Atlantean’s IM Peninsula 20g SPS-Dominant Build Project

[atlantean]

Lost my Helfrichi Firefish to unknown causes, though I suspect the hitchhiker pistol shrimp killed it since it would sleep around the shrimp's rock at night. I also have small xanthid crabs and small bobbit worms, but I don't think any of them are big enough to take on a fish at the moment.
Here are my options:

1. Break off the corals and toss the rock where the pistol shrimp and least one little bobbit lives, then replace it with a piece of dry rock. Downside is the rock will look barren compared to everything else for awhile and it will mess with the aquascape. No guarantee I'll have gotten the culprit.
2. Don't buy any more fish that sleep in the rocks at night and sit tight (do chromis stay in the water column at night?)

I'm planning to upgrade in about 6 months when I move. I'm hoping to throw some "safer" rock in the display and throw the "rocks of concern" in the sump to let all the life transfer over to the new dry rock. I'd also prefer to not lose any more fish in the meantime.

 

[rishma]

Lost my Helfrichi Firefish to unknown causes, though I suspect the hitchhiker pistol shrimp killed it since it would sleep around the shrimp's rock at night. I also have small xanthid crabs and small bobbit worms, but I don't think any of them are big enough to take on a fish at the moment.
Here are my options:

1. Break off the corals and toss the rock where the pistol shrimp and least one little bobbit lives, then replace it with a piece of dry rock. Downside is the rock will look barren compared to everything else for awhile and it will mess with the aquascape. No guarantee I'll have gotten the culprit.
2. Don't buy any more fish that sleep in the rocks at night and sit tight (do chromis stay in the water column at night?)

I'm planning to upgrade in about 6 months when I move. I'm hoping to throw some "safer" rock in the display and throw the "rocks of concern" in the sump to let all the life transfer over to the new dry rock. I'd also prefer to not lose any more fish in the meantime.

In my many experiences with live rock, I’ve never had a hitchhiker kill a fish. It can happen I supposed but it would be the last thing on my mind. I have had healthy fish die for reasons I didn’t understand. If the fish was eaten, I look for a preditor. Of it was just dead, I’d consider other causes. I wouldn’t be pulling rocks if it we me.
I spent 2 weeks hunting gorilla crabs with my new rock in a holding tank. Otherwise just cool critters. Will see what develops…

 

[atlantean]

In my many experiences with live rock, I’ve never had a hitchhiker kill a fish. It can happen I supposed but it would be the last thing on my mind. I have had healthy fish die for reasons I didn’t understand. If the fish was eaten, I look for a preditor. Of it was just dead, I’d consider other causes. I wouldn’t be pulling rocks if it we me.
I spent 2 weeks hunting gorilla crabs with my new rock in a holding tank. Otherwise just cool critters. Will see what develops…

I didn't find the body, it just disappeared. It was also very active, eating, and looked healthy. I'm really suspecting the pistol shrimp may have killed it since they were in close quarters at night (either predation or just being defensive).

 

[atlantean]

 

[rishma]

Spectacular

 

[atlantean]

Tank is getting transferred to a 50 Lagoon in a few months.

 

[V A R I A N T]

Did you transfer tanks?

 

[atlantean]

Yes, it is now in a 50 gallon I started. Probably worth starting a new thread!

 

[Steven Garland]

Yes,please start another thread with the new tank !!!!