Mandarin Help! Hidden Threat

[diver28]

Hi,
My name is kyle or diver28. I have a 100 gallon SW tank with about 100 pounds of LR. I've had the tank for 17 months. Fish currently in tank - two true perc clowns (just layed eggs too) - Powder Blue Tang, Regal Angelfish, Pebble Butterfly, Eilbli Angel, two yellow bottom palau damsels, one fire shrimp, two normal cleaner shrimp, turbo snails, tiny hermet crabs.
I just purchased a pair of green mandarin dragonettes. After two days of being inside the tank the smaller female had her tail chewed off. So I took her out and put it in my QT tank. It's been about a week later and now the larger male lost a side fin with a huge gash in his side! It started out almost as a round circle.. like a hole puncher took a piece out of him. I let it go but decided to take him out too and put in the QT tank.
My big question is what would be doing this? My LFS said nothing that I know is in the tank would prey on the mandarin fish? They asked if I had a pistol or brittle star which I dont. Any thoughts would be welcomed! Thank you.
Kyle

 

[sepulatian]

Welcome to the boards! Do you ever hear clicking at night? It sounds like you may have a mantis shrimp in there. Mandarins are slow and tend to be on the bottom or in the rock work.

 

[diver28]

My LFS asked the same thing. If I do, how do I catch it?

 

[sueandherzoo]

Don't mandarins have some sort of toxic coating that kills its predators or at least dissuades them?
Sue

 

[renogaw]

won't stop a piercer/slasher from attacking, if this is what it is.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by diver28
http:///forum/post/2919752
My LFS asked the same thing. If I do, how do I catch it?
You would need to trap it. You can make a trap or buy one. You would need a small bottle. Cut the top off and invert it so that the wide open part is facing out and the neck of the bottle is inside of the bottle. Place some food inside and lower the bottle next to the rock work.

 

[diver28]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2922492
You would need to trap it. You can make a trap or buy one. You would need a small bottle. Cut the top off and invert it so that the wide open part is facing out and the neck of the bottle is inside of the bottle. Place some food inside and lower the bottle next to the rock work.
Thank you. I did exactly that two nights ago with no success. However, the large male madarin died yesterday in my QT tank. The damage was pretty harsh on his right side. Poor guy. I haven't had a fish death in a long time and I'm pretty bummed. The smaller female is still alive but if I can't get the mantis out then I'm in trouble. Might just give it back to the LFS if I'm unsuccessful at catching.