What could have eaten my fish ?

[CrystallConrad]

So today while going to feed my fish I found the skeleton of my extremely healthy cherub angel. 95 percent of the flesh gone just bone left.

I then found this sea slug hanging out around the skeleton. Could this have anything to do with my fish’s death? Im so lost on what could have possibly killed it leaving it just bones in about 24 hours.

 

[KingTideCorals]

That snail right there is a stomatella snail... no doubt a good CUC member and a benefit to the system..

Possibly some of your parameters are off that couldve caused the death of the cherub! Sorry to hear about your loss... swim in peace little one!

 

[tailoftwogobies]

what all do you currently have in your tank along with your cherub and this snail?

 

[CrystallConrad]

That snail right there is a stomatella snail... no doubt a good CUC member and a benefit to the system..

Possibly some of your parameters are off that couldve caused the death of the cherub! Sorry to hear about your loss... swim in peace little one!

Okay so if my parameters are off .. would this type of snail eat the flesh down to bone ?

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Chances are that although the death of your angel is unexplained, your CUC just did their job. I have been in your shoes, looking for a fish that I don’t see in the morning, only to find my CUC snacking away on something that barely resembles a fish. Usually the hermits do the bulk of the work.
The snail you have is a Stomatella as someone else mentioned. I love them... very good guys.
Im sorry about your fish! That’s a heartbreaker.
EDIT: stomatellas are mostly just algae eaters

 

[CrystallConrad]

what all do you currently have in your tank along with your cherub and this snail?

I have 2 tiny tiny snowflake clowns & a blue damsel. Which all are fed daily and are healthy.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Its a clean up member so I am sure any hermits and possibly snails were the culprits to the cleaning of the body...

 

[tautog83]

No it wouldnt , look at your tank at midnight tonight with a flashlight , you'll see what cleaned it down to the bones . She was implying water chemistry caused the death of the fish and then the snails , crabs and bristle worms cleaned the meat off

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I have 2 tiny tiny snowflake clowns & a blue damsel. Which all are fed daily and are healthy.

What kind of clean up crew do you have though? Emerald crabs, hermit crabs, nassarius snails, bristle worms... all would have helped “clean up” your poor fishy.

 

[tailoftwogobies]

any loss is so sad.. we just lost our lion fish and frog fish recently & still can't figure out what happened.. the snails and crabs & shrimp are the clean up crew, the only bad crab we've ever dealt with was a gorilla crab. I hope you can figure out what happened to your baby!

 

[CrystallConrad]

What kind of clean up crew do you have though? Emerald crabs, hermit crabs, nassarius snails, bristle worms... all would have helped “clean up” your poor fishy.

I have nassarius snails & turbo snails. And a sand sifting starfish. I found 2 brittle type worms .. one was alive and the other one was huge and I only found half the body it was dead. But it was big and white/red body.

 

[CrystallConrad]

any loss is so sad.. we just lost our lion fish and frog fish recently & still can't figure out what happened.. the snails and crabs & shrimp are the clean up crew, the only bad crab we've ever dealt with was a gorilla crab. I hope you can figure out what happened to your baby!

Sorry for your loss as well !!! Once had a lion fish . They are beautiful

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I have nassarius snails & turbo snails. And a sand sifting starfish. I found 2 brittle type worms .. one was alive and the other one was huge and I only found half the body it was dead. But it was big and white/red body.

I would bet the nassarius snails did most of the work then. Still doesn’t explain why your fish died since they only “clean up” afterwards. Nevertheless, I’m really sorry about your angel!