HELP sailfin tang eaten alive by cuc! URGENT

[nepenthes99]

So I just got home and i found my sailfin tank lodged on the corner with my longspine urchin eating it! I looked and it was still breathing so I took of the urchin and let the tang free. The next time I look (10 or so minutes later) my serpent star is locked onto its tailfin! I try to take off the star but it just would not budge so I took the thing and was pulling it across the tank for minutes! Unfortunately the tang is now dead. I feel so bad, it must have been a horrible death eaten alive:sad2: and it cost me forty bucks! Why would the cuc do this? I feed them clams and seaweed every other day and they have plenty of space to move around. I am so ****ed off at them!:angryfire::uzi::mad2:

[aleggett321]

i would doubt that your sea urchin jumped the tang out of nowhere. i would guess the tang was already sick or dying and the cuc just started their job a little early. sorry for your loss.

[Richard Reefer]

Agreed. Your CUC would never touch a live healthy tang, let alone be able to catch it.

[nepenthes99]

Well when I saw it the tang was still swimming in the corner, just imprisoned in the urchins spines. Would the star be able to do any damage?

[cherubfish pair]

I didn't know any urchins were omnivores.

[Richard Reefer]

The tang could have been sitting in the corner and the urchin just happened upon him at the right time. Some serpent stars are carnivorous and can and will attempt to eat whatever they can, but again, it is very unlike that one would be able to take down a healthy tang.

How long have you had the tang? Was it eating, if so how much, how often, and what? Did you notice any signs of disease or erratic behavior?