Something's Eating Gilbert Grape!!!

[Connie]

I have a terrible problem in my 90 gallon SW tank. For a few months now, I have had snails disappear from their shells, a mandarin goby had a small chunk bitten out of his side :cry:, and hermit crabs are being attacked and killed. Yesterday morning before leaving for work, (I do this everymorning) I just checked to make sure everyone was happy....for the first time I saw something in the process of happening. Much to my dismay, there was one of my hermit crabs out of his shell floating around the bottom, trying desperately to swim even though he HAD NO LEGS! His shell was about 6 inches away from him upon a rock. His little legs were strewn all over the rock. There was nothing I could do to help him. Of course when I got home from work, he was no where to be found. I'm sure something consumed him. What could possibly be in my tank that would do this? I have looked and looked at all hours of the night and can't find anything. This is what I have in my tank:
Sailfin Tang
Scopas Tang
Foxface Rabbitfish
BiColor Angel
Coral Beauty
2 Yellowtail Damsels
Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
Scooter Blenny
Sea Cucumber
Various snails - Numbers are dwindling fast
Several Red Legged Hermit Crabs - Numbers are dwindling fast

 

[droblack]

You may have a rogue crab, mantis shrimp, or worm of some sort.

 

[soccerbag]

Yes, I agree. Hard to guess which one. I would start searching around with a flashlight a couple of hours after the lights go out. Most of these creatures will come out of the rock at night. That is the best time to try and find them. Good luck and I hope you find the culprit. Very frustrating - I know.

 

[LittleDabOSalt]

I have this very same problem right now, wish you the best of luck in figuring it out!
In my case its just the snails that are taking the blow. I've had two very large turbos and several other assorted killed. My tank is a 125g with only the following in it:

1 Yellow Tang
1 Redsea Sailfin
2 Anthias
1 Algae Blenny
1 Diamond Goby
1 Blue Tang

 

[Connie]

Thanks guys. I've been doing some reading and I will continue to do flashlight duty; but I am also going to make a home-made trap with a water bottle and see if I can catch this demon. I'll let you know the outcome. I can tell you this though....he needs to go ahead and surrender because the longer he hides the angrier I get and the gloomier his future looks! I'm Irish...lol Heck, I might even write a book on 1,000 Ways to Kill a Marine Demon.

 

[soccerbag]

I have this very same problem right now, wish you the best of luck in figuring it out!
In my case its just the snails that are taking the blow. I've had two very large turbos and several other assorted killed. My tank is a 125g with only the following in it:

1 Yellow Tang
1 Redsea Sailfin
2 Anthias
1 Algae Blenny
1 Diamond Goby
1 Blue Tang

If it's just your snails that are taking a hit, you may want to Google "Polyclad Flatworm". What you're describing sounds like them. You would typically only have 1 or 2 in your tank and they come in as hitchhikers on live rock most of the time. They are light sensitive and typically only come out at night. But they love snails and will demolish all of them.

 

[swannyson7]

Thread moved to proper forum.

 

[LittleDabOSalt]

If it's just your snails that are taking a hit, you may want to Google "Polyclad Flatworm". What you're describing sounds like them. You would typically only have 1 or 2 in your tank and they come in as hitchhikers on live rock most of the time. They are light sensitive and typically only come out at night. But they love snails and will demolish all of them.

Thank you, I'll certainly look into it! Appreciate the reply

 

[LittleDabOSalt]

Lost a cleaner shrimp since my last post. Earlier this afternoon while watching the tank I watched a cleaner shrimp just minding it's own when from behind the rock lunges a sally lightfoot claws first at the shrimp. Shrimp about jumped out of its skin, crab lunged again, missed and the shrimp took off. Now I'm on the hunt for the crab..... :sure:

 

[Connie]

Did you get the crab? I haven't been able to see or catch anything yet.

 

[LittleDabOSalt]

Nope, hes still in there however....I have a new trigger thats been checking him out like hes the noon special at Flo's Diner so we'll see what happens. Sorry I missed your post before now! Good luck, hopefully you'll figure something out / see something soon!

 

[JMSKI333]

I had a polyclad flatworm that would do some serious damage to my snails and then i caught him one day, if its a mantis shrimp then you would hear it. At night try and listen for clicks coming from your tank... Sounds like someone is snapping their fingers under water.

 

[Connie]

OK...Now I'm REALLY frustrated! I set a trap for days and got nothing. I have stared at the aquarium all night with my nose stuck to the glass...nothing. I got up this morning and two of my Christmas Tree Worms had been yanked out of their little cubby holes! I bought 10 hermit crabs a little over a month ago. I am down to 4. Any suggestions other than tearing it down until I find the culprit?

 

[nixer]

OK...Now I'm REALLY frustrated! I set a trap for days and got nothing. I have stared at the aquarium all night with my nose stuck to the glass...nothing. I got up this morning and two of my Christmas Tree Worms had been yanked out of their little cubby holes! I bought 10 hermit crabs a little over a month ago. I am down to 4. Any suggestions other than tearing it down until I find the culprit?

sure sounds like a crab to me.try putting some food in a piece of pantyhose and see what happens.

 

[Connie]

LOL...There's an idea I haven't thought of. I'll try that tonight. Thanks Nixer!

 

[Connie]

I think I finally got my culprit. At 4 a.m. the other morning I saw a huge worm pulling shells toward the rock he was coming from. He was neatly and methodically stacking them up towards his burrow; (shells that used to be occupied by snails and red legged hermit crabs). This thing was big. It was a Eunice worm (AKA Bobbit Worm) a little over 6". Yesterday I tore down my tank to get to the rock he was living in and flushed him out. A really good website for worm identification is Chucksaddiction.com/hitchworms. Does anyone have personal experience with these worms and do you think I have found the culprit? Give me your take, I'd love to hear from you experts!