Fish murder!

[Lionfish Lair]

I have zero speculation as to what it is, but I would bet a pile it's not that mantis in the picture. Despite that not being a picture I would ID a mantis with, I'm going to guess that's a ciliata. KP sells them on their site, it fits the locale and because of the lack of marking on the mantis. Have you ever seen a ciliata take down a fish? They are crazy violent and there's marks everywhere before the first real bite. I fed damsels to all of my mantis and have seen what they do to a body. I've owned 2 ciliatas and they both behaved the same. I've owned 3 spearers and they all Freddy Kruegered them, even the viridis.

Mantis typically like to hide their leftovers. You wouldn't find the body, with that much meat left, on 4 separate occasions.

 

[Reef Junky150]

this guy came in on rock and wiped half my tank out. Never found him until I pulled all the rock and next night saw him running across the sand. Went to bed thinking I would catch him next day turn lights on etc. He was gone. Turns out this big turd will burrow in the sand when lights are on. Haven't lost a fish since I caught it.
He lives in the fuge now since no on locally wants it.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That could feed my family.

 

[Reef Junky150]

He measured 2.5" across the body. Didn't attempt to stretch legs out. He is a mean little sob.

 

[JadeM]

that bite is too clean to have been anything with claws or pincers it almost looks human bite like or a moray but that's ridicules but I think I found the murder suspect drum roll please its................................... the bobbit worm

they are true fish eaters and I have watched a video on youtube when a display tanks at a FS had one ate all the fish and dragged coral to its cave each night and even killed some goodluck I would recommend searching every inch of your tank in my case If I were you I would take it down and start all over agin it would be worth it goodluck

 

[Naiad]

Yes bottles and glass jars. If anyone has other suggestions on traps or bait I'm all ears. I don't leave the traps in unless I can check them periodically though. Would hate to catch a fish and have it panic in a small bottle.

 

[Naiad]

So tonight I have discovered I do have a eunice worm. Not the dreaded bobbit though. This guy is smallish and pink. Lives inside the rock in a nice burrow of glued together sand and rubble. Not sure he is the fish killer or just another weird unwanted hitchiker. I will get pics of his home tomorrow. Not sure I can get pics of the worm until removed. I am thinking it is Eunice fucata (sp?). Can't find much info other than their epitokes are a prized food for many peole known as a palolo worm .... so any real info on if it is actually harmful or just misunderstood due to its cousins bad behavior would be appreciated.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I've never heard of all these critters in one tank being discovered at the same time!

 

[Naiad]

Me either. Last time I do ocean direct rock lol. I do give the company credit for packing the rock well though. I will try to get a pic of the worm as I am horrible with worm id. It is just so fast.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Fast...... ew.

 

[mcarroll]

Nice hunting!!!

Fish often just disappear a wholesale to these worms so don't count out the small guy as your culprit.

 

[Naiad]

Here are the pics I managed to get.

Giant bristle worm

Harmless chiton but I think he is cool

Worms head. Couldn't use flash...

Unknown Crab

 

[Wiz]

Do share!!

 

[Wiz]

Just imagine all the good stuff in that rock. Predators are there for a reason! ;-)

 

[Fishinbob]

This is a trip down memory lane... bought 75lbs gulf live rock locally from tampa, cured and removed variety of pests green mantis, stone crabs ,gorilla crabs,a few medium sized ecuid worms ro, hypersaline and soda water dipstick. Satisfied with the bounty added the rock to the tank for months I watched everything I missed including isopods and various worms and crabs more capturing and trapping. I've lost many fish,snails, and smaller crabs to these pests. Keep vigilant I would guessa large worm or crab grabbed a resting fish had its fill and moved onward. I just broke down my 90 and found a 6-8" pencil thick eucid or bobbit worm in my sump which only had small rubble from the main tank. Either it grew that large in 2 yrs or they reproduced. Good luck don't give up I've caught quiet a few crabs with home made traps based on several combined designs.

 

[DMan]

http://aquaa3.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Bobbit-Worm-Eunice-aphroditois.gif

 

[adestafi]

http://aquaa3.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Bobbit-Worm-Eunice-aphroditois.gif

Omg.... That is scary. Doubt I'll stick my hands in my tank ever again

 

[skydancer]

Well, from the looks of it, the bobbit worm has a big enough mouth to take a chunk of flesh off of a smaller fish, like a wrasse.

 

[Naiad]

This is a trip down memory lane... bought 75lbs gulf live rock locally from tampa, cured and removed variety of pests green mantis, stone crabs ,gorilla crabs,a few medium sized ecuid worms ro, hypersaline and soda water dipstick. Satisfied with the bounty added the rock to the tank for months I watched everything I missed including isopods and various worms and crabs more capturing and trapping. I've lost many fish,snails, and smaller crabs to these pests. Keep vigilant I would guessa large worm or crab grabbed a resting fish had its fill and moved onward. I just broke down my 90 and found a 6-8" pencil thick eucid or bobbit worm in my sump which only had small rubble from the main tank. Either it grew that large in 2 yrs or they reproduced. Good luck don't give up I've caught quiet a few crabs with home made traps based on several combined designs.

This sounds about right. Cured the rock. Removing all kinds of things. Spent an extra 3 weeks without fish because once I put the cuc in the tank a huge mantis "appeared". Now I am hunting for more.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I am just imagining the life that rock had. Wow. Absolutely fascinating. I am sorry it took your fish though. That really is a bummer. Maybe live rock should be qted in sump or something first.

I had a nice size green brittle that killed 3 or 4 fish (never found the bodies) before I tracked it down. Again, live rock purchased from culture in ocean.