A patch of Zoas disappeared overnight, what might have eaten them?

[scirdan]

I have 60 G tank with 11 fish :

2 Flame Hawks
2 Clowns
Watchman Goby
Six Line Wrasse
Ebli Angel
Filefish
Bar Goby
Purple Firefish
Royal Gramma

some Zoas and Mushrooms and two BTAs

As well as:

emerald crab,
a bunch of small blue leg hermits
Several turbo snails
Several Nassarius snails
Fighting Conch
Tiger Cowrie
1 bumble bee snail (pretty sure)
Brittle Star

Between last night and this morning, I am absolutely sure a bunch of green zoa polyps are just gone. They were there last night and this morning, like 1/2 are gone. I am almost certain none of my fish are eating the zoas, I have never seen the angel or the filefish or anybody else ever go near them or nip them. Also given that it happened over night, I am thinking possibly the Cowrie? It only comes out at night.. Any opinions on what it might be? i was thinking to put a camera overnight, but with my luck nobody will touch them again..

Any help would be appreciated..

 

[blaxsun]

My money is on the angelfish (if they actually went missing). They are, after all, "reef safe with caution". Definitely wouldn't be the ring cowrie.

 

[mfinn]

I've had trouble with emerald crabs in the past.

 

[ninjamyst]

Angel

 

[Aqau_Dude]

I've had trouble with emerald crabs in the past.

Yeah i had a eremald eat my zoas aswel. Had 2 the first one never touched any corals. Few months later bought a second one and al my zoas were gone. Also filefish can eat zoas

 

[littlebigreef]

Angel and file fish are the two likely culprits. Had several friend’s aiptasia eating file fish go rogue on zoas this year. With angels you never really know but it’s always a possibility.

 

[mfinn]

Angel and file fish are the two likely culprits. Had several friend’s aiptasia eating file fish go rogue on zoas this year. With angels you never really know but it’s always a possibility.

I missed the filefish in his list.
I would put that at the top of my suspects.

 

[Kellie in CA]

My emerald crab destroyed a large colony of zoas overnight by ripping them off the rock. You may find those zoas floating around the tank.

 

[scirdan]

I'm going to keep an eye, i did notice the emerald this morning sitting on the rock near the remaining zoas, i will be keeping an eye out.

I have always suspected filefish and angel might nip, but i have never seen them actually do anything, that doesn't mean they don't when i am not looking! the most recent addition is the emerald crab, so maybe that's the culprit.
I will see if i can catch it and put it in a cage for a little while.. any tips for catching an emerald crab? perhaps grab the rock that he's "hiding inside" and extract him after removal..

 

[saltyhog]

I had several rocks completely covered in zoas. I got some aiptasia and got a Matted Filefish who quickly took care of the aiptasia. Over the next several weeks my zoas gradually faded away. I NEVER actually saw the filefish nipping/eating the zoas but within 24 hours of removing him I saw zoas down in crevices in the rock peeking out. Filefish and angelfish in that order is my guess.

 

[Peace River]

Several suspects to keep an eye on, but I'm voting for (or is it against?) the filefish.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Several suspects to keep an eye on, but I'm voting for (or is it against?) the filefish.

This.

From experience its the filefish. Mine is currently living sump life due to eating a colony of zoas.

 

[littlefoxx]

Yep file or angel

 

[His Coral Highness]

I had to get rid of an emerald that started eating my zoas