Did my carpet eat my clownfish

[Pura Vida]

not sure what has happened. I know there were 5 White Lightnings in my anemone tank last night when I fed. This morning I have only 4. My anemone tank is a Boicube 29 with top so I know he didn't jump. I've even checked the floor still. I checked to make sure he didn't somehow squeeze through the intake grates. Nothing. Funny thing is they were being transferred into my sump today to live and grow in my breeder system sump.
Has anyone ever had a carpet eat a clown?

 

[Pura Vida]

I should add that the carpet has always hosted a pair of Clarkii's until recently when I add the juvenile White Lightnings and transferred the Clarkii's to my breeder system

 

[Reef kid]

I'm not an expert on this but I wouldn't be surprised, I have read a lot of stories like this and don't think I would ever trust a carpet nem.

 

[marine2463]

The carpet anemone will only eat the clown if the clown was already doing poorly and unhealthy . No expert but pretty much how I understand it is what keeps the clown safe is his slime coat that replicates the of the anemone , when unhealthy that coat start fading and he becomes fair game to the anemone. And that could be any anemone ,carpets get a bad rap of eating other fish but with clowns never a problem
Sorry for your loss [emoji22]

 

[Pura Vida]

That's what I always thought also @marine2463. It's got me puzzled. The WL's have been hosting with it for about two weeks. The Lightning that is missing was one of the larger ones and everything seemed fine. 3 of the others are still hosting with it jockeying for dominance while a obvious male stays in one of the BTA's in the same tank.

 

[marine2463]

Or unless the others bullied him to death clown get very aggressive sometimes.

 

[Pura Vida]

Luckily it was one of the Whites and not one of my Maroon Lightnings.