disappearing fish? :( Please HELP!!

Wannabeoceangrl · 02/14/2011, 07:38 AM

I have lost (literally) a percula clownfish and a damsel. There is nothing in my tank that will eat them??

I don't think?

75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump - Tank occupants include a yellow tang, a second percula, a chromis, yellow tail damsel, firefish. large serpant starfish, sally lightfoot crab, 2 emerald crabs, 6 turbo snails and a few other snails and small crabs.

I have looked everywhere! Even in all the plumbing. I'm at a loss. I tested the water, ammonia is present but not high and I lost a turbo to one of my powerheads a day or two ago so I'm thinking that could be the reason for that.

Any ideas??

chimmike · 02/14/2011, 08:07 AM

the ammonia isn't helping. if the two fish died, your CUC already took care of 'em.

TangAddict · 02/14/2011, 08:27 AM

I had a blenny and couple small small cromis go missing within a few weeks of each other. I decided it was probably my 2 sally lightfoot crabs that were responsible. I read that these guys get aggressive as they mature. I saw them taking swings at some other passing fish so I got them out and no more cromi deaths, who knows for sure...

Dustin1300 · 02/14/2011, 08:49 AM

How old is your tank. If you have ammonia and have not completed a cycle and have that many fish you will experience losses...

grtmmt · 02/14/2011, 09:13 AM

Did you check your overflow box? My clowns jump into them all the time. I currently have a wrasse in one of the overflow boxs and I can't get him out! I will need to shut down the pumps and pull the pipes out of the box to get him, pain in the ,,,,,

kduen · 02/14/2011, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wannabeoceangrl

I have lost (literally) a percula clownfish and a damsel. There is nothing in my tank that will eat them??

I don't think?

75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump - Tank occupants include a yellow tang, a second percula, a chromis, yellow tail damsel, firefish. large serpant starfish, sally lightfoot crab, 2 emerald crabs, 6 turbo snails and a few other snails and small crabs.

I have looked everywhere! Even in all the plumbing. I'm at a loss. I tested the water, ammonia is present but not high and I lost a turbo to one of my powerheads a day or two ago so I'm thinking that could be the reason for that.

Any ideas??

What color is this Large serpant Starfish? If its green that would be my first guess.

Mylilreef · 02/14/2011, 11:37 AM

i would guess the serpant star. especially since they are completely dissapearing. i've had one eat everything in my tank before.

DoubleM 10 · 02/14/2011, 11:52 AM

Serpent star??? what?????

i would think the sally lightfoot!

i had 2. The male one(had large claws and small body) would swing at my dwarf lions all the time

i had to remove them cause the beautiful fins were getting ripped

matt

Kweli · 02/14/2011, 12:21 PM

If the ammonia didnt kill your fish then there is a good chance it was your sally, or the serpent.. can you get a picture of the starfish?
How big is the sally?

Also theres a chance you have some type of predator hiding in your rocks that you have never seen....

Sk8r · 02/14/2011, 12:55 PM

Ammonia is lethal. That needs to get fixed asap. Green serpent stars (not the black and whites) attack and eat fish: so do sally lightfoots.
No fish corpse survives overnight in a well-maintained tank: the cleanup crew cleans up.

vorm · 02/14/2011, 12:56 PM

Pretty much it's one of the following:

Alive/Dead - in rock work, stuck in your overflow/sump.

Dead - Killed and eaten by something in your tank.

Dead - Died for some other reason (like ammonia) and then eaten by your CUC and/or other stuff in the tank.

Dead - Jumped and are dead on the floor. Fish can move a good distance flopping around, so look everywhere around the tank, in the stand and under any nearby furniture.

Sadly, I would have to bet it's either #2 or #3. You'll never know for sure which of those it was, but if you rule out #1 and #4 it's pretty safe to assume they have been consumed. Sorry.

Angel*Fish · 02/14/2011, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Ammonia is lethal. That needs to get fixed asap. Green serpent stars (not the black and whites) attack and eat fish: so do sally lightfoots.
No fish corpse survives overnight in a well-maintained tank: the cleanup crew cleans up.

That sums it up!

Fwiw usually with the green brittle stars it happens at night - you wake up with one less fish.

02/14/2011, 11:37 AM	#7
Mylilreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 304	i would guess the serpant star. especially since they are completely dissapearing. i've had one eat everything in my tank before. __________________ -Cory Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef (upgrading to 150g Tall), 30g Long w/softies(soon to be a sump for the 150g), 20g Tall mixed, 5g w/softies, 10g quarantine that somehow turned into another softy tank

02/14/2011, 11:52 AM	#8
DoubleM 10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Steamwood, IL Posts: 1,432	Serpent star??? what????? i would think the sally lightfoot! i had 2. The male one(had large claws and small body) would swing at my dwarf lions all the time i had to remove them cause the beautiful fins were getting ripped matt __________________ Matt Lions, Groupers and Eels o my! Current Tank Info: Marineland 60Gal ReefReady cube, DIY led, Euroreef Skimmer Ins-80, Mag 9.5 return

02/14/2011, 12:55 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Ammonia is lethal. That needs to get fixed asap. Green serpent stars (not the black and whites) attack and eat fish: so do sally lightfoots. No fish corpse survives overnight in a well-maintained tank: the cleanup crew cleans up. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/14/2011, 12:56 PM	#11
vorm Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 210	Pretty much it's one of the following: Alive/Dead - in rock work, stuck in your overflow/sump. Dead - Killed and eaten by something in your tank. Dead - Died for some other reason (like ammonia) and then eaten by your CUC and/or other stuff in the tank. Dead - Jumped and are dead on the floor. Fish can move a good distance flopping around, so look everywhere around the tank, in the stand and under any nearby furniture. Sadly, I would have to bet it's either #2 or #3. You'll never know for sure which of those it was, but if you rule out #1 and #4 it's pretty safe to assume they have been consumed. Sorry.

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02/14/2011, 07:38 AM	#1
Wannabeoceangrl Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 81	disappearing fish? :( Please HELP!! I have lost (literally) a percula clownfish and a damsel. There is nothing in my tank that will eat them?? I don't think? 75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump - Tank occupants include a yellow tang, a second percula, a chromis, yellow tail damsel, firefish. large serpant starfish, sally lightfoot crab, 2 emerald crabs, 6 turbo snails and a few other snails and small crabs. I have looked everywhere! Even in all the plumbing. I'm at a loss. I tested the water, ammonia is present but not high and I lost a turbo to one of my powerheads a day or two ago so I'm thinking that could be the reason for that. Any ideas??

02/14/2011, 08:07 AM	#2
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	the ammonia isn't helping. if the two fish died, your CUC already took care of 'em. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

02/14/2011, 08:27 AM	#3
TangAddict Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Coconut Creek, FL Posts: 22	I had a blenny and couple small small cromis go missing within a few weeks of each other. I decided it was probably my 2 sally lightfoot crabs that were responsible. I read that these guys get aggressive as they mature. I saw them taking swings at some other passing fish so I got them out and no more cromi deaths, who knows for sure...

02/14/2011, 08:49 AM	#4
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	How old is your tank. If you have ammonia and have not completed a cycle and have that many fish you will experience losses... __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

02/14/2011, 09:13 AM	#5
grtmmt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Va Posts: 115	Did you check your overflow box? My clowns jump into them all the time. I currently have a wrasse in one of the overflow boxs and I can't get him out! I will need to shut down the pumps and pull the pipes out of the box to get him, pain in the ,,,,,

02/14/2011, 12:21 PM	#9
Kweli Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 221	If the ammonia didnt kill your fish then there is a good chance it was your sally, or the serpent.. can you get a picture of the starfish? How big is the sally? Also theres a chance you have some type of predator hiding in your rocks that you have never seen....