Who Dunnit? Missing Shrimp

[waterbury guy]

My cleaner shrimp went missing Saturday night. I am bummed because he was sooooooo cool! He'd eat right out of my hand. I'm wondering who the culprit is? My guess would have been my star fish, but he shares a cave with my Fire Shrimp and pays him no attention, and I keep him well fed. Would the Hermits, or the Fire Shrimp have done it?

 

[rockster]

I hate to answer question with a question but in your profile you only have percs, royal gramma, and coral beauty. You haven't added any hawkfish, have you? Nor have you cause any abrupt changes in salinity, temperature or anything...have you? Had your shrimp been eating/cleaning? If the answer to all of the above is no, I would think it's probably the brittle star. He may have caught the dying fish or have simply scavenged the carcass. Whaddaya think?

 

[zainsreef]

did you see its body like do you know its dead or its gone, missing or you might only have it molt because it could have molted and when the come out of there shell they go and hide intell the shell is hard

 

[waterbury guy]

I have no Hawk Fish, nor has there been any drastic changes to the tank. He was behaving perfectly normal. He molted about a month ago right when I got him. I have not found it's remains. I was assuming he's dead as it's been since Saturday that I saw him last and thought that if he molted he would've been out in a day or so.
Thanks for the suggestions and please keep them coming!

 

[heavenly damsel]

My guess would also be the molt scenario. Mine hid for about 4 days after he molted then was out and about as usual. Never even asked if I had missed him.

 

[saltfin]

I had the same feelings for my Cleaner Shrimp and had him for about 7 mo. THEN I got a new Rock Beauty Angel. He stopped by and the cleaner jumped on and in etc. Must have Scared the Rock B. to much and the next day SHRIMP BREAKFAST. Who donit here to. Do we try again ?????

 

[saltwaterlover]

hello well here is my answer your hermet crabs love shrimp i know for a fact they ate my shrimp i seen it scoop it in its shell suck its insides then ate the whole shrimp and it did the same to my horseshoe crab i only had it for one day and i was just begining to like it. sorry but thats what happen

 

[gemini]

I just recently lost a cleaner shrimp too. I had 4 in a 37 gallon eclipse system and all were doing fine and had gone through a couple of molts. My smallest one has been missing for several days now. I think maybe my green brittle starfish ate him but I don't know for sure. No remains have been found. I have 2 oscillaris clowns, a royal gramma, an algae blenny, a cardinal fish, a scooter blenny, some turbo snails,hermit crabs, and a condi anemone in my tank. We share this mystery! <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />