Pitho crabs unaliving fish?

[Necrodaemus]

Has anyone ever experienced pitho crabs taking out small fish? I recently added 4 to my 100g, after reading countless accounts of them being reef safe, peaceful, etc. and a better alternative to emeralds for bubble and hair algae management.
Well, 2 days in a row I have found my firefish and royal gramma dead....both had been in the system for well over a year with no issues from any other tank mates.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have to admit, I'm extremely skeptical. Fish can swim and can move a million times faster than a crab, and pitho's are so small, I can't imagine it.

 

[gbose]

Never kept Pithos, but my 'Emerald' (may have been Gorilla) killed and ate mine.

 

[skey44]

I am sorry for your losses.
I don’t see this as a likely scenario. Scrutinize elsewhere for other system issues or recently introduced disease.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Very much highly doubt it.

And if you see one standing next to the dead fish - well, it got there post-mortem.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Never kept Pithos, but my 'Emerald' (may have been Gorilla) killed and ate mine.

Yah, but that wasnt an emerald.

 

[exnisstech]

My pitho crabs they couldn't move fast enough to catch algae much less a fish

 

[BZOFIQ]

My pitho crabs they couldn't move fast enough to catch algae much less a fish

True!

They are pitho-ful!

 

[Necrodaemus]

Update:
Culprit caught and evicted. It was the purple tang. He's since been removed and rehomed to a local buddy and replaced with this beauty. Let's hope she behaves better.

 

[Renfield42]

Congrats on finding the culprit.

If you want to see a pitho move like lightning put a piece of wakame seaweed near them. It’s like crack to them.