I lost another Cleaner shrimp to assault? Now officially an unsolved homicide.

Well, after mysteriously losing my first cleaner shrimp nearly a year ago, I added a 2nd about 7 months ago, and all was well.
I have never witnessed anyrthing being agressive toward it bhowever, I have witnessed it 'cleaning' several of my fish on several occasions.

Recently however, I had noticed my smallest, yet most seemingly agressive fish hanging out on his side of the DT lately, and the C. Shrimp was still there even yesterday.
I think this (Strawberry Basslett) suspect may be the guilty one! He's not talking though, and I don't have any other evidence other than he being a lightning fast agressor! I have never witnessed his agression toward the cleaner though.



I have found evidence this time however!
I witnessed my Duncans, with his tail in one of the mouths!!



And, I also found the head area near and under my GBTA!
This could be circumstantial however, I did not witness it eating any of it.



And yes I"m sure, this isn't merely a molting, he's gone! Boo Hoo

 

Sorry for your loss, Todd.

FWIW, IMOPE, most shrimp are thieves- they'll steal food from corals, nems, or anything else. I've lost a few myself over the years, all to nems. I stopped adding nems to my tanks and I stopped losing shrimp.

And yes, on occasion a larger one would be regurgitated a day or two later, sometimes in pieces.

 

Hands down my money is on the Basslet. Look at his belly. While it is entirely possible the anemone killed it first
I have kept Basslets in almost every tank I have ever owned and could NEVER house any kind of shrimp long term with one.
They can pester fish in the aquarium. I know if you asked my Tang right now if I should remove the shrimp he would say yes.(probably the coral as well lol.) They are great members of the tank CUC but can be very pushy/iratating??Mr. Bill is exactly right about food theft.Little buggers.
They are cool though and I have kept many kinds.

 

Thanks for the replies, totally agree.

Now I probalby won't put another shrimp in my DT, and I was thinking about one of those bright red ones too!

 

Ah, I missed that- he is a little plump, isn't he?

FTR, I've never had a Basslet...

 

Actully not, not the Strawberry basslett. But my huge RBTA looks a little extra plump today! I'll never know for sure.

I had seen the CS stealing food I had just put in the GBTA at times, and that one didn't seem to 'sting' him.

It's officially a Homicide now! an unsolved one!

 

Fwiw that Basslett is giving you the stank eye in that pic. Me thinks its him

 

Yea, he was rounded up for questioning as one of the 'usual suspects'!

He didn't spill the beans though

 

I suppose for all the times shrimp keep stealing food from corals, it's time to pay up.

 

My anemone had a reputation for eating my shrimp.