Mystery predator

[dough]

This is not good. I've got a mystery predator marauding through my tank killing my zoa/palys and nepthea. Sorry Brandon. What ever it is is dragging the corals into the depths of the live rock and munching down on them. This only happens at night so I don't see who is doing this.

The only suspect I can think of is my emerald crab. My reason for this is now I have a rabbit fish in the tank which has cleaned all the algea out and there is nothing left for the emerald crab.

What do you think?

 

[Patwa]

few things you can do:

- Rabbitfish - this species is known to eat zoas and palys...some even have a taste for soft corals such as xenia, so that might explain why your nepthea is gone....a true zoa lover will never put a rabbitfish in their tank as the risk is too high....always read and then read some more before you buy fish/corals

-simple enough....stay up late and use a flashlight to investigate...use a red filter (red spectrum is invisible to tank inhabitants) over the flashlight to avoid alarming the critters

-emerald crabs are omnivorous, that's given, but because of their spoon shaped pincers, they're unlikely to predate on anything beyond algae

just my $0.02

Zach

 

[J. Montgomery]

I'll chime in again, the best way to find out is to steak out the tank at night with a red flashlight.

I have a flashlight that I picked up from Lowes that has red LED, white LED, and a bulb light. There are a few things that can see the red light (peppermint shrimp come to mind), but for the most part it's a great tool to have for the tank.

 

[mfinn]

I have had big problems in the past with preditor crabs. They come in on rock or frags. They can start out very small and grow big fast.
They do grab frags and drag them back under the rock work to eat.
One of the ways I have found to catch them is to use a small jar,,, baby food jar or similar wide mouth jar. Weigh down a piece of shrimp and place it in the jar. Place the jar near some rock so the crab can climb in, but the smooth sides of the jar will keep the crab in it.
It may take a while, but keep at it.
You may catch all your hermits at the same time.

 

[gflat65]

I'd check for rock crabs and Eunicid worms at night...

 

[Hypertek99]

I would say rabbit fish. They eat zoanthids

 

[J. Montgomery]

Did I miss something, who said he even had a rabbitfish? And if so, wouldn't it be asleep at night when this is happening?

 

[Patwa]

the guy who started this thread stated he has a rabbitfish.....see post #1

My reason for this is now I have a rabbit fish in the tank which has cleaned all the algea out and there is nothing left for the emerald crab.

Zach

 

[twon8]

I'll chime in again, the best way to find out is to steak out the tank at night with a red flashlight.

I have a flashlight that I picked up from Lowes that has red LED, white LED, and a bulb light. There are a few things that can see the red light (peppermint shrimp come to mind), but for the most part it's a great tool to have for the tank.

is it the one with the headstrap?

 

[twon8]

what kind of rabbitfish is this? while some have had bad luck with them there are types safer than others.

it could be any number of things.

i would start feeding him more just in case, may help keep him satiated and thus off your zoas and other soft corals

 

[J. Montgomery]

is it the one with the headstrap?

Yeah, the one with the head strap. Nothing says, "I'm one bad @** mother$***er" like a flashlight strapped to your head while you crouch in a dark room looking into a fish tank with a red light.

 

[J. Montgomery]

the guy who started this thread stated he has a rabbitfish.....see post #1



Zach

 

[gflat65]

I had a scribbled rabbitfish devour several colonies one day. He had been in the tank for at least a month and a half when it turned form razor caulerpa to zoas, and acan lords. It also took out a Neon green Pocillopora (watched it rip flesh...). It was sound asleep when the lights went out, though...

 

[dough]

I've been watching the rabbit fish pretty close, except at night. I add nori about everyday to the tank so I think that has keep the rabbit fish from going after anything. He also eats mysis when the tank is fed at night.

BUT.........

I caught my small emerald crab going after what was left of my pink palys the other evening before the lights where out. I nab him and the big one and they now live in the sump.

So far nothing has changed since the emerald's were banned to the sump.