Pistol Shrimp taking out large fish?

[Salt Addiction]

We have had fish disappearing, and I am wondering if a Pistol Shrimp I have may be to blame. First a Bar Goby vanished, which I figured jumped but after checking all overflows, sump, plumbing and behind/around the tank nothing. I have about 150 lbs of live rock but not really any places to hide out of sight, more aquascaped to provide them the feeling of safety while still being viewable to a degree. The Bar Goby has been gone almost a week now, and today my 5" powder brown seems to of followed suit, same checks revealed nothing. The Goby was disappointing, the PB is a favorite so its raising some alarms. I am posting my livestock list below and have observed the tank under dark conditions for bobbits, mantis, etc and not seen anything so far so I was wondering if our 1.5" pistol shrimp could of taken out a tang that large?

Live Stock:

2.5" Hippo Tang
5" Fox Face
2.5" Ocellaris Clown
.5" Ocellaris (Paired with above)
2" Tangaro Shrimp Goby
4" Molly Miller Blenny
4.5" Bar Goby
3.5" Melanarus Wrasse
3" Cleaner Wrasse
Snails, Hermits, 4 Emerald Crabs

Missing Fish:

5" Powder Brown Tang
4.5" Bar Goby

I know it is a bit early since hes only been missing a day, but this fish (the PB) is usually out 24/7 trying to hit me up for food or staring the wife down since the tank is next to her computer desk. The Pistol is in a central rock formation and I have heard him click on occasion at the tangs but if hes clicking I assume that would mean he sees them as a predator since its their natural defense?

 

[Copingwithpods]

Unlikely but not impossible specially if the fish were wounded or on their last leg, if so he would definitely take advantage of that.

How big is the shrimp?

 

[Salt Addiction]

How big is the shrimp?

Wooow, I just realized I forgot to mention that lol... Hes about 1.5", maybe 2" tops if you count his big claw. Unless he declined from healthy to near dead overnight he was fat and happy which is why I am scratching my head. The Bar Goby I could see, especially if it intruded into his den and didn't take no as an answer to leave. If only my Tangaro would stop showing off and pair up lol...

 

[Copingwithpods]

I have a 1.5in pistol shrimp and have never seen him act aggressive towards anything other than the baby (under 1/4) hermit crabs I specifically buy for him to eat. I do spot feed him about twice a week though so he stays pretty well fed. Do you feed yours at all?

 

[Salt Addiction]

I have a 1.5in pistol shrimp and have never seen him act aggressive towards anything other than the baby (under 1/4) hermit crabs I specifically buy for him to eat. I do spot feed him about twice a week though so he stays pretty well fed. Do you feed yours at all?

I drop a bit of shrimp down for him every couple of days but that's about it. I usually cut the main pumps off at that time to so it stays in the entrance to his burrow until he snags it.

 

[tehmadreefer]

No way the tang just ups and disappears. Even after 1 day, even 2-3 days, nothing in the tank would devour it that quickly. It’s dead somewhere in the rock work most likely. Take power head and blast it around and in the rock work, see what pops out.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Do you have a big cuc population?

 

[Salt Addiction]

No way the tang just ups and disappears. Even after 1 day, even 2-3 days, nothing in the tank would devour it that quickly. It’s dead somewhere in the rock work most likely. Take power head and blast it around and in the rock work, see what pops out.

Will do, I'll keep you posted. Theres only one grouping he could of possibly gotten into and died so I'll start there.

Do you have a big cuc population?

Give or take a few...

110 Dwarf Ceriths
27 Nassarius
39 Florida Certiths
26 Nerites (About a quarter sized)
53ish assorted hermits
3 Emerald Crabs

 

[tehmadreefer]

Dang that’s a lot of snails!!! And hermits

 

[Copingwithpods]

Will do, I'll keep you posted. Theres only one grouping he could of possibly gotten into and died so I'll start there.



Give or take a few...

110 Dwarf Ceriths
27 Nassarius
39 Florida Certiths
26 Nerites (About a quarter sized)
53ish assorted hermits
3 Emerald Crabs

If a fish were to die that cuc could definitely eat a big fish in one day no question about it. Probably less than a day. Fish bones can be hard to spot so if you don't spot the fish look for the bones.

 

[tehmadreefer]

If a fish were to die that cuc could definitely eat a big fish in one day no question about it. Probably less than a day. Fish bones can be hard to spot so if you don't spot the fish look for the bones.

Ya I’d have to agree seeing those cuc numbers haha

 

[Salt Addiction]

I admit I got lazy when it came to the cuc and just went on reefcleaners.org to get a package lol. I think they send the package larger to account for die off....everyone made it fine lol.

I had 20 hermits originally, this is the package we got for each 125:

125 Cleanup Package

 

[Copingwithpods]

I've never actually shared this story before but a month ago I was baby sitting a 4 inch tang that had gotten beat up in a buddy's tank. We were hoping it would recover in my tank as my 3 fish are tiny peaceful fish and wouldn't bother it. It ended up passing while I was at work from its injuries and when I got back home (less than 8 hours later) my clean up crew of less than 10 crabs and 10 snails had reduced him down to almost just skin and bones so I know first hand it is possible. Only reason I noticed anything was because there were no cuc members to be seen anywhere in the tank. Looking for them I found the tang. Looked like a pack of lions completely covering the remains of poor Jeff (the tang) it was incredible.

 

[jaxteller007]

Our pistol is probably 2" (it's been awhile since he's come out for us to see, we have caught glimpses of him moving around in his burrows though) and never seen him aggressive towards our fish.

Have any of y'all heard yours snap? I was doing a water change last week and while I was working in the sump I heard something that sounded almost like a gunshot. I thought I knocked my skimmer over or something and it shattered it was that loud. Would be the first time we've heard ours if that was him.