Silent killer

[Arkman]

I’ve lost two fish recently and I’m not sure why – all water parameters are excellent.

The fish were a nice (and expensive) wrasse and a mandarin. The only thing that I can think of that these fish have in common is that they are relatively sedentary. I have a pair of clowns and a tang that are just fine…

So, my 1st thought is a nasty mantis – and I did hear clicking when I 1st set up the tank, but I haven’t heard a click in months. Someone mentioned that the culprit may be a rock crab...

I would really like to add more fish, but I have very little interest in feeding some lurking predator…

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Montanarocknreefer]

Hi there! What size tank do you have? How much LR? Do you have a refugium? Do both of these fish eat the same foods?
I know mandarins require alot of bugs to survive and if it is competing with the wrasse they could starve each other out!

 

[Grouperdog]

When you say you lost these fish did you actually find there dead bodies and what condition were they in when found or did they diappear and there bodies were not found? The reason I am asking is most likely if it was a predator that killed them you would not find there bodies or if found the there bodies would be torn apart with pieces missing. The above statement assumes the bodies are discovered relatively soon after death, if not then there are a number of scavengers that can make quick work of a dead fish and not leave much if anything behind. Also what was there behavior and condition like when last seen?

 

[Arkman]

Healthy, happy fish – then “poof”. I actually spent some time looking behind the tank when the when the wrasse went – I thought he could have jumped.

It’s a 45 with a refugium – about 65-70 lbs. of LR. I don’t think they were competing for food. Only had the wrasse for less than a week.

I did not break the tank down to look in nooks and crannies for the bodies – but I have fairly good visibility around the tank. If they died of natural causes I think I would have seen them.