Missing Clown fish?

[katfish50]

Can anyone see anything in my tank that might have eaten my 2 inch clown. She was swimming with her mate on my BTA this morning and later this afternoon she's MIA. I have seen more brissel worms around the LR that my BTA sticks to...could they have got him somehow, would my scallop or fire shrimp knabbed her...she was perfectly healthy and happy this am and now she didn't even come out at dinner time....

 

[kev]

How big is your BTA? How big are your shrimps? I bet one of those was the culpret.

 

[katfish50]

My BTA is about the size of a dinner plate when full and expanded, and she never left his side....the fire shrimp is about 4 inch, the scarlets are about 2-3inch. each...

 

[kev]

I would almost bet that your anenome turned on your clown and ate it.

 

[katfish50]

Wow, I'm bummed. How can he do that? isn't the fish faster? are the clowns immune to his sting? Will he spit (crap) parts of him out...so I'll know for sure. I'd hate to loose another one to him. I feed him once a week, should I feed him twice a week? Should I go buy another clown for her lonely mate? She was about twice his size...so after reading some of the post here I'd be safe to try and partner him up again if I choose another similar in size...what's your thoughts?

 

[ophiura]

How fat does your green brittlestar look? This is a species that is a known predator, however, I tend to be skeptical of its abilities to catch large healthy clowns with an anemone to host in. Usually the fish needs to swim into the rocks, and under the brittlestar. However, the brittle will also certainly scavenge a dead clownfish.
How often do you feed the brittle?
Bristle worms are scavengers, in most cases, and if there are more in the area of the anemone, it might indicate that there is something dead nearby.
The scallop is definitely not a candidate. However, you have a number of corals that could potentially eat a fish as well.

 

[katfish]

Check the intake of your powerhead....I lost a clown that way and now place a bio-ball there to make sure no more fish are lost that way.

 

[katfish50]

Hey Katfish great name. I covered my power heads with natural sea sponge months ago...when the BTA got partially sucked up. To answer the other posts...the brittle eats every other day when the fish eat...what corals do I have that could eat my fish?

 

[ophiura]

Many of the LPS corals have the ability to eat pretty sizable things (and some do spot feed there corals, depending on what type the are). Probably not your fish, but pretty sizable things just the same.

 

[katfish50]

My anenome coughed a pretty good size of yuk today...and I didn't feed him yesterday just to see if he was the guilty party...I'd say it's safe to say he did it.

 

[silverturbobug]

I hope my two BTA won't eat any of my clowns...they have been doing good together so far.

 

[jja]

one more thing to look for is to make sure there are no openings at the top. I had a clown jump out of my tank and there is only a couple inches by the overflow that is not covered.