What's Been Eating You

[BaliReefBox]

Hi good people
Over the last few days I have had 2 zoas chomped by something. I have a starfish that I have seen crawling over the zoas near the sand but havent seen him actually eating anything. My candy apple has last night been halved and another one about 2 days ago reduced from about 7 eyes to two. I found one eye on the other side of the tank and I glued it to a plug and he seems happy enough and opening. There has been no recent additions to the tank and I am leaning towards the starfish. I know the pic isnt the best but he has brown camo on off white. Cold he be the culprit? Oh I just remembered I do have 2 camel bac shrimp....could it be them

 

[AydenLincoln]

What kind of starfish and are you target feeding him? And yes he could be.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

It's the camel back Shrimps.
Camel shrimp that look like Peppermint shrimp are not reef safe.
I've never had any or researched them but I'd be suspect to them over the sand sifting star.
D

 

[BaliReefBox]

What kind of starfish and are you target feeding him? And yes he could be.

Ok thx I will try to id him but I think i might get rid of him back to the LFS

 

[BaliReefBox]

It's the camel back Shrimps.
Camel shrimp that look like Peppermint shrimp are not reef safe.
I've never had any or researched them but I'd be suspect to them over the sand sifting star.
D

Yep I think it is either or but my money would be on the camels.... If I can catch em I will turf em

 

[BaliReefBox]

Well I got the torch out last night and checked out the tank and it would appear that the camels are the guilty culprits. They were both crawling over the zoas. I didnt see them actaully eating them but guilt by association. I dont target feed them so I was thinking would this work? Making some sort of feeder tube that I could place some food, prawns/fish etc and it would be kept near the bottom of the tank. My flow in the tank is MASSIVE and nothing stay on the bottom. I was thinkinf along the lines of a small acrylic box/tube that would contain the food and become a feeding station..Do you think this would work? cheers

 

[BaliReefBox]

Well I finally have solid proof that the guilty party is the camel back shrimp. the duo has so far nuked 2 zoa types, killed a bali green slimmer and now have started on the orange digis. I have a trap in the tank, a drink bottle with the top chopped and inverted with bait. like a lobster pot type thing. hopefully I can catch them....I am runnung out of corals for them to eat.