Something is ate my xenias

[bobothefish]

I bought a little frag of pulsating xenias and in the mourning I see that they were gone. Im trying to figure out who in my tank would eat coral. Help!
I have 55 gallon w LR and: sailfin tang, two damsels, chromis, coral beauty, clown, hermits of varouse colors and sizes (about 10), sifting star,turbo snails, 2 pepermint shrimp, about 3 or 4 snapping shrimp and a couple small crabs of some sort.
At first I woke up and noticed that the stems of the xenias were gone then the next day the whole thing was eaten. Somthing in my tank loves to eat xenias.

 

[divedeep1689]

coral beauty most likely

 

[Jaybird]

some people would love that. Xenia spreads like crazy! I wish my other corals would grow like it does

 

[Innovator]

It could be any or all of the animals. When adding corals that tend to "slime" quite a bit I've found it best to protect them under some kind of veil (screening) because the mucous they secrete when stressed is attractive to a variety of fish, even tangs.

 

[factorboa]

i had xenia once upon time and scarlet hermit crabs likes soft coral and i think other hermits do to , My coral beuty never gone for any of my corals

 

[joy13]

Check your tangs breath bet it has the xenia on it. I gave a friend of mine a rock full of it within 2 days it was gone and he had a very fat tang.

 

[thincat]

interesting, does he know for sure that the Tang ate it?

 

[joy13]

At first he thought it was just swimming back and through it but when he watched it soon realized it was eating it. The tang hasn't bothered anything else in the tank only the xenia.

 

[thincat]

I think it, the Zenia, was dying and the Tang was eating the fungus or algae that was growing on it. My Yellow tang ie: nibbles at some of my Zoas but it is just "cleaning'" the algae particles that settle on the zoa.

 

[joy13]

When he comes by next week I will give him a xenia frag and see what happens. His tang is always grazing around the other corals and never bothers them only eats the algae.

 

[thincat]

Joy, don't get me wrong Tangs will eat meaty stuff like Mysis and frozen shrimp, but it's not on their regular diet.
Keep up the great posting. You are doing fantastic.
TC

 

[Innovator]

Just posting this for those whom believe tangs won't take advantage of available meat when available, especially when a coral is stressed. This is a video of a clam dieing and numerous fish consuming its flesh, including tangs YouTube - Muerte de una Tridacna. Getxo Aquarium. Parte 1º A coral doesn't have to be dieing to attract even herbivorous fish, just being stressed and producing excessive mucus is enough of a stimulant.