Hermit Crabs Eating Fish

[sacramonel]

This sounds crazy but I think my hermit crabs are killing my fish. I had initially stocked my 75 with 4 ocellaris clowns. One by one they were dissapearing. I couldn't find them anywhere in the tank. I saw one body this morning being eaten by the Hermit Crabs. Is this normal? Is it possible that the crabs are catching the sleeping clowns and killing them?

 

[SkiFletch]

How big are the hermits. Its possible but usually not without really big ones

 

[sacramonel]

The hermits are normal sized. The largest being about an inch long.

 

[Mr Miagi]

I dought it. The reason your seeing your hermit crabs eating fish is because they (the fish) were already dead. Ive never seen any hermit go for a fish, and I have a lion who is sitting on rock/ the sandbed all day.

Check your params. How established is the tank?

 

[Locke]

The hermit crabs are just doing their jobs. I've never noticed a normal sized hermit crab catch and kill a fish. On the other hand, it would have to be one large hermit crab. Umm, make sure that your tank is cycled properly and your params are well within the desired range for clowns. Other than that, uhh... make sure you're feeding your fish? lol, j/k.

Good luck. I hate that you lost your clowns

SB

 

[sacramonel]

Yeah, I hate that I lost them too. I had names for all of them.
My parameters were initially good. Zero for everything, slight nitrates nothing crazy.
Now, of course due to the die off, the ammonia went up a little, and I have higher nitrates. The tank had been cycling for 7 weeks before I put in the clowns.

 

[Navarre]

DO you have any liverock?
7 Weeks seems a long time to cycle a tank if you have enough fully cured liverock.

 

[sacramonel]

Yes I have 85 lbs of live rock for a 75 gallon tank.

 

[xNOTLOCx]

did you acclimate them well, and you could possibley have a type of outbreak liek an internal parasite, maybe research deseases if you alreayd havnt, oh it could be a famous mantis shrimp ha ha lol, i hope not, but if u have one send it over here so i can put it in sump, well when i get one... good luck, i hope ur survive... ive learned not to name my new critters because u might get too attatched n b upset if they die, i name em after i kno they will enjoy their new home... and not die that is...

 

[AMS]

The clean up crew will eat an exisiting dead fish, but not directly kill it. As said above check your water stats, and look for signs of disease.

Maybe its a mantis shrimp. You probably wont even notice one in 85 pounds of live rock, there could be one lurking around.

 

[sacramonel]

I want to thank everyone for all of your responses. I do believe I know what the issue is. A friend of mine had also purchased clowns from the same dealer (same tank, same day), and his clowns began to dissapear as well. His tank was very mature (1 1/2 years old at the time). I believe that the clowns were sub-par in their care from the lfs and thus were weakened even before my purchase.