My flame hawkfish ate my zoanthids

[catfish4eva]

I was so excited to bring my flame hawkish home. He is an amazing fish. I put him to bed on Saturday night, and woke up to find almost all of my zoas were eaten the next day. I was stupid and kept my Palythoa in the tank, and today I came home to find that he had attacked that too. I think I may have saved it in time. I have Favias delivered tomorrow, will he do the same thing?

 

[catfish4eva]

I was so excited to bring my flame hawkish home. He is an amazing fish. I put him to bed on Saturday night, and woke up to find almost all of my zoas were eaten the next day. I was stupid and kept my Palythoa in the tank, and today I came home to find that he had attacked that too. I think I may have saved it in time. I have Favias delivered tomorrow, will he do the same thing?

I forgot to mention that he will eat anything. Everything I've put in the tank so far he will eat. Shrimp, flakes, obviously corals, anything. The one thing he didn't do was attack a snail who had been turned over. Suggestions?

 

[dakoop]

Mine is a perfect inhabitant. Never seen him nip at anything

 

[catfish4eva]

Mine is a perfect inhabitant. Never seen him nip at anything

I added a few pathos crabs at the same time which I have heard will clip Zoa's to wear. I have looked around the tank and can't find any trace of my zoas. I definitely think they were eaten. Thoughts?

 

[Tahoe61]

It was not the fish.

 

[ThRoewer]

Hawkfish are ambush predators who feed on shrimp and fish. They don't graze.
I seriously doubt that they even would consider corals as food. The only damage they could do to corals is by perching on them for too long and by that irritate them.
Something else must have eaten the corals.

 

[KrisReef]

If it eats Zoa's it will probably eat favia's too.

 

[catfish4eva]

It was not the fish.

That is good to know. My stock is 2 snowflake clowns, pajama cardinal, red firefish, hawkfish, 2 pithos crabs, scarlet and blue hermits, 2 peppermint shrimp, tuxedo urchin, and snails. I didn't think it was Mr. Flame because he hasn't attacked my peppermint shrimp or snails (even when they flip over). I guess it had to be the Pithos Crabs trying to frag and wear them?

 

[Scallopking]

Not the flame. Maybe the urchin? Something else for sure.

 

[catfish4eva]

Not the flame. Maybe the urchin? Something else for sure.

No, not the urchin. He stays around the glass and two rocks that have lots of algae. I think it was the dang Pitho Crabs. I just caught one trying to pick a margarita snail out of his shell. I think I am going to take them back.

 

[JumboShrimp]

My view: Mr. Flame Hawk is an innocent man!! (Prime suspects: The crabs you added.)

 

[lombeard]

I would highly doubt it was the flame hawk unless you actually saw it eating the corals.

 

[Mechano]

100% not the Hawkfish.

Maybe a snail knocked it off the rockwork?
If u have an urchin , they love “wearing” zoas as clothing

 

[catfish4eva]

100% not the Hawkfish.

Maybe a snail knocked it off the rockwork?
If u have an urchin , they love “wearing” zoas as clothing

I have an urchin that wears zoas in my 20gal :p It was definitely the crabs. They are going back. Too bad, because they are cute as hell.

 

[Rjukan]

I side-eye any peppermint shrimps, don't trust them at all.

 

[catfish4eva]

I side-eye any peppermint shrimps, don't trust them at all.

They have been good boys so far, and there is no way that they could have eaten the amount of zoas that got taken out in one night. I think it's one douchy crab.

 

[Tamberav]

Maybe they melted and the pods finished them off?

nothing on your list seems to fit the bill of eating a large colony overnight.

 

[catfish4eva]

Maybe they melted and the pods finished them off?

nothing on your list seems to fit the bill of eating a large colony overnight.

It wasn't a large colony, but three growing and multiplying frags. Cleaned to the plug base. I was even admiring my orange oxide zoa before bed as it was growing wonderfully, and the next morning it was gone. So sad.

 

[catfish4eva]

Maybe they melted and the pods finished them off?

nothing on your list seems to fit the bill of eating a large colony overnight.

Everything was super healthy.

 

[Tamberav]

Pitho crabs are commonly kept as CUC and people keep them in frag tanks.

Seems odd, maybe they were being totally starved at the LFS? A hungry crab will certainly sample new fare..

Maybe they are not pitho crabs?