My CBS caught and killed a fish?!?!?!

blitz99

blitz99

Member
i woke up and was checkin out the tank... i noticed a blue/green chromis "hanging out" with my coral banded shrimp.... i looked closer and it looked as if the chromis was eating the shrimps leg.... then i looked even closer and noticed the CBS had the back end of the chromis in his mouth and was holding the chromis' mouth with his claw...
is this normal? i didnt know the CBS could actually catch a fish.... also, do i have to worry about my other fish? my clowns, watchman, or firefish? i am quite sure my dotty would whoop up on the shrimp, but the yellow watchman and firefish seem vulnerable.
 
matty0h_52

matty0h_52

Member
it deffinelty will happen..CBS are mean suckers! mine does that to my farry Wrass. every thime it swims buy my CBS snaps at him. and i know given the chance he would grab her and have a snack. THERE VERY TERRETORIAL<

[hr]
hope thats spelt right
 
smoney

smoney

Active Member
Well, if the fish was in his area, then he probably pissed off the CBS. Also, the size of your tank is also a huge issue, if you have a 50 gallon tank, that is the absolute mininmum I would put them in, they require(IMO) at least an 80 tank. What size tank do you have?
 
birdy

birdy

Active Member
Keeping it well fed will help, handfeed it chunks of meaty food like shrimp, fish, squid, clams.
 
ctgretzky9

ctgretzky9

Member
Most likely, the fish may have been already sick.
CBS's have a bad rap, as they are the first ones to jump on something unhealthy. They are "programmed" to look for disease and maladies, to a lesser degree than their cleaner shrimp cousins, but that is what shrimp do.
I have never seen any of mine over the years actually catch anything healthy. They WILL claim territory, and chase out anything that comes in their home base.
A tank of 60 gal or more is the minimum I would keep such a critter.
 
blitz99

blitz99

Member
he's in a 60 now... but was fine in my 40...
maybe i'll try and fish him out and get rid of him.
 
mudplayerx

mudplayerx

Active Member
CBS are actually cleaner shrimp in nature (they don't display this behavior in the tank). I second the notion that your chromis was sick or already dead.
CBS generally only attack other inverts.
 
ags

ags

Member
When I first started keeping saltwater tanks I had a CBS in an extremely overstocked 30 gallon tall. Never had a single problem.
I think the CBS gets a bad rap. I concur your chromis was sick, if not already dead, and your CBS did what scavengers do.
 
alimon

alimon

Member
Somethimes they have an argument with my blue tang but I do not think it would kill a fish. As Mudplayerx said, I think it was dead already.
 
rubberduck

rubberduck

Active Member
Originally Posted by vi3tb0i
so wich one is still alive?
why did u make 4 posts when u can make edits.
btw coral bandit shrimps can be controllled if u feed him good, try feeding hime good and see if he stobs trying.
 
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