How do fish disappear without a trace?

[rk4435]

Several weeks ago a cleaner wrasse disappeared from my 90 gallon tank. I have glass lids so jumping was not likely.

A little over a week ago a chromis disappeared and I found some evidence of that one.

Now a Scooter Blenny hasn't been seen in about three days with zero evidence in the tank.

The last time I dealt with something like this It was in a 29 Biocube and the culpret seemed to be some sort of venomous worm according to a post I put on ARC after catching it and a Mantis shrimp before that. In the Biocube I always found evidence.

I would think that I would see the cuc centralized in one spot or some sort of left overs.

Anyone have a guess? The other occupants that could have some aggressive tendencies are a Rusty Angel, Trigger, and a Tomini Tang. I rarely see any sort of aggression from them thiugh. My Diamond Goby gets a little testy but doesn't seem like a killer.

 

[rk4435]

I just discovered that I am missing another chromis.

Ammonia-0
Nitrate - 10 ppm
1.024

All the tank inhabitants are seemingly happy and eating.

 

[merkywater]

Check your overflow? Or they died and trigger ate them.

 

[rk4435]

I have a clear see in glass overflow and it is clear. I'm pulling the filter sock in a few to check there.

 

[nickg]

Good cleaner crew?? I had a large naso pass. Less than a day, nothing but a few bones... Cromis bones are way harder to see...

 

[rk4435]

Sadly I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I was light on cleaners. Just got a fresh cuc from reefs to go yesterday. I do have a small purple lobster and a serpent star though.

 

[dawgface]

And likely a bunch of bristle worms of which can take down a cow in seemingly a matter minutes.

 

[heathlindner25]

Purple lobsters are not reef safe... could be him eating your small fish.

 

[jennm]

rk4435;953718 wrote: Sadly I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I was light on cleaners. Just got a fresh cuc from reefs to go yesterday. I do have a small purple lobster and a serpent star though.

I was going to suggest a nuisance crab or similar, but I'd bet it's the lobster.

Serpent stars are usually pretty harmless, but brittles (esp. the green brittle) are voracious hunters.

The lobster is probably waiting til fish either go into their hidey hole at night, or if they don't hide at night, when they slow down to rest, and BAM!

Jenn

 

[tony_caliente]

I have been wondering that since 1979...really!

 

[rk4435]

I suppose the lobster it is. The start of the disappearances lines up to when I cut back on feedings to deal with cyano and algae problems.

 

[rk4435]

Another Cromis gone.

 

[massivedynamic]

Tony_Caliente;953791 wrote: I have been wondering that since 1979...really!

lol right! this is one of those questions that we'll never be able to answer. I had a 30 gallon tank once, 2 snowflake's (bought the second after the first disappeared) just completely disappeared never to be found. No where on the floor or in the filter or anywhere. Didnt have anything else in the tank except a couple other fish. They just vanished.

 

[axio]

Ya... once they die the bodies can get eaten A LOT faster then people realize. I think Jen and the others have got you covered on this one.

 

[rk4435]

No casualties today, but no luck catching the lobster either.