Emerald crab eating fish???

[VLR3]

I have a 14gallon biocube with a couple clownfish and a couple emerald crabs along with a few snails. I added a diamond watchman who was healthy and eating and behaving fine and one day he was just gone. Now last week I added a pearly jawfish and the same thing happened, appearsed healthy was eating like a pig and then one morning he was gone. Is it possible that the emerald crabs are killing and eating them? It’s only ever happened to the bottom dwelling/burrowing fish I’ve had in this tank. Everyone else is doing great. I’m considering putting the crabs in my 125g all letting them become a snack for my zebra eel and trying another jawfish to see what happens without the crabs.

 

[littlefoxx]

They dont kill and eat fish, only eat if they are dead. Something is killing your fish (or they are jumping) and the crabs probably ate the remains

 

[Uncle99]

Can’t see that.
If they were already dead then sure.

 

[Lavey29]

2 clowns in a nano tank is killing your fish.

 

[VLR3]

They dont kill and eat fish, only eat if they are dead. Something is killing your fish (or they are jumping) and the crabs probably ate the remains

It’s a biocube with a secure lid. They’re definitely not jumping. It’s just weird that all other fish that have been in this tank thrive (I say all other because I’ve had other clowns in there that have gone on to my larger tank) but the bottom dwellers disappear without a trace. I’ve looked in the back chambers and everything.

 

[VLR3]

2 clowns in a nano tank is killing your fish.

I’ve seen zero signs of aggression from the clowns. The never even seemed to notice the goby/jawfish. And they’re small clowns. Smaller than the disappearing fishes.

 

[VLR3]

Could it possibly be bristle worms? Or they both coincidentally found the small BTAs. Something to do with the sand. I used live sand from Caribsea

 

[exnisstech]

Emerald crabs will not take down and eat/ kill a healthy fish. You may want to set up a camera and watch. Clowns usually behave when the food god (us) is around.

PS no on bristol worms either. They are scavengers not predators.
I've never had a bubble tip kill fish
IMO a pair of clowns in a 14g is maxed out.

 

[steveschuerger]

Could be the clowns. If you used maricultured live rock it might be a mantis.

 

[Lavey29]

I’ve seen zero signs of aggression from the clowns. The never even seemed to notice the goby/jawfish. And they’re small clowns. Smaller than the disappearing fishes.

They beat the you know what out of him and the crabs cleaned up the mess. Nature can be rough especially in a small nano tank with territorial clowns.

 

[Lavey29]

Could it possibly be bristle worms? Or they both coincidentally found the small BTAs. Something to do with the sand. I used live sand from Caribsea

They clean up the carcas post mortem.