open brains

BHenderson79 · 01-16-2008, 07:33 PM

has anyone ever heard of or experienced an open brain eating fish in their tank?

lcstorc · 01-16-2008, 08:03 PM

I've never heard of it but they do eat. I suppose if it was a small slow fish or one that was sick it could happen. They usually eat at night so it could be a sleeping fish that slept in the wrong place.

goldenmean · 01-16-2008, 08:27 PM

I had 2 hermits fall from a rock above into my open Brain and he ate one of them. The other one I rescued. A day later the brain spit out an empty hermit shell.

I have even had my female clown try to be hosted by my Red open Brain on a few occasion. She spent a few night in it for about a week or two. She still comes and tries to get her nose on there sometimes.

That is probably one of the least likely way for one of your fish to die.

BHenderson79 · 01-16-2008, 08:34 PM

Well, I have had 2 fish go suddenly missing since I got the brain. An algae blenny and a small percula clown. Both had seemed 100% healthy before disappearing. And there was no ammonia spike and no signs of dead fish and my scavengers (hermits, cleaner shrimp) are far too small to completely remove all traces of a fish overnight. So since I haven't added live rock that could contain some predatory organism, I have no idea what is going on and I'm grasping for answers. The brain was my only suspect at this point because it's the newest thing in the tank.

BHenderson79 · 01-16-2008, 08:34 PM

Also, my girlfriend and I are positively addicted to the Katamari games.

goldenmean · 01-16-2008, 08:42 PM

Oh I saw your thread last week about the missing fish.
Do you have a cat??
Fish could have jumped and become a kitty treat???

Im not much of a gamer but I loce Katamari!

BHenderson79 · 01-16-2008, 08:49 PM

Nope, no cats. I'm allergic!
I've searched all over - nothing jumped out of the tank. I'm just really confused. No signs that anything died whatsoever!

goldenmean · 01-16-2008, 09:00 PM

I cant fathom the Trachy eating one - little alone two - fish. But if it did It would have to regurgitate the bones at least the skull and spine.
I dont know what else to tell you but i dont think the brain is your culprit.

BHenderson79 · 01-16-2008, 09:02 PM

I've also got a BTA in the tank, but I can't imagine that ever eating a percula.

JT101 · 01-18-2008, 11:14 AM

I've found that even SMALL trachys have HUGE appetites. I have been feeding my trachy a single defrosted spearing (sliverside) once every 3-4 days. Mind you, the spearing I'm giving it is a full fish, not pieces, and it's about 1' to 1-1/2" long. The damned trachy swallows the whole thing.

I would not rule out the possiblity that your "missing" fish became a nice meal for your coral just yet...!

BHenderson79 · 01-18-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT101

I've found that even SMALL trachys have HUGE appetites. I have been feeding my trachy a single defrosted spearing (sliverside) once every 3-4 days. Mind you, the spearing I'm giving it is a full fish, not pieces, and it's about 1' to 1-1/2" long. The damned trachy swallows the whole thing.

I would not rule out the possiblity that your "missing" fish became a nice meal for your coral just yet...!

Yeah, my open brain is rather large - especially compared to the fish that are missing. I can post a photo tonight for perspective.

mps9506 · 01-18-2008, 12:26 PM

Feeding a trachy a dead silverside and having it eat a live fish is two entirely different things. I just can't fathom the sweepers on a brain coral holding down an even remotely healthy fish. I've seen plenty of clowns use lobo's and trachys as surrogate hosts.
On an opposite note I have lost fish in the past (largish fish) with no evidence of them ever being in there. I had what I assumed to be a perfectly healthy mimic tang up and disappear many years ago after 8 months in my tank.

BHenderson79 · 01-18-2008, 01:28 PM

Yeah, that's what bugs me most - there's no sign that the fish were ever even in my tank. They looked and acted totally healthy up until they disappeared and my water quality is actually much better of the last couple months (since i had my sump and RO installed) than it had ever been before.

BHenderson79 · 01-18-2008, 03:43 PM

With a crab for scale:

At night, tentacles extended:

JT101 · 01-18-2008, 05:08 PM

Wow, that's a beauty! However, I'd keep it off the LR, it might get torn on that.

01-16-2008, 07:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	open brains has anyone ever heard of or experienced an open brain eating fish in their tank?

01-16-2008, 08:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 18,528 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: open brains I've never heard of it but they do eat. I suppose if it was a small slow fish or one that was sick it could happen. They usually eat at night so it could be a sleeping fish that slept in the wrong place. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

01-16-2008, 08:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: open brains I had 2 hermits fall from a rock above into my open Brain and he ate one of them. The other one I rescued. A day later the brain spit out an empty hermit shell. I have even had my female clown try to be hosted by my Red open Brain on a few occasion. She spent a few night in it for about a week or two. She still comes and tries to get her nose on there sometimes. That is probably one of the least likely way for one of your fish to die. __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

01-16-2008, 08:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Well, I have had 2 fish go suddenly missing since I got the brain. An algae blenny and a small percula clown. Both had seemed 100% healthy before disappearing. And there was no ammonia spike and no signs of dead fish and my scavengers (hermits, cleaner shrimp) are far too small to completely remove all traces of a fish overnight. So since I haven't added live rock that could contain some predatory organism, I have no idea what is going on and I'm grasping for answers. The brain was my only suspect at this point because it's the newest thing in the tank.

01-16-2008, 08:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Also, my girlfriend and I are positively addicted to the Katamari games.

01-16-2008, 08:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: open brains Oh I saw your thread last week about the missing fish. Do you have a cat?? Fish could have jumped and become a kitty treat??? Im not much of a gamer but I loce Katamari! __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

01-16-2008, 08:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Nope, no cats. I'm allergic! I've searched all over - nothing jumped out of the tank. I'm just really confused. No signs that anything died whatsoever!

01-16-2008, 09:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
goldenmean Beautiful Katamari Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: open brains I cant fathom the Trachy eating one - little alone two - fish. But if it did It would have to regurgitate the bones at least the skull and spine. I dont know what else to tell you but i dont think the brain is your culprit. __________________ A 55g link in the GoldenChain My Second Quarantine Tank 2 (+) Year Retrospective of a 12g Nano Jeff What You Think Upon Grows... Have a Smooth Day!

01-16-2008, 09:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains I've also got a BTA in the tank, but I can't imagine that ever eating a percula.

01-18-2008, 11:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
JT101 Neon dottyback Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hicksville NY Posts: 605 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains I've found that even SMALL trachys have HUGE appetites. I have been feeding my trachy a single defrosted spearing (sliverside) once every 3-4 days. Mind you, the spearing I'm giving it is a full fish, not pieces, and it's about 1' to 1-1/2" long. The damned trachy swallows the whole thing. I would not rule out the possiblity that your "missing" fish became a nice meal for your coral just yet...!

01-18-2008, 12:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,143 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Feeding a trachy a dead silverside and having it eat a live fish is two entirely different things. I just can't fathom the sweepers on a brain coral holding down an even remotely healthy fish. I've seen plenty of clowns use lobo's and trachys as surrogate hosts. On an opposite note I have lost fish in the past (largish fish) with no evidence of them ever being in there. I had what I assumed to be a perfectly healthy mimic tang up and disappear many years ago after 8 months in my tank. __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

01-18-2008, 01:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Yeah, that's what bugs me most - there's no sign that the fish were ever even in my tank. They looked and acted totally healthy up until they disappeared and my water quality is actually much better of the last couple months (since i had my sump and RO installed) than it had ever been before.

01-18-2008, 03:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains With a crab for scale: At night, tentacles extended:

01-18-2008, 05:08 PM	#15 (permalink)
JT101 Neon dottyback Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hicksville NY Posts: 605 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: open brains Wow, that's a beauty! However, I'd keep it off the LR, it might get torn on that.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)