Fish are Literally Disappearing

[gatorrosco]

I have a 32g Biocube that has been fully up and running for about two months now.

Fish:2 Clowns, Springeri Dottyback, Striped Blenny, Yellow Watchman Goby, Bangaii Cardinal

CUC: a few blue legged hermits, some margarita snails, some trochus snails, some cerith snails, a brittle star, a serpent star.

Coral: some LPS, one torch, one duncan, and one frogspawn

About a week ago I noticed my striped blenny was gone. He was no where to be found in the tank. Just gone. Then I was out of town for the past four days on vacation with my wife. My kids were home and feeding the fish. I got home today and noticed the smaller of the two clowns is now gone. The clowns were bought as a really small pair two months ago. One turned female and got much bigger than the male. The male is now gone. Again - just gone.

Any ideas? I'm really really confused. Is something killing them and then eating them before I notice? I know I added the torch before they disappeared. It's possible I also added the trochus snails and cerith snails right before they both disappeared. Those are the only most recent additions to the tank.

 

[sfin52]

I would suspect you have a predator in the tank. Have you checked the tank at night with a red light.

 

[gatorrosco]

I would suspect you have a predator in the tank. Have you checked the tank at night with a red light.

I have not checked the tank with a red light. What kind of predator might I be looking for?

 

[GHsaltie]

What kind of serpent star?

 

[sfin52]

Just about anything crabs would be a good bet a mantis shrimp is a possibility. Loads of stuff. We had a nasty crab running around for a while.

 

[sfin52]

Didn't read serpent star that may be it right there.

 

[gatorrosco]

What kind of serpent star?

Not sure what type of serpent star. Here's a pic. Would it attack a fish and then eat it?

 

[gatorrosco]

Just about anything crabs would be a good bet a mantis shrimp is a possibility. Loads of stuff. We had a nasty crab running around for a while.

I'd be really surprised if there was a crab in there. I do have a cleaner shrimp and a tiger pistol shrimp (forget to mention these when I first posted).

 

[JohnnyReef]

+1 on the serpent star being the suspect. I had one that would eat any slow moving fish. I was told once they get a taste they will keep eating.

 

[Fudsey]

Any chance you could post a FTS so we can see the whole setup?

 

[gatorrosco]

Any chance you could post a FTS so we can see the whole setup?

Here's a current FTS.

 

[Fudsey]

Looking at your tank, I would suspect the serpent as well. Do you have another tank you can move it to temporarily?

Unless they went carpet surfing behind the tank and you just haven't found them yet....

 

[gatorrosco]

Looking at your tank, I would suspect the serpent as well. Do you have another tank you can move it to temporarily?

Unless they went carpet surfing behind the tank and you just haven't found them yet....

No chance at carpet surfing. The biocube has a top. I checked the chambers in the back just to be sure and nothing there.

I don't have another tank. I'm a newbie and this is it. I may make a visit to the LFS where I bought it and run all this through them as well tomorrow.

 

[Maritimer]

The serpent is a possibility, though it's usually the jumbo green ones that cause problems.

You've got shrimp, stars and a CUC in there, so if death occurs for almost _any_ reason, the janitors will tidy up the mess pretty quickly.

~Bruce

 

[Fudsey]

This ^^^ is another thought as well. I have lost fish in the past and only found remnants of them from CUC doing their job

 

[gatorrosco]

This ^^^ is another thought as well. I have lost fish in the past and only found remnants of them from CUC doing their job

Interesting. If that is the case, any thoughts as to what may cause one fish to day a week ago and then another to die now? Everything in the tank looks healthy. I can't give water parameters b/c I've so far only been testing for alkalinity as everything has been good (and don't have tests for anything else). Current alkalinity is around 7.

 

[Fudsey]

Ammonia is what I fear the most, any spike will kill. I use a Seachem monitor just for some peace of mind

 

[eatbreakfast]

That type of serpent star is an unlikely predator. The green brittle stars are yhe more dangerous variety.

I don't suspect ammonia, as it would affect larger fish before smaller fish.

Did any fish have tattered or torn fins? What's the feeding regimine? What's the last thing you added?

If they died a cuc will clean them up quickly.

 

[gatorrosco]

That type of serpent star is an unlikely predator. The green brittle stars are yhe more dangerous variety.

I don't suspect ammonia, as it would affect larger fish before smaller fish.

Did any fish have tattered or torn fins? What's the feeding regimine? What's the last thing you added?

If they died a cuc will clean them up quickly.

All of the fish were and still are very healthy looking. The female clown did bully the male clown a good bit but not to the point of damage. She never bothered the blenny at all - that I saw anyway.

I feed the fish daily flakes and then mysis shrimp a couple times a week. I also add in some Nori now and again.

The last thing I added to the tank was some trochus and cerith snails. I also added a blue tip torch. That is it.

 

[tigé21v]

Where'd you get your rock from?
My son's friend had a tank one time, a 200DD. After a little while, fish started to disappear. All ki ds, all sizes. We were pretty sure there was some sort of worm that came in with the rock, but never did find it.