Eaten ricordia?

[skae310]

Today I found that my ricorida has been ripped to shreads. Only half of it is left. I have nothing in the tank that could harm it except I have recently added a peppermint shrimp. I know these are reef safe and that somethimes they can be mistaken for camel shrimp but I know for sure mine is a peppermint shrimp( LFS sells both and I know what a camel looks like) I have been searching online and have found that other people claim peppermint shrimp have eaten some of their corals as well. My main question is: Are peppermint shrimp really reef safe? And if so what took care of my ricordia? Also how destroyed can a coral be and it still bounce back? Id say its about 3/4ths gone but its only the tentacles that it ate. (I can post a picture if needed)

 

[Jaybird]

I had something similar happen and it ended up being a small red-eye reef crab that came along in my tank as a hitchhiker that ate it. The crab had ripped mine from the rock and destroyed it.

I would keep an eye out when it's dark.

 

[skae310]

Eh I dont know. I watch the tank at night quite a bit and the ricordia has been there for a pretty long time. Just seems odd that the day after I add a peppermint the ricordia gets eaten. I think it was the pep. Also this attack happened in the day time.

 

[melosu58]

I`m pretty sure it wasnt the peps. A rogue crab is a good guess.

 

[skae310]

Well if it was some sort of crab how can i catch the guy? I dont want any other coral to end up like that.

 

[Bige]

My pep went rogue. Ate an acan and a plate coral before I got it out. He also ate my giant oyster. Took 6 weeks to get it out. He only ate my favorites. How did he know?

 

[dannyb]

Put a glass cup in your tank(when the lights go out) with abit of meaty food (Squid, White bait, Something smelly) Then in the morning when you wake up, You may have a crab in the glass.

Make sure the cup is agaisnt a rock that it can climb into. it wont be able to get out as it cannot grip onto the glass.

 

[Jaybird]

Put a glass cup in your tank(when the lights go out) with abit of meaty food (Squid, White bait, Something smelly) Then in the morning when you wake up, You may have a crab in the glass.

Make sure the cup is agaisnt a rock that it can climb into. it wont be able to get out as it cannot grip onto the glass.

This is exactly how I got the red-eye reef crab out of my tank. I was lucky and knew where he was hiding so I put the glass right there. It only took about three hours before I had him. Now he lives in my sump.

The technique works, but you may need some patience.