Bangaii Cardinals getting picked off over night?

[daddyjama]

I bought these two Cardinals on Friday. THey seemed to do fine, no signs of stress or anything and the found there "perch" spot and were just sitting like they do.
Sunday I woke up and saw only one in their spot. After some looking I found my hermits goin to work on the one Cardinal. THe sme thing happended yesterday. I went this morning and the second one is on the bottom.
In my tank i've got 5 damsels a clown and banded shrimp and about 10 little hermits. Did they kill them?

 

[earlybird]

damsels and coral banded shrim are mean. It's very possible.

 

[kanicky]

It could also be the hermit crabs, especially if your fish sleep on the sandbed. I had a blue damsel that liked to sleep on the sandbed and the hermits had a field day with her. I checked on her the next day and she had a nice big hole in her abdomen.

 

[daddyjama]

Thanx guys i wouldn't have thought about it..
SOme one told me that maybe the did not eat and starved and died and THEN the hermits got him.. is there any possibility..if so how do you not stress them so that they do eat.

 

[miami298]

I had read somewhere that these cardinals were nocturnal so I wouldn't imagine a hermit crab could have their way with them. It is probably more likely that your damsels got ugly with them.

 

[jessica47421]

i just two cardinals and i have very very small hermits i found one under a rock today dead i was soooo upset those fish are so cute. not sure but i think he got under there and couldnt get out and went into shock or something but its sad , i am going to try to get another one in the future i think they are so nice to watch swimming together good luck though what do you feed ur cardinals i think there was a very experienced guy on here that told me to feed them krill when they get bigger and a kind of shrimp now .

 

[serbanc]

Actually, it sounds more like stress, or perhaps - like you said, they didn't eat enough and became weak and easy pray for others. I've had bigger fish - like yellow tangs, suffer similar faiths, and I never figured out exactly why. I think that perhaps I wasn't patient enough aclamating them, or perhaps the stress of a new environment... It can be any number of reasons.

 

[ricks280]

i agree with miami, damsels can be very nasty.

 

[daddyjama]

Originally Posted by jessica47421
i just two cardinals and i have very very small hermits i found one under a rock today dead i was soooo upset those fish are so cute. not sure but i think he got under there and couldnt get out and went into shock or something but its sad , i am going to try to get another one in the future i think they are so nice to watch swimming together good luck though what do you feed ur cardinals i think there was a very experienced guy on here that told me to feed them krill when they get bigger and a kind of shrimp now .
sooo sorry..yeah i liked watching them float around ..my twins..
i fed them brine shrimp/flake..i ususally swtich back and forth every day.. again i THINK they were eating it..
yuup i'm goin bac to the store tooo in a little while i misse them.
BA

 

[shogun323]

I would suspect the issue of improper acclimation or water quality before a rogue killer in your cleanup crew. Everytime a fish dies you will find it in the clutches of a snail, hermit, shrimp or crab but I think it is pretty unlikely that they were the cause.
I would definately test your water as well as review your acclimation practice before buying more. Good Luck!! :happyfish

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by shogun323
I would suspect the issue of improper acclimation or water quality before a rogue killer in your cleanup crew. Everytime a fish dies you will find it in the clutches of a snail, hermit, shrimp or crab but I think it is pretty unlikely that they were the cause.
I would definately test your water as well as review your acclimation practice before buying more. Good Luck!! :happyfish
I agree, but also you say you have 5 damsels....these may also be the problem. What size tank? Its better to put damsels in last due to their territorial needs.

 

[shogun323]

Originally Posted by larryndana
I agree, but also you say you have 5 damsels....these may also be the problem. What size tank? Its better to put damsels in last due to their territorial needs.
Excellent Point!!