Shoot me now.....

[chefunk]

I just introduced some soft coral plugs yesterday I bought from LiveAquaria.com. Took time acclimating, etc. Today they are gone, their plugs picked clean. I suspect my blue tip crabs ate them, is that correct? There were three hanging out on one of the plugs when I looked this morning. What should I have done different? Corals lost were Anthelia, Taro Tree, and Blue Cespitularia. Again, arrrgggghhhhh.

 

[ndrwater]

Possibly, but what else is in the tank?

 

[chefunk]

Possibly, but what else is in the tank?

Not much. 1 Oyster crested Goby, 1 Percula clownfish, 1 peppermint shrimp.

 

[chefunk]

Also some snails.....

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

That sounds very strange unless the corals were dead or dying I don't think blue legs would go after them. I had a similar issue once a long time ago with candy cane coral so I put one in and put a camera on it to catch the jerk eating my coral it turned out to be a flame angel that for some reason had a taste for that type of coral. never bothered anything else just candy cane. I didn't want to take a chance so it was evicted.

 

[BeejReef]

u talking about blue legged hermit crabs?

 

[chefunk]

They were very small. I thought maybe that's why they thought they were fair game. Maybe there's not enough algae in there to keep them from getting hungry?

 

[ndrwater]

Not much. 1 Oyster crested Goby, 1 Percula clownfish, 1 peppermint shrimp.

I may have found the guilty party in this list.. peppermint shrimps can, and often do, go after corals. Oftentimes people get them for an aptasia problem, which they may solve, but then go after corals next..

 

[chefunk]

I wondered about that. I've seen him go after other things I've had in there. Should I send him to the rainbow bridge?

 

[ndrwater]

The LFS maybe.

 

[chefunk]

thanks.

 

[Peace River]

The LFS maybe.

...or find a friend with aiptasia!

 

[chefunk]

I do like having a shrimp in the tank, what's a better option? Cleaner shrimp?

 

[ndrwater]

Definitely

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

It’s also possible/likely the corals just did not make the transition from shipping and acclimation into your tank, and died without predation.

 

[LesPoissons]

Yeah id def blame a peppermint shrimp over the crabs. the cleaner shrimp never bother anything but they will take food from corals mouths. If you get a cleaner shrimp, feed it first before corals.

 

[Sako338]

I wondered about that. I've seen him go after other things I've had in there. Should I send him to the rainbow bridge?

How big is it? It might be tasty grilled, I don’t know.