Help Please HELP!! Fish are dying!!

[phiberop840]

I just lost 4 clowns in a matter of 4 days. First was a MIA pulled rock and moved stuff and nothing, just gone. check floor and all filters and what not.. now the next one died and i caught it swimming upside down and then watched it die. poor guy. then the next was breathing heavy and stayed at the bottom. Then all lights went out and met roomate at the bar and he said no clowns visable. I raced home and hes right......no clowns, all gone. i cannot see any floaters or any of them laying around.

Now all inverts and 2 zebra damsels are great. looks like they are having a day like my 9 year old at a waterpark!! Water is crystal clear with a little bubble from the skimmer nothing major.

Here is the big question. Do I pull all the rock out to find the corpse of 2-3 dead clowns or have they been eaten by eveyone else. I do not want to disturb the entire tank as I will then lose more. I am also missing a dottyback for about 3 days now too. where are they all?

Please give advise. Thanks

[jdbassin]

mantis shrimp is a possibility, any brittle stars or other stars for that matter the greens eat fish, what are your water params?



jd

[jdbassin]

oh and how about anemones, I had a condi that ate 75 dollars in fish before I found out it was the culprit


jd

[phiberop840]

Brittle stars yes. peppermint shrimp and one coral banded. I do have 2 anemones, not sure what there called. Do you think that they should be removed from my tank. If that is the case i have to tear down the entire thing or will they just be food.

Thanks

[jdbassin]

Only the large green brittle star generally eat fish, coral banded shrimp will but mine never has, All anemones will possibly eat fish but in my experience condis and haitians, (same anemone) Are notorious for it. They are generally white with pink or purple tips on long tentacles. they are generally cheap 5 to 15 dollars, If this describes what you have than in my opinion it would be best to try to return them to the lfs for credit if you ever want to keep fish


jd

[cath]

Can you provide a picture of your anemones?

[Tasher80]

When fish die they can get eaten very quickly by all the critters in your tank. That is why we have cleanup crews to keep things in order. Pulling everything out is probably pointless because you probably will never find the bodies.
1) What are you water parameters.
2)How long have the fish been in the tank?
3)Have you added anything new?

[phiberop840]

Ok well that answers that. I have a large beautiful brittle star that I want to punch now along with the LFS that sold it to me saying that it all will be ok. I guess i should have researched that. Well poor Nemos.....I guess the loss comes with the hobby and one learns.

Will this star eat all small fish. The Zebras are ok but they are bigger. Lets say a tang? I noticed that he would flip all my snails and try to eat them but couldnt. I would have to flip them back over.

Any suggestions.

Thanks

[DSB]

Trade the star in.

[Tasher80]

If your sure hes the culprit then I would just get rid of him if he i also trying to get snails and anything he can. Do you feed him specifically?

[phiberop840]

Well the LFS did not tell me that when they sold it and I am an idiot for even buying it when I was there. Little pissed they took advantage of me. I do like him in the tank but if he is going to eat eveything then out he goes.

How do I feed him? I guess the LFS said that he would be fine. (yeah cause he'll eat everything in the tank!) How is his feeding patterns.

Thanks

[craigGP]

feed by giving a piece of shrimp or something like that. if you have a refuge, you can banish the monster-of-the-deep and still be able to enjoy his presence. just remember to look at him every time before you go to the LFS as a reminder to research before you buy...

i did the exact same thing once but realized my error during acclimation. immediately took him back.

[jdbassin]

it is the green one then, Because not all brittles are bad only the green one generally. If not your culprit is likly the anemones


jd

[unleashed]

have you checked your water quality? ph, amonia ,nitrates and nitrites, SG .although your missing fish you did see one die.this could mean that the fish themselves are dying off and other critters are just cleaning up after them.if you had not found one floating gasping for air I would have looked first at the brittle star also.

[aussiereefer82]

Originally Posted by unleashed

have you checked your water quality? ph, amonia ,nitrates and nitrites, SG .although your missing fish you did see one die.this could mean that the fish themselves are dying off and other critters are just cleaning up after them.if you had not found one floating gasping for air I would have looked first at the brittle star also.

OMG!!
Finally someone mentioned water parameters!! Everyone has beeen so quick to blame the star, who could actually be doing his job and scavenging! You mentioned that one clown was breathing heavy. WHY??

Likely cause is that the clowns are dying from other causes and the star is cleaning up.

What are your water parameters? Have you done anything else to the tank? I noticed in another thread that you stirred up the sandbed, could this have released toxins?

Don't point the finger until all other factors have been examined!!