Help...

[pEEshEE]

Some of you may remember when I was first getting started, I had a Six Line Wrasse that was doing well for about a week or so, and then mysteriously pieces of his fin went missing. It did not look like bite marks, but oddly it was a straight piece missing on the tail fin (horizontally).

Picture the tail fin of the fish < but a horizontal piece missing. Well I just noticed that my Mystery Wrasse is now missing a piece of his tail fin in the same way, and I'm afraid he might die the same way.

Last time with the Six Line, I came to the conclusion that it was some sort of tail rot... although it was metioned that it could be a bad crab.

The Mystery Wrasse is eating Mysis regularly and is roaming about the tank like normal.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

I have a RR 90 gallon w/ a DSB and the only thing that's changed recently is that I did some aquascaping with the rocks last night, removed a few chromis from the main tank, and transferred 3 Cryptic six line wrasses from my sump into the main tank (and now I also can't find the 3 Cryptic Six lines that I moved last night...)

All parameters are within ideal range.
1.024
nitrates 0
ammo 0
phosphates 0
ph 8.0 little low, I know.

Fish in the tank:
(1) Purple firefish
(1) Mystery wrasse
(3) Cryptic sixline wrasses- only see 1
(1) Blue green chromis
(1) Sand sifting star
many hermits and snails

If this is a crab, can anyone please suggest a method of catching it?

I'll try to post pics in a minute.

Thanks.

 

[inline6]

Glass jar trick.

Bait the jar.
Put near some LR.
They can get in, but can't get out.
Might need to narrow the opening a bit, so fishes can't get at the bait.

 

[pEEshEE]

The color is washed out, but that was the only way I could show the fin with my camera phone.

 

[pEEshEE]

Glass jar trick.

Bait the jar.
Put near some LR.
They can get in, but can't get out.
Might need to narrow the opening a bit, so fishes can't get at the bait.

Damn crab... I think. I'll try that tonight. What should I use for bait?

Oh, I found 1 Cryptic Six line just now. Still haven't seen the other 2 for a while now. I hope they make it.

 

[pEEshEE]

Does anyone know what kind of fish would eat these bad crabs?

 

[samster]

mabe its missin a piece due to fighting with other fish? my tangs always nib at each other once in awhile and thats wha happens but grows back qwickly within a few days??? -=)

 

[inline6]

Damn crab... I think. I'll try that tonight. What should I use for bait?

Oh, I found 1 Cryptic Six line just now. Still haven't seen the other 2 for a while now. I hope they make it.

Those crabs will eat almost anything.

I would use some frozen fish food and use some small pcs of LR to narrow the opening.

 

[pEEshEE]

mabe its missin a piece due to fighting with other fish? my tangs always nib at each other once in awhile and thats wha happens but grows back qwickly within a few days??? -=)

Bro, I hope you're right. I was hesitant about getting an expensive fish, but man, if my Mystery wrasse bites the bullet, I'm quitting this hobby! j/k

Does it look like a bite mark though? I hope it is. I failed to mention that there was a Redhead Elegant Dottyback in the tank that I removed last night. Actually that was the main reason why I had to move all the rock around... to catch him. I put him in the sump and that's when I moved the Cryptic wrasses into the main tank.

Samster, if you're right, next frag is on me...

 

[pEEshEE]

Those crabs will eat almost anything.

I would use some frozen fish food and use some small pcs of LR to narrow the opening.

Will do. Thanks for the info, and thanks again for the frags. You're the man. I owe you.

 

[aaron23]

I had a Lunar Wrasse that ate crabs hope the fish all make it

 

[inline6]

Right now is a observation game.
See who is causing the damage.

Will do. Thanks for the info, and thanks again for the frags. You're the man. I owe you.

 

[pEEshEE]

I had a Lunar Wrasse that ate crabs hope the fish all make it

Aaron, it was good meeting you & Scarf the other day. Thanks for the hook up.


Lunar Wrasse, eh? I don't suppose there would be any reef safe fish that would put a hurtin' on these crabs... too much to ask for I guess.

 

[Deanos]

I don't suppose there would be any reef safe fish that would put a hurtin' on these crabs...

Fish wouldn't be considered "reefsafe" by most reefers, if they ate crabs.

 

[aaron23]

lol it ate a 3" sally foot crab... those give me the heeebeegeeebees