killer on the loose.

[catchndolphn]

i have a yellowtail damsel, orange spotted goby, royal gramma basslet, emerald crab and small hermits. i was having problems with my hermits getting eaten(even before addition of emerald crab) there are plenty of extra shells in the tanks for the hermits and im still having problems, could it be one of my fish?

 

[SassyAngel111]

Not sure if any of your fish would eat the hermits or not, but it could be that the hermits are fighting over the shells they might not like the ones they have to pick from. I don't think it is the emerald crab, I have one and he stays hidden biggest part of the time in a rock.

Hopefuly someone with more expereince will come along and give you a better answer.

 

[JM]

Do u hear any clicking from your tank at any time. Sounds like u might have a mantis shrimp on ur hands. Those fish wouldn't kill or eat hermit crabs, but a mantis would.

 

[catchndolphn]

no i dont hear any clicking, occassionally a snail taps its shell against the glass. havent noticed any shrimp in tank, only hitch hikers ive seen are tube worms, and something similiar to a tube worm, but its bright red.

 

[boardsurfer]

You may not notice a mantis shrimp in your tank (visually) if you had one. They are hard to spot. I had one in my tank (knew it from the popping noise) and didn't see him and catch him until 6 months later.

Another thing I'm thinking is that your hermits may be fighting over shells like the above post mentioned. Once you get a bunch of hermits in there and have a lot of empty shells, they'll stop fighting for shells and dying so fast if that's the reason.

Take a look at your dead hermits' shells...Are they busted open? If so, it could be a mantis I think.

 

[2revup]

I second the mantis shrimp... they are pain in the arse and you could go your aquiarum life with out seeing the little pain in the bum.

and getting them out isnt easy unless you are prepared to pull all your LR out.

 

[roka64]

I would say, the hermits are growing and killing each other for their shells, if you don't hear the mantis "click". I believe the way to measure for appropriate growth size, is to look at the hole in the shell they are in and get a size a little bigger than that.
Other than that, what are your water parameters? Was the tank ever treated with a copper based medication?

 

[choupic]

How can you see the mantis because some times at night if im by my tank I here clicking. I have moon lights but I still don't see anything.

 

[chantale101]

Hermit wars!! We had the same problem too!! We put a bunch of new shells in there for the little guys and they still just wanted their buddy's shells! We were able to pick thru the basket of shells at the lfs and got some larger sized ones and now theres no wars. They r just being picky!!

 

[catchndolphn]

UPDATE: all hermit crabs are now gone(killed), also woke up yesterday morning to my goby being dead, something attack him in the night.

 

[Scottm]

check your nitrates. if they are low then I bet on the mantis.

 

[roka64]

I believe you will have to get that mantis out soon, sounds like he rans out of inverts to snack on and the only critters left are....yellowtail damsel, royal gramma basslet, emerald crab....

 

[catchndolphn]

nitrates are low. as far as the mantis shrimp, i dont hear poping, but then again, the aquarium is in a not so quiet place. how do you go about catching a mantis