Predation

[Kenneth]

I did not see my scooter blenny for a couple of days, and this morning I saw my coral banded shrimp snacking on the corps of my scooter blenny. I knew coral banded shrimp were agressive, but I did not think he would dispatch my (rather slow moving) scooter blenny. I've decided that the coral banded shrimp has to go. I hope I can catch him without taking out all my rocks. I'll try to lure him out of the rockwork with some meat on tongs, and then grab him with the tongs.

[dzekunoi]

I would not blame the death of the scooter blenny on the shrimp. Most probably it died and shrimp just was eating the corps doing you a favor cleaning the tank.

Did you keep a scooter in 25 gal? As I understand scooters are, like Mandarins, depend on live pods in the tank. Which make me think it could starve :(

Just IMHO though...

I think this scenario is more possible. Also if you wold like to get rid of the srimp - your best shot is to set a trap.

Edited May 14, 2007 by dzekunoi

[flowerseller]

I would not blame the death of the scooter blenny on the shrimp. Most probably it died and shrimp just was eating the corps doing you a favor cleaning the tank.

I think this scenario is more possible. Also if you wold like to get rid of the srimp - your best shot is to set a trap.

Agree here

[jamesbuf]

I agree. Unless you have an intank refugium, it probably died from starvation. Get one of these http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=OE1086 and put it on the back of your tank. Once coraline starts to cover the plastic, it blends into the tank nicely. Put some caulerpa or something in there and you've got yourself an in-tank refugium which will allow for a safe place for your pods to grow as well. There are slits in the bottom where they can swim out and eventually get picked off by the fish. I have one of these and I've been successful in keeping a cleaner goby AND a cleaner wrasse for well over 6 months now. My wrasse literally stalks the underside waiting for unsuspecting pods to slip through.

[Grav]

I once had a guy tell me his emerald / mithrax crab killed his hippo tang.

[YBeNormal]

I once had a guy tell me his emerald / mithrax crab killed his hippo tang.

 

That happens far too often. Someone sees a dead fish and notices a crab, snail or another fish picking at the carcass or maybe just in near proximity to the dead fish and immediately decides that they are responsible for killing the fish. Never mind that these critters are scavengers by nature and were placed in the tank to do just that--clean up excess foods and other organic waste.

[Kenneth]

Thanks for the info. The scooter blenny didn't starve, as I only had him for about 5 days from the shop. He could have died on his own, but I have read other accounts of people stating that their coral banded shrimp attacked other slow-moving fish.