Unresolved Hermit Krab Killer?

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by SammyP, Nov 29, 2010.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. SammyP

    SammyP Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2010
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Springfield MO
    Hey all I'm kind of a damsel nut, well mainly bc my nano is ver new, i have had 4 Damsel fish die over the last two and a half weeks. My water has been testing and found perfect, I just don't know what is happening. They have all died at the same time and its always my Hermit crab there having dinner. I know that no matter how they die my Hermit would be eating them. The thing that makes me think my Hermit crab is the culprit was this photo I snagged of him trying to pull my snail out of his shell, luckily I was able to step in and intervene. Are hermits known to be aggressive and kill fish? Or are they all just dying for some other reason???
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Click Here!

  3. evolved

    evolved Wrasse Freak

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2010
    Messages:
    4,257
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    You've got the wrong source. The hermits were just eating the already dead fish. And he's after that snail because he wants his shell. Normal hermit behavior.

    Post water parameters.
     
  4. Nor_Cal_Guy

    Nor_Cal_Guy Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2010
    Messages:
    885
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA
    Is this in the am when you find the dead fish?
     
  5. TruespeedEM1

    TruespeedEM1 Skunk Shrimp

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2010
    Messages:
    250
    Location:
    North Carolina
    you said your nano is very new...how long as the tank been setup?
     
  6. SammyP

    SammyP Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2010
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Springfield MO
    Evolved - I dont have my own testing kit but I took a sample to a friend at Petland and they looked perfect

    Nor_Cal_guy - found them dead in evening, they've been alive during day.

    TruespeedEM1 - Tomorrow makes 6 Weeks


    Here has been the life span of my fish at 4 weeks I put in 4 Damsels (bad idea... i know that now but this is my first tank) Two died 4 days later at the same time, but the other two lived. They lived for two and a half more weeks, one dying the day before another. So two more on saturday and then the one died today. So right now at the moment I only have the one domino damsel left. Also in the tank is 2 turbo snails 1 zebra snail 1 cleaner shrimp.
     
  7. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    2,457
    How big is this nano tank?
    Get some shells for the crab, slightly larger than what he's in now. Also make sure he's getting enough food.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2008
    Messages:
    5,176
    Location:
    Texas
    ...first, you need test kits and you need to know your params. "looks perfect" is as useful as me telling you I'm a genius.

    second, you shouldn't have any, let alone 4, fish within the first 6 weeks. The tank needs at least 6 weeks, but in several cases up to a few months, before it can sustain one fish.

    third, whoever is selling you this stuff, is not very trusted. Prime example is a shrimp in a new tank. Shrimp are sensitive to fluctuations, something a new tank will surely have.

    hermits will not hunt down a healthy fish. They will eat a fish that died from having too much ammonia and/or nitrites in your water because you did not properly cycle before adding any livestock.

    there are a zillion other things to bring up, so keep researching here on 3reef and ask a zillion questions. But for now, get test kits, know your params, log them in a notebook or something. You will not have much success otherwise.
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. SammyP

    SammyP Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2010
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Springfield MO
    Preredhil - Thank you for the advice I am hoping to get a test kit of my own soon any suggestions on what brand?

    As for the shrimp, I didn't buy the shrimp, it was actually a surprise from my GF and I don't think they would have sold it to her if they knew that it would be going to my tank.
    I know that they are extremely sensitive, but that also confuses me bc if their so sensitive then why are my fish dying and not my shrimp?

    Also its a 6gal Fluval Edge
     
  11. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2010
    Messages:
    2,457
    5 fish, especially damsels, in a 6 gallon tank is WAY too many. I would suspect the domino killed the others, they're quite mean.
     
  12. SammyP

    SammyP Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2010
    Messages:
    91
    Location:
    Springfield MO
    SushiGirl - sorry for the confusion it has been 5 fish over the past 5 weeks i have never had more then 4 in at a time.