Pom Pom Cab Ambushed my Sleeping Dragonet

[iannarelli]

I've had a spotted mandarin in my 60 cube for a few months now, and he's been doing great. Explores every inch of my tank, hunting for pods (I literally just added new ones earlier tonight) all day long. For whatever reason, he sleeps out in the open on the sand bed. This has seemingly been fine until tonight after lights out. I was walking by my tank and saw my lone pom pom crab dragging the mandarin into a crevice in the rocks. I quickly got a long coral feeder and blasted the crab with some water and after a few he let the mandarin go. He eventually swam off, but it wasn't the most adept swimming I've seen. Not sure if he was just stunned or actually injured. Been trying to find him for the past 15 minutes unsuccessfully, so hopefully he's holed up in a cave. What should I do assuming I can catch him? I have an isolation box and also the IOAOI nano tank which is set up and running, but I don't think it would be big enough for him long term.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

weird! i wonder if the mandarin was sick or something?

 

[iannarelli]

weird! i wonder if the mandarin was sick or something?

Maybe... but I didn't notice anything. Earlier in the day, he was swimming around and acting normal. But he is basically a sitting duck at bedtime. Will legit PTFO right on the sand bed in wide open spaces. My brightest flashlight doesn't even phase him. SO maybe the pom pom was just being opportunistic, and its eyes got a lot bigger than its stomach. Before tonight, I've never even see it go after a snail. Usually it will dart out and grab a pellet before running back to a cave.

 

[Lavey29]

A crab like that isn't attacking a healthy fish. Mandarin is probably weak and dying. How old is your tank?

 

[iannarelli]

A crab like that isn't attacking a healthy fish. Mandarin is probably weak and dying. How old is your tank?

16 months.

 

[W31Olds]

My Mandarin does the same thing. Sleeps on the Sand Bed, however she turns white, and I suspect that may be a secretion of Toxic Slime for protection. Any other Mandarin owners notice this?

 

[CHSUB]

All crabs are opportunistic predators…given the chance they eat fish.

 

[Lavey29]

My Mandarin does the same thing. Sleeps on the Sand Bed, however she turns white, and I suspect that may be a secretion of Toxic Slime for protection. Any other Mandarin owners notice this?

Mine did the same

 

[Lavey29]

My Mandarin does the same thing. Sleeps on the Sand Bed, however she turns white, and I suspect that may be a secretion of Toxic Slime for protection. Any other Mandarin owners notice this?

Mine did the same

 

[Dr4gula.f32]

My Mandarin does the same thing. Sleeps on the Sand Bed, however she turns white, and I suspect that may be a secretion of Toxic Slime for protection. Any other Mandarin owners notice this

Mine also turns white when sleeping at night. I thought it was the change in lighting but I guess not