Who ate my yellow polyps?

pyro383

Member
I had this rock covered in yellow polyps for over 5 months, in the past month, I have been watching the polyps slowly disappear. Looking at my list of inhabitants, the only new items added was the spiney reef star and the tang in the past 2 months.
 

wrassecal

Active Member
Guy - say it ain't so:eek: I had the exact same thing happen several months ago. Do they like gsp too? My yellows have been gone a long time, but the greens seem to be thinning out. I love my fire shrimp:( edit: how about anthelia do they eat that too?
 
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italian bakery

Guest
Could have been any of the shrimp or crabs i have seen all of them eat corals even though the lfs usually tells you they are reef safe.
 

j21kickster

Active Member
so bakery- you have seen emerald crabs eating corals? You have seen anemone crabs eating corals- You have seen cleaner shrimp eating coral? You've seen scarlet and blue legs eating coral? You have seen pistol shrimp eating corals? Mantis shrimp eating corals? Sorry just a little confused when you said you have seen ALL crabs AND shrimp eating corals- i've seen alot of inverts and rarely do i see what are considered "reef safe inverts" hacking away at a nice healthy coral;)
 

foulbrew

Member
I agree with Bang Guy on the Fire Shrimp being the culprit. In addition I've a few of these little tan starfish (dime size) that seem to enjoy snacking on button polyps from time to time. You have to look hard for them, usually hidden near the base of the polyps.
 

rsd

Member
I;m not sure of all of your critters but at night, when the poyps are "closed" try looking in at the base of them for a few critters.
1: look for a snail It has a round flatter shell with a cherboard pattern on it. The name is sundail or "Heliacus" if you want more specific. It is a common hitch-hiker in button polyps and yellow polyps. It is predatory. When the snail pulls into its shell it will cover its "foot" with a conicle trap door.... the whole thing will be smaller than a button.
2: look for any crabs you didn't buy.... pointy claws.
3: small star-fish. Some of these dime size critters seem to completely ignore corals. Others SEEM to feast on them. IMO if they are amongst the corals.... they go away. If they are on glass, sand, rock I leave them alone.
Also I have heard on some occasions tha bumble bee snails will eat yellow/button polyps.
Good luck.
 

rsd

Member
Also just as a side note you may want to watch/remove your coral banded shrimp. After a year of good behavior in one week mine attacked and killed 2 clown gobys, 1 manderin goby, and last night made an attempt on my clown. He will either be sold (if i can catch him) or die (if I can't) by noon tomorrow. They are great shrimps.... unfortunately after a while they become agressive and do it in a big way. I caught mine in the act 3 times and an attempted 4th.
Just MHO.
 

pyro383

Member
The idea that it is the blood shrimp is out since he was added a week ago, long after the start of the polyps disappearing. I always keep a eye on the CBS day and night to make sure he is behaving or then he gets the heave ho
 
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alti

Guest
just make sure you bring the lemon and butter when you bring it over. yum-yum
 

pyro383

Member
Is it me or is no one looking at the bottom of my posts that spell out what is in my tank? No more peppermint shrimp and never had bumble bee snails
 

saltyrich

Active Member
Where are the polyps placed in the tank? It is possible that nothing is eating them. My first experience with yellow polyps was a bad one. I unfortunately placed them a little too high in my tank and they began to disentigrate as a result of the lighting. They need low light, near the bottom in my experience. It happans a polyp or two at a time, not all at once. This might give off the appearance that something is eating them over time.
 
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