Help!!!! Lost A Turbo Snail, Coral Shrimp, now the Sea Star is ill

[saboken]

Help!!!! Lost A Turbo Snail, Coral Shrimp, now the Sea Star is ill.
I thought the snail died of age but I think the one Saltwater Hermit crab is killing the bottom dwellers? first I found the crab trying to get into the turbo snails shell after it died so I took the snail out the next day my coral shrimp was in the corner out in the open and seemed to be molting but was dead with damage to its head, now 2 days ago the seastar was in a place it never hid at night seeing it there when I turned the lights on was not normal, but it looked ok and crwaled off under a live rock the next day it was in the same place and as it craweld away I saw that it's main body was torn up like it about 1/2 of the center disc was all ragged and it's insides exposed, but it was still alive and crawled away. I had all of these guys for about the same amount of time with no issues and never lost a fish yet! can a hermit crab behave in this way? if so he has to go asap. any help with this would be great just so you know I did test the water there was a trace of Amonia after the snail died but I did a 20% water change the first day then a 10% and the levels are back to normal, I wish I had a pic of the seastar but I doubt he would make it another day so I am going to have to look for him in the morning. I have a 55gal with about 40 lbs of live rock 1 clown @1", a yellow Tang @ 3". a yellow tail damsel @ 1/2", a blue devil damsel. ok I got a pic he's still alive somehow? these were taken 2 days apart

this day 2 I had to take him out to get the photo he's a gonner anyway

 

[flower]

Hi, Welcome to the site, sorry it's under these circumstances.
The hermits are known for eating snails, but the star and the shrimp were food after the fact...check your nitrates, if it's over 40 it will kill off your inverts. Post your test results and lets see if the water quality is to blame...don't tell us it's all good, we need exact numbers to know what is going on.

 

[saboken]

When I said the numbers were OK they are normal all 0 undetectable I used strips and liquid/vial tests to double verify and I am also testing every day, the tank has been running for over a year and is stable unless something dies and the snail was the first to go, as far as the star it's still alive even after taking it out of the tank and putting it on a table to take the pic, I decided to put it in my acclimation tank and it's still moving around even with all the damage to it's body I don't know if it can heal? I know it can regrow legs! as far as the hermit I just hunted for it and it's nowhere to be found all the shells are empty maybe the star was toxic to it?

 

[tthemadd1]

What is your salinity?

 

[saboken]

I keep it between 1.022 and 1.023 I guess it's 1.0225, I check it every 48 hours and make adjustments as needed from any evaporation if it hits 1.023 I do a small water change to correct it. also twice a month I do a 15% Water Change using RO water. I do not have a running sump yet due to remodeling in the room a 90gal is going into I can't wait to set it up and have all the parts for the new tank but when a new floor is going to be installed I have to wait, anyway the 55 has a corallife hang on skimmer, I have 2 wave makers, a magnum 350 with 2 BioWheels, the bed is crushed coral from when I was breeding Chiclids it was all removed boiled twice and rinsed 2-3 a day for a week until I knew it was free of any contaminants then allowed to dry, and it's seems to keep the tank very stable! this is just one of those strange situations that happened almost overnight, I did pull the Hermit the Seastar did die, and I added a Green Mandarin Dragonet that seems to be content.

 

[tthemadd1]

How old is your live rock? Have you heard any clicking noises at night? Ie Mantis shrimp? If your parameters are within spec it sounds like you have a carnivore somewhere. Try putting a trap in the tank you may be surprised what you find. I have two crabs in my tank I never knew about. Looked into the tank at night a week ago and there were two brown/greenish crabs. Didn't capture them as I haven't had any issues. Just surprised they got into the tank somehow.
Good luck

 

[saboken]

The newest rock was a manmade rock that looks like Swiss cheese I got it free because the seastar was in it and ***** could not get him out it's about 3-4 months old, I have not heard any clicking during the day I do hear a tap on the glass once and a while I think its the lawnmower blenny going in and out of a upside-down clay orchid pot and he's getting a bit big for the holes! but made it his home and won't give it up till he can't fit, I think he makes it tap the glass going in and out, as far as the mantis unless it was young and small when/if it hitched a ride home I have inspected all the openings in the rock and do not see anything, I do have a waterproof night vision camera I could drop in and let it record a few nights? I don't know if it will work under water if the IR leds will penetrate the water or cause a glare right in front of the camera?

 

[saboken]

I did notice the small snails I had the ones with the small flat shell and a tail seem to have vanished! there are a few very small regular snails I found 1/8" so their may be something in there picking them off?

 

[saboken]

Quote:
Originally Posted by saboken http:///t/394933/help-lost-a-turbo-snail-coral-shrimp-now-the-sea-star-is-ill#post_3515433
When I said the numbers were OK they are normal all 0 undetectable I used strips and liquid/vial tests to double verify and I am also testing every day, the tank has been running for over a year and is stable unless something dies and the snail was the first to go, as far as the star it's still alive even after taking it out of the tank and putting it on a table to take the pic, I decided to put it in my acclimation tank and it's still moving around even with all the damage to it's body I don't know if it can heal? I know it can regrow legs! as far as the hermit I just hunted for it and it's nowhere to be found all the shells are empty maybe the star was toxic to it?
Did find the Hermit and pulled it!!!!