Help!!! Who's the coral slayer...
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Topic: Help!!! Who's the coral slayer...
Posted By: superman1981
Subject: Help!!! Who's the coral slayer...
Date Posted: December 05 2006 at 2:26pm
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Okay, so my tank has been up for about 3 weeks now and everything was going great until Sunday morning when I noticed that one of my button polyps was mission. After a search I found him, but about half of him was missing. I placed him in a hole in a rock and he seems to be recovering... I've been watching the tank closely for the last two days and everything has been going fine until I went home for lunch today. My other button polyp which has literally doubled in size over the last few weeks was gone. I had to disassemble my rock work to find him, I was able to put him in a hole in the rock, but most of the new growth is gone and he isn't looking so good. Here is the list of suspects: 2 little ocellaris clowns (they look pretty innocent)10 snails, 10 hermit crabs, an emerald crab (he looks pretty suspicious) or a serpent star (he's shady also, I only see him come out after the lights are out) These are my first two corals, i was hoping to add some more this week, but now I'm afraid that whatever I add will be attacked like my two existing corals. Any suggestions? Thanks, Tim ------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |
Replies:
Posted By: Jake Pehrson
Date Posted: December 05 2006 at 2:51pm
Don't you hate it when you button polyps start proselytizing and up and leave without saying goodbye? J/K
It may be the Emerald Crab. Although they are usually considered "reef safe" they do constantly pick at the rock-work. If you nothing else growing on you rocks (algae?) then he may start picking at the few things you do have.
That said, it may not be the Emerald. It is possible that there is something wrong with you aquarium and they have detached themselves and started to float around until they got wedged somewhere. Have you done any water tests? (ammonia, nitrite, pH, alkalinity, calcium, salinity) How about lighting? ------------- Jake Pehrson Murray http://coralplanet.com" rel="nofollow - coralplanet.com http://utahbeeranch.com" rel="nofollow - :) |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: December 05 2006 at 2:57pm
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I say all clues point to the Emerald. . . . I had an Emerald Crab and when I put him in there - the first thing he did was pick at the zoos and eat them. He had to go. Tim, do you feed the hermits in the tank too? Shrimp pellets. . . ------------- http://sukie.mt-wudan.com/ - My Blog |
Posted By: superman1981
Date Posted: December 05 2006 at 3:43pm
The water and lighting should be good... My guess is that someone, hermit or emerald is getting hungry. I'll go pick up some more food for them and see if that solves the problem... If not we'll be eating crab for dinner at my house!!! (just kidding  )
------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: December 05 2006 at 3:52pm
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Bleh!!
------------- http://sukie.mt-wudan.com/ - My Blog |
Posted By: superman1981
Date Posted: December 07 2006 at 9:32am
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Good News!!! I bought some algae salad and a clip and started placing small amounts if it near Oz (the emerald crab's) home. He loves it!!! He hasn't touched the corals in a few days. I think I have solved the problem.... I'm like 90% happy about the results, although I am a little sad I missed out on my sea food dinner  Thanks, Tim ------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: December 07 2006 at 9:38am
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Tim. . . I would take lil' guy. I don't like anything that might turn and eat corals. But that's just me. Good job on handling the problem though! ------------- http://sukie.mt-wudan.com/ - My Blog |
Posted By: superman1981
Date Posted: December 07 2006 at 9:42am
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I'm going to give Oz a second chance since my wife loves him... but my eyes are on him. If he attacks corals again, he's out...
------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: December 07 2006 at 9:49am
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You know the same thing happened to me. . and I took my lil'guy out and then later bought another one and he hasn't touched my corals (yet). You can always exchange him. . . haha! ------------- http://sukie.mt-wudan.com/ - My Blog |
Posted By: superman1981
Date Posted: December 07 2006 at 9:55am
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I'll keep that in mind!
------------- Sure you are, you are Crappy Reef Club Member #1 -Chk4tix 6 gal nanocube 65 gal http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78639&title=tims-65-gallon-build" rel="nofollow - build thread |