Who Is Eating My Fish?? - Aquarium Advice

cornfedfishies · 02-22-2006, 11:21 PM

I have a 29gal tank set up with a male betta, 2 lyre tail mollies, a pictus cat, and a upside down catfish (or dwarf pleco). I purchased 2 neon tetras and 3 sunburst platys. Overnight the neons and one of the platys were gone. I have since moved the platys to another tank but I need to figure out who the culprit was because I plan on getting more platys and neons and I don't want this to happen again.

There were no remains found. The fish were there when I went to bed and gone when I woke up. They did not jump out and nothing got in from the outside. I was fairly certain that there wasn't any compatibility issues but I guess I was wrong.

rich311k · 02-22-2006, 11:25 PM

I would bet on the pictus. They will eat what will fit in thier mouths. How big is it?

ringfinger · 02-22-2006, 11:28 PM

It is most likely that they both died in the night and were sucked up in the filter, or just drifted somewhere that you can't see them. I can't imagine anyone in the tank eating them until nothing remained although I have never owned either of those cats...I guess it's possilbe. A Neon dying is nothing out of the ordinary. They would probably have a much better chance of survival in a school of 6-8 where they could feel more secure.

tropicfishman · 02-23-2006, 12:23 AM

I agree with rich311k, a pictus will eat anything that it can swallow, I would take him back to the LFS or put him in another tank of fish that he couldn't eat

caribou · 02-23-2006, 12:46 AM

I would suspect the pictus cat. When I was 13, I had a pictus cat that just about cleaned out my tank. It ate neons and zebra danios with gusto. Afterwards he always a very rotund tummy. I'm having a bit a trouble myself with two syn. angelicus LOL.

toddnbecka · 02-23-2006, 01:34 AM

The key to S. angelicus is to keep 1, or keep 6 (IF you have a large enough tank, and the spare cash for 4 more.) Beautiful cats, and one of the most aggressive Syno's there are.

cornfedfishies · 02-23-2006, 08:23 AM

The pictus was my guess too. I checked the filter and didn't find anything that could have been remains. The pictus is approximately 4.5" and they could have fit in it's mouth. I have another tank which I will be keeping the smaller fish in from now on.

**Zagz** · 02-23-2006, 01:56 PM

Pictus cat. I had one once and it ate 10 neon tetras in 2 days!

rollin_22 · 02-23-2006, 10:53 PM

i have the same problem with my columbian sharks and mollies, i have lost two mollies, but the other mollies had babies, so now i am even again....lol

SerLunchbox · 02-23-2006, 10:55 PM

i am with the concensus .. the pictus catfish will try to eat anything it sees as potential food ... and they are TOUGH ... tough enough to survive in a mbuna cichlid tank.

02-22-2006, 11:21 PM	#1
cornfedfishies Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 24	Who Is Eating My Fish?? I have a 29gal tank set up with a male betta, 2 lyre tail mollies, a pictus cat, and a upside down catfish (or dwarf pleco). I purchased 2 neon tetras and 3 sunburst platys. Overnight the neons and one of the platys were gone. I have since moved the platys to another tank but I need to figure out who the culprit was because I plan on getting more platys and neons and I don't want this to happen again. There were no remains found. The fish were there when I went to bed and gone when I woke up. They did not jump out and nothing got in from the outside. I was fairly certain that there wasn't any compatibility issues but I guess I was wrong. __________________ Man! This stuff is expensive...$$$ 29 Gal w/Penguin [acronym:905bcf7e0d="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:905bcf7e0d] 150 1 Pictus Cat 1 Upside Down Cat 3 Lyre Tail Mollies 1 Dwarf Gourami 1 Male Betta 20 Gal(Empty)

02-23-2006, 12:23 AM	#4
tropicfishman Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ashland KY Posts: 1,890	I agree with rich311k, a pictus will eat anything that it can swallow, I would take him back to the LFS or put him in another tank of fish that he couldn't eat __________________ I love my clown loaches and red tail shark!!! lol

02-23-2006, 12:46 AM	#5
caribou Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: nebraska Posts: 214	I would suspect the pictus cat. When I was 13, I had a pictus cat that just about cleaned out my tank. It ate neons and zebra danios with gusto. Afterwards he always a very rotund tummy. I'm having a bit a trouble myself with two syn. angelicus LOL. __________________ 90 [acronym:e9dadb358f="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:e9dadb358f] planted, [acronym:e9dadb358f="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e9dadb358f], angels, neons, GN Plecos, GB Rams, Corys,Clown Loaches 90 planted, under construction, [acronym:e9dadb358f="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e9dadb358f] 2.9 [acronym:e9dadb358f="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:e9dadb358f]

02-23-2006, 08:23 AM	#7
cornfedfishies Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 24	The pictus was my guess too. I checked the filter and didn't find anything that could have been remains. The pictus is approximately 4.5" and they could have fit in it's mouth. I have another tank which I will be keeping the smaller fish in from now on. __________________ Man! This stuff is expensive...$$$ 29 Gal w/Penguin [acronym:905bcf7e0d="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:905bcf7e0d] 150 1 Pictus Cat 1 Upside Down Cat 3 Lyre Tail Mollies 1 Dwarf Gourami 1 Male Betta 20 Gal(Empty)

02-23-2006, 01:56 PM	#8
Zagz Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 11,337 Images: 92	Pictus cat. I had one once and it ate 10 neon tetras in 2 days! __________________ ----------- My Profile Page My tank & fish photos. Have you voted for AA today? Like the advice or comments someone gave you? Show your appreciation with the reputation button!

02-22-2006, 11:25 PM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	I would bet on the pictus. They will eat what will fit in thier mouths. How big is it?

02-22-2006, 11:28 PM	#3
ringfinger Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cedar City, UT Posts: 411 Images: 4	It is most likely that they both died in the night and were sucked up in the filter, or just drifted somewhere that you can't see them. I can't imagine anyone in the tank eating them until nothing remained although I have never owned either of those cats...I guess it's possilbe. A Neon dying is nothing out of the ordinary. They would probably have a much better chance of survival in a school of 6-8 where they could feel more secure.

02-23-2006, 01:34 AM	#6
toddnbecka Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cumberland, MD Posts: 750	The key to S. angelicus is to keep 1, or keep 6 (IF you have a large enough tank, and the spare cash for 4 more.) Beautiful cats, and one of the most aggressive Syno's there are.

02-23-2006, 10:53 PM	#9
rollin_22 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: brainerd minnesota Posts: 150 Images: 1	i have the same problem with my columbian sharks and mollies, i have lost two mollies, but the other mollies had babies, so now i am even again....lol __________________ I HATE PET STORES

02-23-2006, 10:55 PM	#10
SerLunchbox Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Calgary Posts: 1,526 Images: 1	i am with the concensus .. the pictus catfish will try to eat anything it sees as potential food ... and they are TOUGH ... tough enough to survive in a mbuna cichlid tank. __________________ Lunchbox ... "i'm a man, but i can change, if i have to, i guess" Tankless ... for now ... until i find what i really want (and what the wife lets me get!)

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