Tetras going AWOL in my tank. There may be a serial killer after dark!!! .. ??

Once upon a time, there was a 4ft (fairly bare tank with just gravel and bog wood). It was merely a holding tank for the fish until their new home was ready for them. Occupying this tank were the following fish: a school of redline torpedo barbs, lemon tetras, silver tip tetras, penguin tetras, corys, polkadot loaches, pakistani loaches, 3x pearl gouramis, 1x lavender gourami, a pair of albino kribs, 1x redtail shark, a pair of black angels and 2x plecos. All lived happily ever after in the 4ft.Then there was the 6ft (lightly planted, spider wood, drift wood and quite a few hiding places). Occupying this tank were the following: a school of glass catfish, clown loaches, blue botia loaches, 1x skunk loach, 2x striped raphaels, 1x synodontis upside down catfish, 1x pearl gourami, pair of wild striped angels and 2x plecos.Then about a month and a half ago, I put all the fish from the 4ft into the 6ft and its existing fish. Straight away the striped angels and the black angel pairs started fighting. So I seperated them and removed the striped angels from the 6ft and put them in the 4ft by themselves. They doing very well now after they had been beaten up pretty badly by the black angels. An every couple of days/week or 2 later, I started noticing less and less of the tetras. But I hadn't been seen any corpses. Not even 1! Today, as it stands, I have 1 lonely lemon tetra left out of about 20 tetras altogether! And my corys have evidence of being nipped at. As well as my pair of black angels. About a week or 2 ago, I moved the pair of albino kribs to the 4ft to join the striped angels. As well as a pleco. They doing fine. The mistery is left in the 6ft. Serial killers after dark? Cos during the day, there is absolutely no sign whatsoever of bullying of any sort in the tank. Yet practically all the tetras are missing... ! Any insight?? Sugestions??I do have a suspect/s in mind.

 

@smoothoperatorlyn : Here is the thing the redtail shark can be really aggressive and territorial and he would definitely give all the fish in your tank a go if given the chance, but it wouldn't be possible for him to eat them in a single go. The second culprit on my list would be the redline torpedo barbs (depending on their size) I have seen them eating tetras before. But what I am thinking is they are getting harassed and killed by one fish and then the other fish just eat the body hence you are not finding them.

 

@Swagasaurus thanks for your response. Tho I'm not dismissing your thoughts completely, I just find it hard to be the culprets you just mentioned since all the fish were living together happily in the 4ft all along for about 6-8mths with no fatalities or missing fish until I moved them to the 6ft.. . You feel me??

 

@smoothoperatorlyn: I get you just remember you have moved them to a bigger tank so it is also a new environment and new territories for the fish. So some might have become more aggressive because of the changes. Does you tank have a lid or is it open top?

 

@Swagasaurus I have a lid on. But sometimes I open the lid. Not often tho.

 

I had an open tank and all my cherry barbs disappeared overnight, they went for a walk outside and the dog ate the dried out bodies.

 

@Swagasaurus ok fair enough. But how do u also explain the nipped fins of my corys an black angels??

 

@smoothoperatorlyn: My suggestion put a night light next too your tank and observe and see what happens. Guessing can only take us this far.

 

Ok that's a plan. I might get to see who the culprits/serial killer/s are!
My suspician is the blue botia loaches. I have never kept those fish before cos I'd never come across them in the pet shops before. Until about 6mths ago, I then got myself a school of 8 an introduced them into my 6ft. They were very shy initially and I never saw them often. But as time went on I started seeing them more often than just feeding time. Now they not so shy anymore and come out during the day time too.
So anyway... When I purchased them, one of them stuck out like claws just under its eyes an pierced the bag. So I'm thinking that maybe they have a vicious tendency to 'slaughter' other fish??

 

Clown loaches also have the "claws" as do most of that species of fish, it is a self defence mechanism and isn't used to attack other fish with. The blue botia loaches won't be the culprits I have kept them in the past and they are pretty much peaceful fish.

 

@Swagasaurus Shew.. ! That is a huge relief! Cos I really don't wanna get rid of my blue botia loaches. They are one of my favourite fish. They really are beautiful and appear as peaceful as u mentioned they are.
So if it's not them, then what happened to all my tetras? Cos I don't buy that they could have jumped out the tank... :wondering:

 

It could be one fish that harasses them to death and the other fish eat the bodies.

 

I had a very similar problem. What kind of filter do you have? My overflow wasn't sealed properly and I bunch of my fish vanished into it.

 

@SterlingAce Hi there! Sorry for such a late response.. I have 2 external filters. The suction pipes have vents on the ends with holes the size not even blood worms can fit thru. So i don't think it's possible the fish could have gone missing thru the filter system. But thanks for your piece! :blink1:

 

Latest update as of today...

Ok so no more missing fish! Well the truth is, there are no more 'small' fish left besides the 1and only remaining lemon tetra. that little guy gives me the impression he's not going anywhere!!

So here's my newest theory after watching my tank... Last night while feeding just only flakes, I turned the 2 front lights off so the tank wasn't as bright. And as I watched all the members eating, I noticed the 'Undertaker' - my synodontis (upside down catfish), who lives in a broken up sucken ship, he came out to feed and as he opened his mouth, I noticed its size in diameter was bigger than a 50c coin if I had to measure it!!!!!!h:

So is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking???
Is it possible the 'Undertaker' is or was literally "just doing his job - so to speak!" ??????? :huh::wondering::amazed:

Cos if he is the culprit, he needs to go!!! :evil:

Anybody?

Lyn

 

or Red Tail Catfish?

 

Hi guys!

For all those who were following this thread, @Swagasaurus , @StelingAce , @Slojo an others... I cracked the mistery!!!

About 2weeks ago I narrowed it down to who the culpret could be. And I pin pointed it down to the 'Undertaker'! My synodontus.
So I went to my lfs and asked around and done some research on that particular fish, and it turns out that a few people have also complained about that fish eating smaller fish in the tank after dark!
So I decided to trade mine at my lfs. And got me a whole new bunch of tetras and rainbows and introduced them to my tank. And guess what.. ???
I havent lost a single tetra or any fish for that matter since I removed tne 'Undertaker' from my tank!

I am pleased and very happy to have reached the bottom of this mistery! I just wanted to share with everybody and thank all those for the responses!

I'm a vey vey very happy fish keeper right now!!!

I will post a few pics of my tanks soon! :blink1:

 

I am glad you got the culprit.

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