racefan Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 I've lost a couple fish lately. I assumed it was my Banded Coral shrimp since I'd seen it taking swipes at some fish. I've lost 2 Wrasses(at various intervals) I just lost 2 more fish in the last couple weeks. I got rid of the shrimp thinking I had the problem solved. Lo & behold, today I cannot find my Engineer Goby. I cannot even find the carcass of it. Now this no small Goby either,it was about 8" to 10" long. Attached is a pic to show how big it was. Any ideas of what can be doing this? I can't fathom what could eat the Goby that fast. When I did a water change today I looked from the top down inside & cannot see a carcass even.The only fish left are a female Clown & a small Blue Hippo Tang about 11/2" long. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 Can you pick up your rock work without much trouble? Check for a giant black or grey bristle looking worm (the name is on the tip of my tongue) They will feed at night and especially when a wrasse lays flat or beds in the sand. Convict or engineer gobies are burrowers too and are down at the worms level. I pulled an 18 incher from my tank and haven't lost any livestock since. Do you have enough room on the sandbed to set a tube style trap at night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berger9953 Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Or maybe their saying "We got to get out of here!" And they're jumping out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wegotjs Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Mantis ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racefan Posted May 11, 2010 Author Share Posted May 11, 2010 Don't Mantis Shrimp usually come in on rock? I have not added any rock for years. Here's my water parameters. PH-8.2 Amm.-0.25(usually 0) Nitrites-0 Nitrates-0 Calc.-500 Mag.-1250 SG-1.024 Phos.-0(test kit,I don't have a meter) Alk.-6.4 I dosed a little Alk/Dkh buffer after the water test to slowly raise the Alk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefnjunkie Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Maybe time for some night time hunting with a red led type light- Jon may be onto something-It was not long ago Frank forund that monster in his tank and it was eating his ricordea. I got money on anasty worm-just a guess but....... Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Must be the local area. I still havent figured out why most of my fish disappeared. Same problem as you. There one day, gone the next. I have ruled out mantis shrimp for the same reason - havent added rock in years. Havent found a long worm yet, but Im hoping to find the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moovinfast Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 It better not be an area problem.... but then again, I have had 2 fish disappear somewhat recently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Hmm.. I assumed my rbta got my Lionfish and my Snowflake Eel got my Diamond Goby. I hope it isn't something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I just lost two flasher wrasse, not cheap. But I do have a purple reef lobster that I can't get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwcoralfarm Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Well it's not the local area cause I haven't had any problems at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Well it's not the local area cause I haven't had any problems at all. OK then it must be a conspiracy. I have been watching ancient aliens lately - maybe they are snatching up our exotic fishes. Either that, or the LFS have gotten together to develop a strain of fish with a genetic mutation that cause them to go invisible after several weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Any luck finding the cause racefan? Your engineer goby was a cool looking fish by the way. So sad to hear he disappeared.(sad) Is your protein skimmer going nuts after the fish disappear? That would be more of a sign that it died and was not eaten and you just didn't find the body. Had a flasher wrasse disappear but I am sure he just jumped out of the sump and just couldn't find his body as the skimmer didn't produce any more. If you are not seeing more skimmer output then it does sound like your fish was eaten and it might be time to start breaking down the tank. I know that's a big POA but I have been amazed of the size of some of these worms that people have found hiding in the rocks and sand and never found them until they were upgrading their tanks.:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undrtkr_00 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I know that's a big POA (scratch) What is POA? Anything like PITA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 (scratch) What is POA? Anything like PITA? LOL! It didn't look right when I wrote it!(laugh) Thanks undertaker! PITA was what I meant. All the abbreviations in this forum are messing with my head!(nutty) Just think PITA bread! PITA bread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 have you added any new corals attached to rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racefan Posted May 11, 2010 Author Share Posted May 11, 2010 (scratch) What is POA? Anything like PITA? Point Of Aggravation? Cause it sure is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racefan Posted May 11, 2010 Author Share Posted May 11, 2010 have you added any new corals attached to rock? Come to think of it I did get a Ricordia about a month ago that came on a rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racefan Posted May 12, 2010 Author Share Posted May 12, 2010 OK Sitting back regrouping & thinking this through. I forgot until reefboy mentioned it. I did get a Ric on a small piece of rock about a month ago. The tank was broken down & moved downstairs in late January. I did not see any worms at that time. I do have a couple good sized Hermit Crabs that live in large Turbo Snail shell's.Could it be them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Trap that lobster!!! Clay lost a ton of fish to the "reef safe" lobster in his tank. We had a glass blower build a trap,but eventually caught it with the triangle shaped inverted net style and some food. Have to feed fish first,then wait till they bed down and aren't jumpy,put the trap in and got him by morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReeFit Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 put the remaining survivors in a hospital tank and starve it to death? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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