HELP!! Dead Red Hermit, Chromis picking on other!

[JKFMREEF]

Help, please, with my problem: I came home from work to find half a dead red reef hermit sitting on a rock with no idea how that happened or where the shell went. Also, my larger Chromis is chasing my littler one from food, and picking on it. Is that normal? Any way to stop it? Feed more often?

Size of tank: 29 Gl Biocube
Age of tank : 4 weeks
Sump? No
Skimmer: No
nitrate:0
ammonia: 0
temperature: 81
Water source {ro, ro/di, tap} ro/di
Salinity: 1.024
Alkalinity: NA
Lights: Stock lighting for Biocube
Calcium: NA
Magnesium NA
Dosing? No
Specimen dipped [in what] or quarantined or previously treated?

Thank you!

[AquaReeferMan]

Im sure all you are seeing is a molt. Thats how the hermits grow. Also that is normal for the chromis too. They are just establishing dominance.

[briankmarsh1980]

A molt will look just like a crab

[snorvich]

Also, my larger Chromis is chasing my littler one from food, and picking on it. Is that normal?

As I told you in another thread, that will happen. One will survive.

[Jeremy Blaze]

As I told you in another thread, that will happen. One will survive.

He is right, again. The larger one will kill the smaller.

[JKFMREEF]

Steve,
I heard you, but apparantly didn't understand exactly what was going to happen. I mean, you said the chromis weren't going to get along, but I didn't realize quite how brutal it would be. This sucks.
But, about the crab problem.
What does a molt look like? Is it red? Not clear as to what the crabs look like, but it didn't seem like a molt (or at least not like when my shrimp molted), and we can't find one crab. Anyone have a picture of a crab molt? Because that would make my day if we didn't have a dead crab.
Plus, my crabs don't seem happy. but, I have shown my ignorance once too often here, and realize I may not know what happy crabs seem like.
Thanks for all help and advice!

J

[snorvich]

Sorry I was unclear about the chromis. I try to be soft spoken when possible. What invertebrates are in the tank?

[Sk8r]

Chromides are damsels. They require a larger tank, even really for just one. Go for little gobies, and the smallest jawfish, for a good tank crew for a 29.

[SushiGirl]

Here's a couple pics of a very large crab molt. As you can see, looks just like the crab minus the back end.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3586782745_212b636231_z.jpg?zz=1
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3586783477_9d5963fbe0_z.jpg?zz=1

[JKFMREEF]

I don't think it was a molt since it was red. And it's been two days and we still are missing a crab. Who knows. Any ideas of what could've happened to it if it did die?

[JKFMREEF]

Steve,
Thanks for your advice on the chromis. I was surprised with their bahavior since for the last four weeks they have seemed happy enough. Is losing one inevitable?
J

[snorvich]

Steve,
Thanks for your advice on the chromis. I was surprised with their bahavior since for the last four weeks they have seemed happy enough. Is losing one inevitable?
J

Pretty much. It always takes a while but they do winnow down. Careful about anthropomorphizing fish behavior into "happiness" or they are "buddies" as it simply is not the case.

[spieszak]

Fresh molts will be red. Don't rule it out because of that.... just saw one today at my lfs. Should have seen the trigger freaking out when they moved the molt into his tank. :-)

[BlueFyre]

+1

I thought my scarlet hermit was dead for sure when I saw a bright red body laying among the rocks. Then I saw him sitting on another rock happy as could be. The molt was exactly the same color.

[SushiGirl]

I don't think it was a molt since it was red.

I just assumed it was a red hermit since the title of your post says "Dead red hermit" LOL.

[jeffesaurusrex]

I've heard the Chromis can kill eachother off until there is only one or two left, but I've also heard they will establish dominance eventually and not kill eachother any more after some time. All I can tell you for sure is, I bought three, and the big ones killed the smallest, then they picked on each other and now it has settled down. I think the best way to have Chromis would be to get them in as similar sizes as possible. This way there is no runt that is outsized, each fish has a chance to fight it's way into the clan and establish itself.

[Jlobo]

Well now I'm worried about adding more fish to my BC29. I have one b/g chromis in it now. I thought about getting another later since they like to be in schools but not now!! I thought all would be lovely in chromis land. Will the chromis pick on the next fish I want to add later, like a blenny??

[snorvich]

Well now I'm worried about adding more fish to my BC29. I have one b/g chromis in it now. I thought about getting another later since they like to be in schools but not now!! I thought all would be lovely in chromis land. Will the chromis pick on the next fish I want to add later, like a blenny??

No, it will not pick on a blenny. However, you will not successfully keep more than one chromis is a nano tank long term.

[snorvich]

I've heard the Chromis can kill eachother off until there is only one or two left, but I've also heard they will establish dominance eventually and not kill eachother any more after some time. All I can tell you for sure is, I bought three, and the big ones killed the smallest, then they picked on each other and now it has settled down. I think the best way to have Chromis would be to get them in as similar sizes as possible. This way there is no runt that is outsized, each fish has a chance to fight it's way into the clan and establish itself.

Chromis do that. Kill each other. Very large tanks may reduce that tendency but it has nothing to do with the size. In small tanks you will end up with one.