keep 1 for 2 years and then it goes missing the very night I add the emeralds/ serpents and now I can not keep them overnight .any idea why the pistols have not been bothered ?

craftytony · #5 07/25/2006, 01:45 PM

keep in mind, i'm somewhat of a newb still...wait for more comments before you decide

hansnfrans · #6 07/25/2006, 01:54 PM

Yahutch - Where did you find your red serpent stars? I wanna get a couple of these. PM Rod and ask him to respond to this thread. He has a neutral view of emerald crabs. Me....well, I'm kinda anti-emeralds.

The pistols haven't been bothered b/c they could take out your in-tank predator in a heartbeat. Tough little guys. They'd knock an attacking fish or invert right out with their snappin' claw.

MCQUAGLES · #7 07/25/2006, 01:55 PM

Are they serpent stars or brittle stars?

Rod Buehler · #8 07/25/2006, 02:14 PM

What kind of clowns? I have seen a few different types of clowns eat shrimp. Especially those in the clarki complex

yahutch · #9 07/25/2006, 02:47 PM

the stars are serpents ( from reeftopia ) .
the clowns are a breeding pair of ocellaris .
Rod , any suggestions for a cleaner fish I can add ?

Sullyman · #10 07/25/2006, 03:15 PM

I agree about the clowns, don't see emeralds or serpent stars eating cleaner shrimp unless they're already dead.
Cleaner wrasses are hard to keep alive.
After my worm experience, it could be something you've never seen in your tank, yet.

yahutch · #11 07/25/2006, 04:24 PM

the clowns have been kept with shrimp for 3yrs and I have never had one go missing prior . they also never wonder from their anemone ( especially at night ) and the newly added shrimp were on the other side of a 6' long tank . I really don't think it was them . it could be something I have not seen yet , but I've kept shrimp in that tank 2 years without problem before adding the serpents and emeralds ( first shrimp went missing that same night ) , now they don't last a night . no additional live rock was added. I will keep my eyes open and crab/worm traps set .

thanks for the advice on the cleaner wrasse , I will not go that route then .

craftytony · #12 07/26/2006, 06:58 AM

I think sullyman flushed that mutant worm he had down the toilet and it somehow found its way into your tank....be afraid, be very afraid....!

yahutch · #13 07/26/2006, 10:24 AM

I seen that thing . that was pretty scary . I hope I don't have any of those .