Ok what is killing my fish. HELP

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Hi all,

Need some help figuring out what has eaten my Midas Blenny and 2 clownfish over the last 2 months. Here are the fish and cuc I have in my 220 reef tank:

*Qty 1 -6"inch large blue tang
*Qty 2 -1 small, 1 large 3" or so Clownfish
*Qty 1 - 4"-5" Butterfly fish
*Qty 1 -5" inch Bristletooth tang
*Qty 1 -7" inch Fox Face
*Qty 2 -3" inch pair of Blue chromis
*Qty 1 -5" inch Fox Face
*Qty 1 - 3" Sleeper Goby
*Qty 2 - large cleaner shrimp
*Qty 1 large serpent starfish
*A dozen or so Astrea & turbo snails
* A dozen or so hermit crabs with 1 large 3" or so shell hermit
*Qty 1 - Very Large 6"-8" Blue Spotted Sea Urchin
*Qty 1 - small 3" inch fighting conch

All of my fish are healthy and fed 2-3 times a day with heavy feeding. I have never noticed any aggression towards any fish from any other fish. So they are being killed at night. I'm thinking maybe the wrasse since they are night hunters? I have looked inside my overflows already & in my sump and they are NOT there. There is not body what are we left over or bones or anything.

Please help me figure this one out.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all,

Need some help figuring out what has eaten my Midas Blenny and 2 clownfish over the last 2 months. Here are the fish and cuc I have in my 220 reef tank:

*Qty 1 -6"inch large blue tang
*Qty 2 -1 small, 1 large 3" or so Clownfish
*Qty 1 - 4"-5" Butterfly fish
*Qty 1 -5" inch Bristletooth tang
*Qty 1 -7" inch Fox Face
*Qty 2 -3" inch pair of Blue chromis
*Qty 1 -5" inch Fox Face
*Qty 1 - 3" Sleeper Goby
*Qty 2 - large cleaner shrimp
*Qty 1 large serpent starfish
*A dozen or so Astrea & turbo snails
* A dozen or so hermit crabs with 1 large 3" or so shell hermit
*Qty 1 - Very Large 6"-8" Blue Spotted Sea Urchin
*Qty 1 - small 3" inch fighting conch

All of my fish are healthy and fed 2-3 times a day with heavy feeding. I have never noticed any aggression towards any fish from any other fish. So they are being killed at night. I'm thinking maybe the wrasse since they are night hunters? I have looked inside my overflows already & in my sump and they are NOT there. There is not body what are we left over or bones or anything.

Please help me figure this one out.

Thanks!

Mike

Suspects - The rabbit fish or assuming powder blue tang. the tang.
Have you noticed any aggressiveness at feeding time from these three fish(fox and tangs) or chasing?
Was there any loss of weight or appetite from the fish that perished?

Are current fish eating and breathing normal?

If not sure, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.
Review the video and see who it may be

 

[Reefer Matt]

What color is the large serpent sea star?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Serpent sea stars are known to eat anything they catch, depending on the color. Like @Reefer Matt asked, what's the color?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Here is what the green ones are capable of doing.

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Suspects - The rabbit fish or assuming powder blue tang. the tang.
Have you noticed any aggressiveness at feeding time from these three fish(fox and tangs) or chasing?
Was there any loss of weight or appetite from the fish that perished?

Are current fish eating and breathing normal?

If not sure, set your cell phone on video mode for about 40 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is a bully at feeding time.
Review the video and see who it may be

So the fish that just disappeared were very healthy, eating,swimming, breathing normal the day before, and the next day they are just gone. I haven't noticed any aggression I do feed and then walk about 15ft to the living room and sit on the couch and haven't noticed any aggressive behavior at all. I can try the cell but I just don't see them at all during the day act that way. Not the wrasse you think since he hunts more at night?

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Serpent sea stars are known to eat anything they catch, depending on the color. Like @Reefer Matt asked, what's the color?

It's a cream color and he hangs out all the time under a rock. I would think he would go after the tangs or even the wrasse since they are down low under rocks or under the sand right? My clown fish are up towards the top left very top of the tank at night once the light all go out. Here is a somewhat clear pic I just took.

 

[Dom]

So the fish that just disappeared were very healthy, eating,swimming, breathing normal the day before, and the next day they are just gone. I haven't noticed any aggression I do feed and then walk about 15ft to the living room and sit on the couch and haven't noticed any aggressive behavior at all. I can try the cell but I just don't see them at all during the day act that way. Not the wrasse you think since he hunts more at night?

Are these fish just vanishing? Are you hearing any strange sounds coming from the tank at night?

 

[CrimsonTide]

Do you have a lid? And do you have a cat or dog?

 

[vetteguy53081]

It's a cream color and he hangs out all the time under a rock. I would think he would go after the tangs or even the wrasse since they are down low under rocks or under the sand right? My clown fish are up towards the top left very top of the tank at night once the light all go out. Here is a somewhat clear pic I just took.

I have this one and have had it 3+ years and deemed harmless

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

I have a lid across the entire top

Do you have a lid? And do you have a cat or dog?

I have a lid across the entire top. I do have 3 small dogs.

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

I have this one and have had it 3+ years and deemed harmless

Good to know ya he is a pretty chill guy who really seems to keep to himself

 

[vetteguy53081]

So the fish that just disappeared were very healthy, eating,swimming, breathing normal the day before, and the next day they are just gone. I haven't noticed any aggression I do feed and then walk about 15ft to the living room and sit on the couch and haven't noticed any aggressive behavior at all. I can try the cell but I just don't see them at all during the day act that way. Not the wrasse you think since he hunts more at night?

Check your tank overflow, overflow box and sump as its happened numerous times where they slip thru the opening and end up there

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Are these fish just vanishing? Are you hearing any strange sounds coming from the tank at night?

I'm not hearing any strange sounds at all that I have noticed.

 

[Dom]

Check your tank overflow, overflow box and sump as its happened numerous times where they slip thru the opening and end up there

What about a Bobbitt worm or mantis shrimp that may have come in as a hitchhiker?

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Check your tank overflow, overflow box and sump as its happened numerous times where they slip thru the opening and end up there

I have check both overflows and my sump area several times over the last few months and nothing. It was honestly the first things I checked before posting lol.

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

What about a Bobbitt worm or mantis shrimp that may have come in as a hitchhiker?

Someone else on another site mentioned Bobbit worm, but how do I find one? Also, wouldn't it get the fish low to the ground or the Wrasse in the sand at night? The clowns swim up high all day long and night.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Someone else on another site mentioned Bobbit worm, but how do I find one? Also, wouldn't it get the fish low to the ground or the Wrasse in the sand at night? The clowns swim up high all day long and night.

Leave a small piece of krill or shrimp out when lights go off and check periodically with a flashlight. If gone, your possibility has increased and you mat even see it. Other would be to take a wooden dowel and Slowly move through the sand. The worm if present will run

 

[i cant think]

Hi all,

Need some help figuring out what has eaten my Midas Blenny and 2 clownfish over the last 2 months. Here are the fish and cuc I have in my 220 reef tank:

*Qty 1 -6"inch large blue tang
*Qty 2 -1 small, 1 large 3" or so Clownfish
*Qty 1 - 4"-5" Butterfly fish
*Qty 1 -5" inch Bristletooth tang
*Qty 1 -7" inch Fox Face
*Qty 2 -3" inch pair of Blue chromis
*Qty 1 -5" inch Fox Face
*Qty 1 - 3" Sleeper Goby
*Qty 2 - large cleaner shrimp
*Qty 1 large serpent starfish
*A dozen or so Astrea & turbo snails
* A dozen or so hermit crabs with 1 large 3" or so shell hermit
*Qty 1 - Very Large 6"-8" Blue Spotted Sea Urchin
*Qty 1 - small 3" inch fighting conch

All of my fish are healthy and fed 2-3 times a day with heavy feeding. I have never noticed any aggression towards any fish from any other fish. So they are being killed at night. I'm thinking maybe the wrasse since they are night hunters? I have looked inside my overflows already & in my sump and they are NOT there. There is not body what are we left over or bones or anything.

Please help me figure this one out.

Thanks!

Mike

Either I’m missing it or it’s not been mentioned but what wrasse is it?

 

[FreshSaltyGuy]

Either I’m missing it or it’s not been mentioned but what wrasse is it?

Malanurus Wrasse