Did pistol shrimp eat my carpenter wrasse? I need help

[Subnautica]

I made a mistake by putting the new carpenter wrasse in the same tank with the melanurus, so he got bullied. After I removed the melanurus, the carpenter was still able to swim (though he looked a bit beat up). I tried to catch him and put him in a breeder box but he swam right into the pistol shrimp's cave. After 2 hours of debating what I should do, I decided to move all the rock that belong to the shrimp, but I could not find the wrasse at all. I was thinking of these scenarios:

1. He might got killed and eaten by the shrimp (but I was not able to find the remains)

2. He might have got into the other big rock that I haven't moved, because it's too big. the shrimp doesn't live in that rock. But I looked around the outside of the rock and there's no sign of him. It's been 4 hours and he's nowhere to be seen either.

What's your thought?

 

[JayM]

I suppose anything is possible, but probably not likely the pistol shrimp killed him.

My two Firefish sleep in a hole that my Tiger Pistol and YWG frequent and haven't had any issues.

It's much more likely to be hiding in a hole that you don't have access to. Give it some time.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I highly doubt the pistols ate him.
I have a pair of red tiger pistols in my 20g, and as much as they like to snap (even at deceased fish) I have never seen them eat a fish. The few fish I did try to keep in that tank were bullied to death by my maroon clown, but the bodies were always discovered by snails, crabs, or rock flowers.
This is just my experience, however.

 

[Subnautica]

@JayM @OrchidMiss thank you both for the insights. I do hope he's still alive

 

[OrchidMiss]

@SaltyT @Crabby48 @i cant think are the #wrassenerds and could give you a better perspective on the missing flasher

 

[Crabby48]

Doubt the shrimp ate him. Also it would take along time for a lot of CUC to eat him. Wrasse don’t do good with stress. He probably is in the tank still alive. Leave him be. At this point he will be strong and live or not. He will be stressed from you so stay back from tank.

 

[Matty Ice]

Have you tried coaxing the wrasse out by feeding?

 

[Subnautica]

Have you tried coaxing the wrasse out by feeding?

Yeah I did, but given that he's so dang stressed I don't think he'd come out in the mean time.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Doubt the shrimp ate him. Also it would take along time for a lot of CUC to eat him. Wrasse don’t do good with stress. He probably is in the tank still alive. Leave him be. At this point he will be strong and live or not. He will be stressed from you so stay back from tank.

Yeah I did, but given that he's so dang stressed I don't think he'd come out in the mean time.

I'd follow advise from @Crabby48
Leave the tank be, other than your regular interactions. He knows his wrasse.

 

[Subnautica]

I'd follow advise from @Crabby48
Leave the tank be, other than your regular interactions. He knows his wrasse.

My regular interaction is putting my face under the water to see my fish closer. The smell is not really pleasant though, but worth it.

 

[Subnautica]

@JayM @OrchidMiss @Matty Ice @Crabby48

Update: after 2 days of nothing, today I found him swimming around and completely fine!!! he's still skittish and hiding in the shrimp's cave, which the wathman goby approved for him lol. I'm so happy!!! Now I have the excuse to drink

 

[Crabby48]

Happy to hear the good news. Keep him fed with healthy foods and give him space. It can take a few days to a week to find his place. Just keep an eye out for anyone that may start to bully from a distance.