Life and death issues are an everyday concern in our reefs. I have suspected there's a KILLER living in my reef for some time now.

Todays victim...

http://www.theculturedreef.com/Lawnmower%20Blenny-2-1-08-2.jpg

My Lawnmower Blenny. He was fat, sassy, eating everything in sight just yesterday. Found this morning being consumed by the clean-up crew. No, I don't suspect them. They are just doing their job. But something is lurking in the LR, I'm now sure of it. Because a month or two ago...

From the "Cold Case" files...:cool:

http://www.theculturedreef.com/PygmyAngel-9-18-06-1.jpg

My Atlantic Dwarf Angel, Centropyge argi, shown here in this Sept '06 picture shortly after purchasing her. Disappeared unexpectedly two months ago. No body was ever found.

Too many "sudden deaths" can be attributed to rushing into purchase something before your tank is ready (newbie behavior), poor husbandry habits (those that shouldn't even be in the hobby), equipment failure and other situations. But those weren't the case here.

Both fish were robust in health, eating a good variety of items. So why did they go missing??? This is the mystery of reef keeping. We do our best to provide ample space, abundant hiding places, good diet, clean conditions, you know, the best of everything and then a death or disappearance occurs. It is frustrating at times.

So, I am on the lookout for the killer. :eek:

Dick

OMG I loved Blenny:sick: I am so sorry. I hope you find the little b------!

that really stinks man !! sounds to me like something is lurking in the LR too, but i wonder what it is ?? those were pretty good size fish to be taken down by something that YOU have never seen in the tank.

That's gotta hurt Dick! :sick: I know you loved that lil guy.... he was a character. Your sad tale reminds me of a post that I ran into several months back, well 2 in fact comes to mind at the moment, of live stock disappearing from a large DT. The first sad story involved an enormous worm, don't remember the species now that was residing inside of the PVC support system. The guy had to disasemble his rack system to remove it. The growth rate on that thing was extremely fast and enormous. He really thrived in that controlled environment with no known predators. You more than likely read about it. It turned out to be around 8 foot or more long. That was a nightmare.

The other case involved missing livestock and several weeks later, the owner happened to be viewing at night and noticed something out of the corner of his eye and discovered that he had in fact a type of eel that must of come in his LR. It was the only other explanation. The thing must of grown with time and grew to the point of taking down somew of his big species.

I hope nothing as extreme as these cases, but it lets us know that these things do in fact happen even though they are very hard to believe. I hope you catch the culprite and help him mend his evil ways. :up:

oh yeah Lori, that was a euniced ?? worm. it was massive !!

Theres only two explanations my friend.


1) lurker within. Maybe resembles this....
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/tampa-sea-monster-1.jpg


2) or the more logical explanation.......
http://www.worth1000.com/entries/330500/330960SxAW_w.jpg


Ether way, thats some bad Ju Ju you got going there & id suggest night vision on a camcorder focused on 1/3 of the the tank each night once lights go out to see is anything comes alive for the Meet, greet & eat show!

Those Cabana mermaids are deadly... I'd be careful. :tongue2:

Awhhh Dick. I'm sorry. I know that this is frustrating for you.