Bad Shrimp

Pandomime · #1 09/11/2007, 08:05 PM

Ok lately alot of things have been going bad for me. This morning i got another surprise to add to the list. Over the weekend i added a purple firefish to my tank with no problem, it even ate after being in the tank for just under 2 minutes. So i was pretty happy with my new fish. This morning i get up and notice that my new firefish is no where to be found. I thought it might have jump into my back chambers becuase i have a bio cube. Nope not there. I look into the tank again and i see my coral banded shrimp hanging out in it's usual spot, but something was different. I lean in for a better look and there it is. My brand new fish was in two pieces and in the claws of the shrimp as it devored it's tasty coloful meal. I gotta say i wasn't to happy with my shrimp after that so i went ahead and ripped off both its claws ( by accident trying to get the fish out of its claws ) whats wierd is that this shrimp has been in there for like 4 months with no problems and i have other tiny fish much smaller then the firefish, rainford goby, orange prawn goby. So why did it decide to go after a fish after all this time?, and yes he is well fed.

macawmagic · #2 09/11/2007, 08:23 PM

the only thing i could think of would be that the fish died and then the shrimp was just eating it. Not sure if a coral banded would do that, but it's an option.

Bernie21 · #3 09/11/2007, 08:24 PM

There is the possibility that the fish died before he ate it. Also new fish tend to be timid and easier to catch that old fish who accostomed to the aquarium and bold. Ultimately you just have to remeber that the CBS are oppertunistic hunters. As far as the arms are cobncerned, they'll grow back. Next time try the fish first then the CBS. I learned the hard way too.

Pandomime · #4 09/11/2007, 09:00 PM

No i dont think the fish died. Yesterday i noticed that it's tail fin was badly damaged. and it had a scare on its body. I didn't buy the fish this way so i knew something in my tank was doing it. I satyed up late last night trying to catch the curlprit but with no luck. Then this morning that happened, i wouldn't have thought it was the CBS. But w.e. i took him out. maybe i'll add a more reef safe shrimp later on

chinoxl3 · #5 09/11/2007, 09:01 PM

I dont think it was the Coral Banded either. CBS are scavengers and don't hunt live fish. Your fish was probably sick or stressed before you acquired it. The move from the LFS to your tank took it's toll and died. The only time I saw a CBS kill something was when I made the mistake of putting another CBS in the tank (I wanted a mated pair but he was not into same sex shenanigans.)

What other fish do you have?

Pandomime · #6 09/11/2007, 09:40 PM

I have a Court Jester Goby AKA rainford's coby, a cleaner wrasse, lawnmower blenny, and a Orange Stripe Prawn Goby AKA Randall's Shrimp Goby. I really dont think it was any of those guys. The thing is the firefish looked perfectly healthy. It swam perfectly, ate like a pig when i fed and didn't hide or look sick at all. plus yesterday there where clear markings on its body of an attack from something. so from everything else i have in the tank i thought the only possibilty was the CBS. Only other live stock besides coral is an emereald crab and assorted snails and hermits

REDDAWG43 · #7 09/11/2007, 11:05 PM

Remember firefish could put themselves in a little cave to sleep...
If it was cornered by the coral banded shrimp, it is possible for the shrimp to get at it.
I had a coral banded male that would try this method of catching small fish. He is now in the school tank.

Ding2daDong · #8 09/11/2007, 11:33 PM

I think it was the coral banded shrimp. When they get bigger and are not in pairs they usually become aggresive and when big will eat smaller unsuspecting slow swimming fish. I have seen it many times.

Hope that helps

-Matthew

Pandomime · #9 09/11/2007, 11:50 PM

yeah thanks for the input im pretty sure it was the CBS now. He was pretty big (almost the biggest thing in my tank) and once was a mated pair but i gave the other one away to a friend, so i guess that explains it.

rawbomb · #10 09/12/2007, 09:58 AM

Honestly CBB are scavengers so i would think the fish was dead or dying. Thier claws are not all that powerful as ive seen my own firefish mistake them for cleaners and get grabed by the CBB and survive to tell the tail. Dont get me wrong they have a scratch afterwards but nothing that would kill em.

Ding2daDong · #11 09/12/2007, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rawbomb
Honestly CBB are scavengers so i would think the fish was dead or dying. Thier claws are not all that powerful as ive seen my own firefish mistake them for cleaners and get grabed by the CBB and survive to tell the tail. Dont get me wrong they have a scratch afterwards but nothing that would kill em.

A buddy of mine has a medium size coral banded shrimp housed singlely in a 65g tank. When he cleans the tank the coral banded shrimp will pinch him if he gets to close. The pinches where not small something like a nice gash and blood pooring out. I guess it all depends on the enviorment they are in. If it is a huge community tank it may hide more and be less aggresive with a mate. Now if it is housed by itself with no mate in a smaller tank they can get pretty aggresive and territorial.

Just my .02

-Matthew

chinoxl3 · #12 09/12/2007, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pandomime
yeah thanks for the input im pretty sure it was the CBS now. He was pretty big (almost the biggest thing in my tank) and once was a mated pair but i gave the other one away to a friend, so i guess that explains it.

I would be ticked off too if you took my mate away.

compulou · #13 09/12/2007, 01:38 PM

Damn dude, sorry to hear of this. I know you really wanted to keep a Purple Firefish in your tank. I guess I've been lucky with mine as I've had him for about a year now "knock on wood". My tank doesn't even have any tops.

Von_Rahvin · #14 09/12/2007, 02:55 PM

i had a cbs for 1 year before she started hunting fish. they can and will kill smaller fish. my gf demanded we feed the cbs to the trigger and puffer as punishment. It was like i dropped candy in there.

pedromatic · #15 09/12/2007, 03:29 PM

I had a pair of CBS, but one eventually died. Anybody had experience with pairing one up with a new mate. Or will it be "Thunderdome"? You know, "Two shrimp enter, one shrimp leave".

compulou · #16 09/13/2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pedromatic
Or will it be "Thunderdome"? You know, "Two shrimp enter, one shrimp leave".

LOL