Whats eating my B/G Damsels?

[cam78]

The only thing that was added since two of my three damsels were eaten is a plate coral. Two Damsels were eaten within 2 weeks. I have crabs blue legged and red. Other fish: engineer goby, diamond goby, maroon clown, pajama. ???
These fish have been in here since January. No signs of the fish. Are they dying and then getting eaten?

 

[jesses89]

umm... i guess ill ask it then...
do you hear a clicking noise coming from your tank at night?

 

[reefkprz]

either you have a mantis or similar hitch hiker, or they are dying and your cleanup crew is doing its job.

 

[cam78]

oh no. I don't hear a clicking at night but I'm not around it that much at night. Wouldn't a mantis catch the diamond or engineer before a damsel. What are your suggestions? Can I catch whatever it is? All of a sudden this could happen?

 

[cam78]

help please?

 

[cam78]

:help:

 

[spanko]

Yea it seems like the Mantis would make the leap to the easiest to get fish first. How do you know they were eaten? I guess the maroon clown could be bullying them, is it bigger than the damsels?

 

[jaybird101]

I had the same problem.
I have two clowns (matted), 1 domino dasmsel, 1- maridian dragonet, 1- cleaner shrimp, and clean up crew in my tank.
I purchased 4 different damsels and aclimated them and they lived in the tank for 4 days.
Then one morning, all 4 of the new damsels were gone.
I searched the tank and found one under a rock half eaten.
But the 2 clowns, domino, maridian, and shrimp are all fine.
I've had this problem before with damsels disappearing after a few days.
I'm just as confussed as you. Why they died but not the others.

 

[fireshrimp]

if its a mantis shrimp eating your damsels ... you should thank him

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by FireShrimp
if its a mantis shrimp eating your damsels ... you should thank him

amen

 

[cam78]

Originally Posted by spanko
Yea it seems like the Mantis would make the leap to the easiest to get fish first. How do you know they were eaten? I guess the maroon clown could be bullying them, is it bigger than the damsels?
I just assumed they were eaten because theu are gone. The Clown is definitaly bigger and bullies them around just like he does the Diamond goby. If I had a mantis would I have seen it before? I had this tank since january.

 

[renogaw]

nah, if its a mantis the 3 month mark is a normal time. its been growing and growing and has found its time to strike!!
but if you don't hear any clicking noise, and don't see shells being broken apart, or large gashes in your fish, its probably not a mantis.

 

[cam78]

OK heres the good or bad news. I found that damsel stuck to my powerhead (which wasn't there yesterday). It did have the belly area taken out but I didn't see it anywhere yesterday or today until I saw it on the powerhead. If it is a mantis would it have eaten the whole fish? It was mostly in tact except for the belly area. Does a Manis bring the fish into its hole then get rid of it?
Sorry so many questions, I just would love to know if I have one. I'm more nervous of it breaking my glass.

 

[jaybird101]

Originally Posted by renogaw
but if you don't hear any clicking noise, and don't see shells being broken apart, or large gashes in your fish, its probably not a mantis.
How soon after the lights go out does the clicking start???

 

[1journeyman]

It's very possible that your Blue Green Damsels are simply killing each other. They can be very aggressive to each other.

 

[cam78]

Lets say one was growing since January, how big could it be by now? Being that I never saw it. Also are they nocturnal? I look at night but don't see anything. Are they fast, maybe when I approach the tank it runs?

 

[1journeyman]

Mantis are very quick and very very smart. they are experts at going undetected.
Having said that, if only one type of fish is dying it doesn't sound like a Mantis.

 

[pontius]

I agree with 1journeyman, it does not sounds like a mantis to me. a mantis wouldn't be discriminately picking out one species of fish, which happens to be the fastest fish in the tank.
when you say "bluegreen damsels", are you talking about chromis? if so, I have had a school of 7 chromis. they start by killing of 1, then they kill another, then another. now, I have 1 left. that's just how they are, they wittle down their own numbers. afterall, they're damsels.

 

[flcandy]

Be glad they are not lasting long! They are jearks and will bully all your other fish once established, and they are impossable to catch, I just had to rip my tank apart to get rid of one that was trying to kill my wrasse. :cheer:

 

[baloo6969]

hey peck, where in Nj are you?