WHERE did they go???

[crazyzeus1]

OK...we started with 4 Green Chromis in our 100gal tank. We also have shrimp (Cleaner, Peppermint, Camel Back, Coral Banded), crabs(White Anemone, Porcelain, Emarald Green), brittle starfish (2), hermits, snails & corals...
So the smallest Chromis didn't come out of the rockwork one morning to eat. I figured he died because he was the smallest of the bunch. This was 3 days ago. This morning, another fish was missing. NONE of the fish are chewed up, like they were fighting or anything. Everyone (except the first missing one) ate like normal. I do know they sleep in the rockwork...
Could a large Brittle Starfish eat a small Chromis? I saw one of the starfish come out of hiding during light-time for the first time today since we added him to the tank. This guys is HUUUUGE!
All water parameters are good & normal, as always-
ph 8.1-8.3
Nitrates 10
Nitrites 0
Salinity 1.024
Temp: 79.8-80.1
What else could it be? I hear people talk about having a Manits, but I really don't think that's it. I DO see small piles of "shells" each morning around the tank (you know, they tiny ones that are in the sand).
So frustrating....

 

[jokerj]

I do not think the star would be getting them. I put in my tank a coral banded shrimp and since I did he has attacked my marroon gold stripe clown twice and gotten a nibble off of one of his back fins. Since my clown stay's way away from him, but something I've seen in my tank and would be most likely suspect. watch them very close and see if he/she jumps at fish when they get close. I personally think he is a gonner if he gets after my clown again.

 

[crazyzeus1]

The CBS is much, much smaller than the Chromis. I have never seen him go after them or even get near them...he is pretty skittish. But I'll be sure to keep an eye on him...

 

[ophiura]

It is possible the brittlestars are doing this...or the coral banded, or a hitch hiker. What do you feed the brittlestars?

 

[sinner's girl]

my brittle (brown) never bothered a fish, no matter how small. But I also feed him shrimp weekly, and some bloodworms bi-weeklyish so maybe that's why.
I'd be worried about the CBS with the peppermint shrimp. My old CBS ate ten peppermint shrimp in a week. Then the Camel Back ate the CBS.
The fish could have died and your clean up crew just cleaned up. How long has the tank been set up? How much lr do you have? Are you feeding your cleanup crew?

 

[crazyzeus1]

We feed the brittle stars CycloPeeze small pellets (they go NUTS when I put these in & they sink to the bottom, so I assume they like them). They also eat whatever falls to the bottom (mysis shrimp, Cyclopeeze wafers).
The tank has been set up for 3 months. We have 135 lb. live rock/100lb. live sand. We feed our clean up crew Brine Plus flakes (the shrimp love to catch them), an algae wafer here & there, the Cyclopeeze Small Pellets that fall to the bottom, & mysis & Brine Plus shrimp that make their way down.
All of our shrimp seem to leave each other alone. Our CBS has his "corner" of the tank he's claimed & hangs around most of the time.
The cleaners are all over, but don't seem to bother anything.
I rarealy see the Peppermints, unless it's feeding time or at night under the Moon Lights.
The 3 Camelbacks are teeny tiny...about 1/2 inch long...so I don't see them often. They hide most of the time