blue ribbon eel ate cleaner shrimp?

[fugu]

i have a 170 gallon with a blue ribbon eel 4ft and 1rectangular trigger 2", a maroon clown 3" 4 small dominoe damsels and 1 yellow chromis. i had 2 cleaner shrimp but they seem to be gone. the only thing that i can think of is that they got eaten by the eel who hadnt eaten anything for a month (posted earler)
would anyone know whether this is likely? my trigger was about the same size as the shrimp. i thought these eels eat small fish not shrimp.
any ideas anyone.

 

[guppie]

I had a Ghost ribbon eel many years back, and he ate a CBS, It was something like yours, he had not eaten in a couple of weeks. I would think that it is hungry it will eat anything it can get in it's mouth. Good Luck

 

[saltwater marauder]

Either the eel or the trigger could have eaten the shrimp. Keep in mind that in the wild triggers often pick apart their prey, like lobsters, a chunk at a time. Rip off a leg, eat, rip of an antennae, eat. They wont just mouth the entire critter, so whether the shrimp was the same size or not really doesnt matter. Really wouldnt plan on keeping any shrimps or crabs with the trigger as they will most likely become food. Eels will eat whatever they can get in their mouth and I think you pretty much answered your own question. Every fish I have seen that will eat small fish will also take swipes at the inverts.

 

[orby]

An eel a Trigger fish and a shrimp, Well duh!

 

[pufferlover]

Frankly I think the Trigger, eel combo is the most likely culprits. I have a baby Niger who is a small tank with just a coral Hogfish baby and there was a large peppermint shrimp (who is no more) so I guess that tells you who eats shrimp when hungry (not the Hog thats for sure).

 

[cactus jack]

i'm guessing the trigger but the eel could have done it also. you've got a strange combo of fish in your tank what's up with that? you should probably decide if you want exclusively aggressive or get rid of the eel and trigger and go community with inverts

 

[fugu]

thanks trey my sentiments exactly, i would rather that the eel eats than see the eel die. the trigger is waiting for another tank so he is not a permanent tankmate.
thanks again to all for posting.