Pom Pom Crab just killed my new Clownfish!!

John Stuckey · Nov 18, 2015

I am so ticked off right now. Went out 10 minutes ago to look at the tank and my two new clownfish were swimming like crazy and happy as can be. I turned off the tank lights. Just went back in to see how everyone was doing in the dark and couldn't locate the smaller clown. Searched and searched. Looked on the floor, in the overflow...nope. Then I see my Pom Pom with him in a cave!!! I got him away but he's dead. what the heck Did anyone know a Pom Pom would go after a fish? This is not a case of a crab scavenging an already dead or dying fish. Unbelievable.

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2015

How small was the clownfish? I really doubt a pompom can take down a clownfish. All crabs are opportunistic, so if it had an opening it would take it, but this sounds like something else happened to me.

John Stuckey · Nov 19, 2015

It was extremely small. 3/4 inch probably. Absolutely no changes except for lights went out. Clown was eating and acting normally. No other fish in tank except for its partner 1 1/4 inch. No pests in the tank. I have a candy shrimp but it's tiny tiny. If it wasn't the Pom Pom then I can't imagine what it was. Some clowns will rest when lights go out completely. Could Pom have taken that opportunity?

TheEngineer · Nov 19, 2015

John Stuckey said:
It was extremely small. 3/4 inch probably. Absolutely no changes except for lights went out. Clown was eating and acting normally. No other fish in tank except for its partner 1 1/4 inch. No pests in the tank. I have a candy shrimp but it's tiny tiny. If it wasn't the Pom Pom then I can't imagine what it was. Some clowns will rest when lights go out completely. Could Pom have taken that opportunity?

That's a small clown, but should have been big enough to handle a pom pom crab. How big is the crab? There are other unseen predators that could have had a hand too. Predatory worms for example. Have you seen anything go missing like coral polyps? How old is the tank? Are these the first fish you've added?

Ever hear a clicking sound? Similar to a coin being tapped on glass.

EDIT: I'm not dismissing the pom pom crab, just trying to make sure you don't have something else in there that could be a problem going forward.

steve&mari · Nov 19, 2015

I also never seen or heard of a pom pom crab hunting like that they eat from their nems more filter type then predatory. There's always a first.

Devlin · Nov 19, 2015

I have 2 big pompoms in my 40g. I think I could safely say it was definitely not the culprit. I've had fish die for no apparent reason. I lost 2 over the last 4 months. And both were doing fine then just died over night.

ReefMadScientist · Nov 19, 2015

chimmike · Nov 19, 2015

all crabs are opportunistic, no matter how "gentle" they may have been.

rosieosieee · Nov 19, 2015

there is no way your pom pom crab killed your clownfish, I'm sorry, have you seen their claws underneath their poms? THEY ARE TINY.

although, they are one of the fastest parts of my clean up crew. i had a snail wander too close to one of my power heads and his foot was damaged and he unfortunately died. i have a very invert heavy tank so i just put him in the sand for my inverts to consume. guess who was there first? my pom pom. and he defended the dead snail until he was finished from all other starfish, snails, and shrimp.

this is a very common misconception- you see something dead, and obviously you think the animal consuming it is the one that killed it. most of the time- not always true. don't blame your CUC for doing its job!!!!

rufus2008 · Nov 19, 2015

icecool2 said:
That's a small clown, but should have been big enough to handle a pom pom crab. How big is the crab? There are other unseen predators that could have had a hand too. Predatory worms for example. Have you seen anything go missing like coral polyps? How old is the tank? Are these the first fish you've added?

Ever hear a clicking sound? Similar to a coin being tapped on glass.

EDIT: I'm not dismissing the pom pom crab, just trying to make sure you don't have something else in there that could be a problem going forward.

I often hear a clicking sound coming from my tank [emoji33] and I've had three fish go missing in the past couple months. I was blaming my carpet anemone but maybe not....