Are my crabs guilty of homicide?

I have a couple of red legged and blue legged crabs each. Over the last month my little purple Basslet, my Scooter Blennie have gone missin'..... Now I purchased a Yellow Watchman Goby the other day, and the next morning it has not appeared from anywhere. No bodies, no evidence, so I can't even conduct a "CSI" type of crime scene inspection..... What gives? My other "free swimming/ larger fish" are all fine with no mortalities. I am stumped.

 

They will help dispose of the body but may not necessarily be the murderers. Who else is in the tank? Crabs can be very opportunistic when hungry.

 

I had a similar experience with my YWG. Put him in, saw him swimming around for the first few hours, then gone without a trace. I even broke down the tank and didn't find even a skeleton.

I would have to say that fish would be way too quick for a hermit to kill, but if it died, there would be little left of it when they were finished "cleaning up".

 

+1 They murder snails like its their job but fish are a different story. If you hermit crab has a 1 ince claw i might say yes, but I think you have another problem.

Maybe a mantis shrimp.

 

All said fish are major jumpers! You may wanna search the surrounding area up 15' from the tank. I lost a Chalk Bass and found it 4' away *under* my recliner

 

Do you have a Serpent Star? My brittle would eat fish if not target fed regularly.

 

I had a full glass cover on my tank, except a small portion of the back for my filter/ skimmer.

To that point, I just found one of my Nerite snails stuck to one of my walls... apparently, he felt it was necessary to climb out of the tank and then forgot how to get back.

 

Gobys jump far and fast!!! Have you checked your overflow box...I think my Sizzortail Goby and Diamond watchman Goby get together once a month and decide to make my day stressful by jumping into the overflow box...Hermit crabs are snail killers...I myself have about 4 turbo snails STILL living in my tank that have been robbed by my blue legged hermit's of their shell,But I don't think their the purple traitors in your case.

90 GALLON DISPLAY
IN DISPLAY TANK;

180 LBS FIJI PREMIUM LIVE ROCK
95 LBS LIVE SAND
(2) 50 GPH POWERHEADS(CARBON STUFFED)
(2) 1300 GPH POWER HEADS

LIGHTING IN DISPLAY;
T5 NOVAS 48 INCH(6 BULB FIXTURES)
48 INCH MARINLAND L.E.D REEF LIGHTING(18K)
48 INCH (24) BLUE LED MOONLIGHT

30 GALLON SUMP
IN SUMP;
40 LBS LIVE SAND
15 LBS FIJI PREMIUM LIVE ROCK.
35 LBS REFUGIUM RUBBLE
PHOSBAN REACTOR(150)
10 WATT U.V STEROLIZER (DONT HAVE AN ICK PROB)BUT BETTER SAFE THEN SORRY
CORALIFE SUPER SKIMMER(120)
(ELITE) 200 WATT HEATER
(10)MANGROVES

LIGHTING ;
IN SUMP
30-90 WATT FLOOD LAMP

FISH
SAILFIN TANG,YELLOW TANG,BLUE HIPPO TANG,DIAMOND WATCHMAN GOBY,SIZZORTAIL GOBY,BLUE DAMSEL(6) BLUE GREEN CHROMIS(4)ENGINEER GOBY

CORALS AND INVERTS
BLUE RICORDEA,SEBAE ANENOME,DUNCAN POLYPS,BROWN BUTTON POLYPS,RED AND PURPLE MUSHROOMS COLONY(6) SKUNK SHRIMP (3) CAMEL SHRIMP(6)PEPPERMINT SHRIMP(8)MEXICAN TURBO SNAILS,(6)CERITH SNAILS,(4)ZEBRA SNAILS(5)RED LEGGED HERMIT CRABS,(5) BLUE LEGGED HERMIT CRABS,

IN SUMP;
(2)GREEN EMERALD CRABS
(5) BLUE LEGGED HERMIT CRABS
(5) RED LEGGED HEMIT CRABS



TO tHoSe WhO rOcK...WiTh A fiLTeR sOcK.....
>>>>>>> I SOLUTE YOU <<<<<<<<

 

My serpent star ate my clown goby, watchman goby and my anthias. Do u have a serpent star? They usually disappeard within 48 hours and no body found.

 

This is one of several recent posts were I have seen people say that brittle stars have eaten fish. I have had over twenty over the years and rarely do I have a Reef tank without one. I have never lost a fish to a brittle starfish nor have I ever heard/seen a report of one attacking and eating a healthy fish. Like crabs I am pretty sure these stars are getting a bad rep. due to there scavenging ability. I am sure that whatever fish you have seen being consumed by a brittle was already dead or dieing.To the O.P. it is entirely possible that you have an unwanted hitchhiker in your system.(Mantis,crab)Just because other fish in your system are alive and healthy does not rule out the possibility of death from disease,parasites,starvation,an univited guest,or malnutrition.