Who's eating my Xenia?

[erik]

I had an Umbrella Xenia that was doing very well until about a month
ago.
I was out of town for a week and came back to find it missing. All
that was left was a very small spot.

Over the last 1 1/2 months this little bit that remained has been
growing very quickly.... until today.
I woke up this morning to find it missing. Since I don't think it
could get out of the tank on it's own I'm assuming something in the
tank ate it.

Here's what's in there:
pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
Yellow Tang
Green Brittle Star - large
"Chocolate-chip" Starfish
Coral Banded Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp (was not there the first time the Xenia were eaten)
Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

Nothing else that can move.

So, the Chocolate-chip starfish is about to be relocated (I haven't
decided on the 10 gallon tank or just the garbage can) unless anyone
has any thoughts on who else it might have been.


Any ideas???


Erik

[Steve \Srfmon\]

Chocolate chip star fish are NOT reef safe. I know this because I caught
one eating my xenia. But since I got my flame angel 2 years ago, I can't
keep xenia anymore.
Steve

"erik" > wrote in message
...
> I had an Umbrella Xenia that was doing very well until about a month
> ago.
> I was out of town for a week and came back to find it missing. All
> that was left was a very small spot.
>
> Over the last 1 1/2 months this little bit that remained has been
> growing very quickly.... until today.
> I woke up this morning to find it missing. Since I don't think it
> could get out of the tank on it's own I'm assuming something in the
> tank ate it.
>
> Here's what's in there:
> pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
> Yellow Tang
> Green Brittle Star - large
> "Chocolate-chip" Starfish
> Coral Banded Shrimp
> Cleaner Shrimp (was not there the first time the Xenia were eaten)
> Blue Legged Hermit Crabs
>
> Nothing else that can move.
>
> So, the Chocolate-chip starfish is about to be relocated (I haven't
> decided on the 10 gallon tank or just the garbage can) unless anyone
> has any thoughts on who else it might have been.
>
>
> Any ideas???
>
>
> Erik
>

[Dsybok]

I would also check your nitrate levels, they dont like nitrates and tend to
shrivel up and die off so fast they look like they are being eaten, but in
reality they are polluting your tank even more. They can literally
dissappear overnight in a nitrate bloom.

D
"erik" > wrote in message
...
> I had an Umbrella Xenia that was doing very well until about a month
> ago.
> I was out of town for a week and came back to find it missing. All
> that was left was a very small spot.
>
> Over the last 1 1/2 months this little bit that remained has been
> growing very quickly.... until today.
> I woke up this morning to find it missing. Since I don't think it
> could get out of the tank on it's own I'm assuming something in the
> tank ate it.
>
> Here's what's in there:
> pair of Ocellaris Clownfish
> Yellow Tang
> Green Brittle Star - large
> "Chocolate-chip" Starfish
> Coral Banded Shrimp
> Cleaner Shrimp (was not there the first time the Xenia were eaten)
> Blue Legged Hermit Crabs
>
> Nothing else that can move.
>
> So, the Chocolate-chip starfish is about to be relocated (I haven't
> decided on the 10 gallon tank or just the garbage can) unless anyone
> has any thoughts on who else it might have been.
>
>
> Any ideas???
>
>
> Erik
>

[Billy]

"Steve "Srfmon"" > wrote in message
...
| Chocolate chip star fish are NOT reef safe. I know this because
I caught
| one eating my xenia. But since I got my flame angel 2 years ago, I
can't
| keep xenia anymore.
| Steve
|

Second that. Choc stars are omnivores, and will eat anything remotely
edible, depending on how hungry they are. Mine is permanently banned
to the sump, oddly enough it seems happier in there than it ever was
in the display tank....


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.745 / Virus Database: 497 - Release Date: 8/27/2004