Double Whammy - Lost 2 fish

[JohnD]

I did my biweekly water change this past Sunday on my 30 gallon FOWLR tank. Everything went well. Water parameters were fine.

I saw the 2 during and after the water change, but I did not do my normal morning check on Monday morning. When I fed the tank on Monday evening, I had 2 MIAs (a tank-raised false perc which I had for 9 months and a royal gramma which I had 6 months). This particular tank has been up for just over 1 year.

The tank also has a dozen blue-legged hermits, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 blood shrimp, 1 emerald crab and several feather dusters. The fish did not go carpet surfing.

Any ideas to their fate?

TIA

 

[Jimmy G]

The first thing that I would be suspicious of would be the recent water change. Maybe some contaminate got into your make-up water? Maybe somebody used the container for your make-up water (Used bleach, Pine Sol etc. ) without your knowledge?

How are the other inhabitants of your tank doing?

 

[JohnD]

The shrimp, crabs, snails and feather dusters are well.

I bought a special Rubbermaid container to be used only for water mixing. It is the food safe one. It is running a small powerhead 24/7 to keep any water agitated and is also always covered. I have it about 18 months.

Jimmy, that is a good suggestion, but I do not think that is the problem.

I thought it might be the blue-leg hermits. Anybody else?

 

[FishDaddy]

John,
If the fish died, the hermits could easily have consumed the carcasses, leaving no trace. Do you have a sump or any other plumbing/pump they could have been sucked into?
Cause of death in mysterious disappearances is tough. Water quality is always a suspect, as is contamination or unknown predator. None of the inverts you listed are known to catch fish. I once found a Swimming Crab in my tank that finally had grown large enough to be a predatory threat but fortunately, caught him before he could do any damage.
You might check your tank in the dark with a red-lens flashlight to see if there are any nasties in there.
Sorry about your losses,
Dick

 

[Capn]

How big is the emerald crab? They can be mean bastages and I really don't suggest them for valonia removal (they could care less if they release spores in the tank). I had one attack an anemone once. Big hairy sucker.

Really no reason to have a mithrax in your tank, IMO.

Cap

[ December 21, 2001: Message edited by: Capn ]</p>

 

[Lunchbucket]

my clowns mysteriously died about 2 weeks ago after no problems everything else is fine and thriving!

no idea
played if off as a fluke
stuff just happens
later
Lunchbucket

p.s. sorry to hear and i know what you are goin through

i just couldn't let it rest i needed to find out why but no luck

 

[Kellogg]

I also had 2 clowns that mysteriously died a few weeks ago with no prior warnings. Everything else is doing great.

 

[tazdevil]

I would suspect that emerald crab, though, they're basically known felons as far as fish-eaters go. Wouldn't suspect the shrimp at all, they're all different cleaner species, not known to eat the fish (if they are alive).

The blue legs could also be suspect, esp. if one of the two were sick, a blue leg can grab a sleeping/sick fish.

If they died, between the blue-legs, the emerald crab, the shrimp, and any possibly worms in the LR, you may not find much left the next morning.