Something ate my cleaner shrimp!

jolenemarie · 05/22/2007, 07:15 PM

We lost our cleaner shrimp and I think something else ate it. We got a serpent sea star (we ordered a small one and got a 10 in one), a coral banded shrimp (that lost a claw the same day the cleaner shrimp dissapeared), a "cleaning crew" or small crabs and snails, and a clown fish.

I think the shrimp was eaten by the sea star...we have a 24 gal nano. Should I get rid of the sea star? When we got this big dude I was hesitant to put it in the tank but I did not want it to die... don't know many people in the hobby I could have passed it along to.

Any theories out there? Thanks for all your help. I am sure this is a nubie mistake!

JM

dc · 05/22/2007, 07:49 PM

Well it could be about any of them, except suicide. Could have just died and got eaten by bugs etc.

To Reef Central

ocnluvr · 05/22/2007, 08:57 PM

I lost my claner shrimp, well all of my species of shrimp and they told me it was because of NH3/NH4 bloom. It can bloom and go away without u even noticing it, but it will kill shrimps in a heart beat

Fraggle Rock2 · 05/22/2007, 09:23 PM

For me,

Shrimp 1: molted and died. Not sure why. Parameters were fine.

Shrimp2 : Molted after a couple of weeks and was eaten by my open brain.

alan214 · 05/22/2007, 09:32 PM

If it had molted you probably would have seen the old skin by now. CBS's and Cleaners are natural enemies so I'm voting that way.

Gdevine · 05/22/2007, 10:13 PM

Might be the serpent sea star,

I had a Green Brittle star for a few weeks...yea, he was a killer!

He's gone.

fry_school101 · 05/22/2007, 11:15 PM

Suicide - just so all sides are represented here

jolenemarie · 05/23/2007, 11:51 AM

ok

jolenemarie · 05/23/2007, 11:54 AM

Ok, so the poll has voters for every category (including suicide!!??). So I guess it is not an easy answer...

The real question is...keep the sea star or send it to another tank where it can be the "predated" and not the predator? Or should I do that with the CBS?

I did see the skin around the tank...but wouldn't it also be around if someone ate it? I tried to look around but don't think it is hiding...That would be the best case scenario!

Thanks for all your input.

(I'll make sure to look for signs of depression next time...that will insure no suicidal shrimp!

)

JM

rustybucket145 · 05/23/2007, 12:07 PM

With both shrimp in a Nano tank....... you were asking for trouble.

BCreefmaker · 05/23/2007, 12:43 PM

i had one of the "friendly" brittle stars, 1 day in my tank and he already tried to kill 2 turbo snails... he wasn't easy to take out either had to redo all my rock work. they are quick little guys when they want to be. but the injury on the CBS seems perfectly timed with a fight with the cleaner.

Jojoyojimbi · 05/23/2007, 03:45 PM

cleaners don't have the aparatus to disarm a cbs

pagojoe · 05/23/2007, 03:58 PM

It was the serpent star that ate your cleaner shrimp. It will eat your coral banded shrimp too, when he gets a chance. It will wrap up the shrimp's legs, break them off, and then eat it. Witnessed them in action.

Don

Mike PI · 05/23/2007, 04:26 PM

I purchased a serpant star from an LFS when I first got a tank, maybe 6 years ago. After 2 weeks it ate all my shrimp. When I brought it back the LFS told me that it was impossible, they simply don't eat shrimp. I was an eyewitness.

jolenemarie · 05/24/2007, 08:28 PM

Although I agree that they are all possible....The sea star is big and I think the big "fish" eat little "fish" concept (not really fish but you get the idea) applies. I forgot to say that it happened a day we forgot to turn the light on during the day....so the light-hating sea star probably had free roam all day...to eat my shrimp! Although I am not convinced that the CBS is innocent I am starting to think he might also be a victim... Anyway I think I am getting rid of both very soon. The cleaner shrimp was much more fn to watch and i think my Clown fish was much happier with the cleaner there. Hopefully Well be able to get him a friend and a nice "house" (anemone) soon.

Now I have to figure how to get the sea star out of there....any suggestions?

Thanks a lot,

JM

dc · 05/24/2007, 09:35 PM

LOL, well unless you see it, there's really no way to know. What kind of clownfish is it?

Well I've have to pull all my rocks out to get critters out before so good luck.

jolenemarie · 05/25/2007, 03:00 PM

We have a maroon clown...mut not one of the very dark ones. Is What kind of anemone is the best meaning easier to take care for a novice?

jolenemarie · 05/25/2007, 03:02 PM

Gosh! Please excuse my typos...I have a broken finger and the splint keeps getting in the way.

JM

Mustang394 · 05/25/2007, 03:21 PM

I have been able to coax a serpent out with a piece of krill or shrimp(yes they eat shrimp). Hold it tight with tongs or something similar. Once he knows it there with patience you can usually get them far enough out in the open to pull him out

View Poll Results: What happened to the cleaner shrimp?
The serpent seastar ate it	6	14.29%
Fought with the banded shrimp and lost	17	40.48%
It molted and is hiding somewhere	13	30.95%
Suicide	6	14.29%
Voters: 42. You may not vote on this poll

05/22/2007, 07:15 PM	#1
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	Something ate my cleaner shrimp! We lost our cleaner shrimp and I think something else ate it. We got a serpent sea star (we ordered a small one and got a 10 in one), a coral banded shrimp (that lost a claw the same day the cleaner shrimp dissapeared), a "cleaning crew" or small crabs and snails, and a clown fish. I think the shrimp was eaten by the sea star...we have a 24 gal nano. Should I get rid of the sea star? When we got this big dude I was hesitant to put it in the tank but I did not want it to die... don't know many people in the hobby I could have passed it along to. Any theories out there? Thanks for all your help. I am sure this is a nubie mistake! JM

05/22/2007, 07:49 PM	#2
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Well it could be about any of them, except suicide. Could have just died and got eaten by bugs etc. *To Reef Central* __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

05/22/2007, 08:57 PM	#3
ocnluvr Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SLC Utah Posts: 91	I lost my claner shrimp, well all of my species of shrimp and they told me it was because of NH3/NH4 bloom. It can bloom and go away without u even noticing it, but it will kill shrimps in a heart beat __________________ Utah Utes ROCK!!! Current Tank Info: 75 g w/20g sump reef

05/22/2007, 09:32 PM	#5
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	If it had molted you probably would have seen the old skin by now. CBS's and Cleaners are natural enemies so I'm voting that way. __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

05/22/2007, 09:23 PM	#4
Fraggle Rock2 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 260	For me, Shrimp 1: molted and died. Not sure why. Parameters were fine. Shrimp2 : Molted after a couple of weeks and was eaten by my open brain.

05/22/2007, 10:13 PM	#6
Gdevine Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Pompano Beach, FL Posts: 1,232	Might be the serpent sea star, I had a Green Brittle star for a few weeks...yea, he was a killer! He's gone.

05/22/2007, 11:15 PM	#7
fry_school101 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Washington DC / Arlington, VA Posts: 73	Suicide - just so all sides are represented here

05/23/2007, 11:51 AM	#8
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	What to do??? ok Last edited by jolenemarie; 05/23/2007 at 11:59 AM.

05/23/2007, 11:54 AM	#9
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	What to do??? Ok, so the poll has voters for every category (including suicide!!??). So I guess it is not an easy answer... The real question is...keep the sea star or send it to another tank where it can be the "predated" and not the predator? Or should I do that with the CBS? I did see the skin around the tank...but wouldn't it also be around if someone ate it? I tried to look around but don't think it is hiding...That would be the best case scenario! Thanks for all your input. (I'll make sure to look for signs of depression next time...that will insure no suicidal shrimp! ) JM

05/23/2007, 12:07 PM	#10
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	With both shrimp in a Nano tank....... you were asking for trouble. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

05/23/2007, 12:43 PM	#11
BCreefmaker Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 1,129	i had one of the "friendly" brittle stars, 1 day in my tank and he already tried to kill 2 turbo snails... he wasn't easy to take out either had to redo all my rock work. they are quick little guys when they want to be. but the injury on the CBS seems perfectly timed with a fight with the cleaner. __________________ To make apple pie from scratch, You must first create the universe.

05/23/2007, 03:45 PM	#12
Jojoyojimbi Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Boynton Beach Posts: 597	cleaners don't have the aparatus to disarm a cbs __________________ My tank was electrocuted when the lights fell in, I'm only keeping Freshwater now Current Tank Info: Electrocuted my saltwater when lights broke, only fresh now

05/23/2007, 03:58 PM	#13
pagojoe Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 2,761	It was the serpent star that ate your cleaner shrimp. It will eat your coral banded shrimp too, when he gets a chance. It will wrap up the shrimp's legs, break them off, and then eat it. Witnessed them in action. Don

05/23/2007, 04:26 PM	#14
Mike PI Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nassau County, Long Island Posts: 5	I purchased a serpant star from an LFS when I first got a tank, maybe 6 years ago. After 2 weeks it ate all my shrimp. When I brought it back the LFS told me that it was impossible, they simply don't eat shrimp. I was an eyewitness.

05/24/2007, 08:28 PM	#15
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	The serpent sea star always had my vote! Although I agree that they are all possible....The sea star is big and I think the big "fish" eat little "fish" concept (not really fish but you get the idea) applies. I forgot to say that it happened a day we forgot to turn the light on during the day....so the light-hating sea star probably had free roam all day...to eat my shrimp! Although I am not convinced that the CBS is innocent I am starting to think he might also be a victim... Anyway I think I am getting rid of both very soon. The cleaner shrimp was much more fn to watch and i think my Clown fish was much happier with the cleaner there. Hopefully Well be able to get him a friend and a nice "house" (anemone) soon. Now I have to figure how to get the sea star out of there....any suggestions? Thanks a lot, JM

05/24/2007, 09:35 PM	#16
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	LOL, well unless you see it, there's really no way to know. What kind of clownfish is it? Well I've have to pull all my rocks out to get critters out before so good luck. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

05/25/2007, 03:00 PM	#17
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	We have a maroon clown...mut not one of the very dark ones. Is What kind of anemone is the best meaning easier to take care for a novice?

05/25/2007, 03:02 PM	#18
jolenemarie Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: MD Posts: 10	Gosh! Please excuse my typos...I have a broken finger and the splint keeps getting in the way. JM

05/25/2007, 03:21 PM	#19
Mustang394 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 207	I have been able to coax a serpent out with a piece of krill or shrimp(yes they eat shrimp). Hold it tight with tongs or something similar. Once he knows it there with patience you can usually get them far enough out in the open to pull him out __________________ "Life is drawing without an Eraser" Current Tank Info: Oceanic 22+ Seahorse, 90 gal LPS & Softies, 120 gal LPS & SPS