dead peppermint shrimp

Question
hello I have a 14 gallon FOWLR aquarium. it has been running for a few months and is fully stocked last night i say my peppermint acting normal. the next day  i say that the shrimp was dead and all of its leg were gone( i have had the shrimp for a month). the other fish in the tank are pajama cardinal, yellowtail damsel, firefish, sixline wrasse and a chocolate chip sea star. which on of these fish could of eaten the full grown shrimp.The other day a say a 4 inch bristle worm. Also what ever ate the shrimp would it eat an emerald crab. thanks

Answer
Hi Ben,

Get a check on the fish in the tank, first off...14 gallons is not enough for that many fish.  No offense.  You can hold 2 at most.

Nitrates or nitrites probably killed the shrimp, if it's really dead.  Did you check to make sure it hadn't just shed its skin?

Mine hide and I get all worked up, thinking my poor shrimp is dead, and then find the thing hiding in the rock.  

If it is indeed dead, there could be several cuplrits from your list.

Wrasse are shrimp eaters.  Even six lined wrasse can eat a shrimp if it's small enough, and the Peppermint Shrimp are indeed small.

Worse, the Chocolate Chip Starfish is a predatory starfish.  Often killing and eating fish in aquariums.  I won't own one for this very reason.

The Bristle Worm is too big to be in the main tank, but you might keep him and put him in your refugium.  He will eat a lot of debris, but if you leave him in the main tank, he could sting coral.  Fortunately, they only eat dead things and do not kill fish or shrimp.  He's not reef safe, however.  They do sting coral.  Not your worry, with a FOWLR tank. :)

I'd worry far more about the chocolate chip eating other things in the tank, than about the worm. :)  Yes, he might eat the crab, but has a far less chance of it, as crabs can defend themselves.

Happy fish-keeping.

Renee