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KryptiCouple

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Messages
210
Location
Columbia, PA
So, one of our fish has become a mass-murderer and we think we know the culprit, but we just want to get verification on that.

Here is our current stock
1 - clown pleco
5 - tiger barbs
1 - male dwarf gourami
3 - fancy tail guppies
3 - african dwarf frogs
2 - black neon tetras
3 - neon danio glofish
1 - misc tetra (Got him from that pet place, they list it as something like h1 tetra)
1 - angel fish (approx half dollar size)

In the past week we have lost
1 - misc tetra
5 - rummy nose tetras
4 - fancy tail guppies

Water parameters are all great, and we have been finding the carcasses half eaten. 65 gallon aquarium, with fake plants, drift wood, and rock caves for hiding.
 
I'd put money on the tiger barbs. They rarely make good community members, especially in such a small school.
 
Could be the Barbs, could be the Angel.
Could also be the Danios or any of the Tetras as their schools are too small which can sometimes lead to aggression towards others.
 
We did have bigger schools of the danios/tetras until Ich took them out.They've been fine for about a month at those "school" sizes. Every time we stock back up on something, another fish takes out the newbies, but leaves the "older guys". This was our most recent mass-murder. While acclimating the fish to the new tank, we feed the others, then turn the lights off, but still end up waking up to half-eaten fish. And we've added decent sized fish, not little guys.

The barbs don't seem to bother anyone except each other, we've watched them pretty carefully since we put them in. The only one we ever see going after others is the angel, so our thought was that it may be him?
 
My money is on the Angel. My sister had them and they killed everything in the tank.
 
KryptiCouple said:
So, one of our fish has become a mass-murderer and we think we know the culprit, but we just want to get verification on that.

Here is our current stock
1 - clown pleco
5 - tiger barbs
1 - male dwarf gourami
3 - fancy tail guppies
3 - african dwarf frogs
2 - black neon tetras
3 - neon danio glofish
1 - misc tetra (Got him from that pet place, they list it as something like h1 tetra)
1 - angel fish (approx half dollar size)

In the past week we have lost
1 - misc tetra
5 - rummy nose tetras
4 - fancy tail guppies

Water parameters are all great, and we have been finding the carcasses half eaten. 65 gallon aquarium, with fake plants, drift wood, and rock caves for hiding.

Frogs!! I'd think!!
 
I've had very aggressive gourami's. Infect I had to move them to their own tank. I would not buy them again. I also have angels 3 from a dime size up to 1/2 dollar size in my community tank and have had no problems. They only tend to pick at each other once in awhile.
 
Frogs!! I'd think!!

Really? These are the 2-3" frogs, not the big guys with giant mouths. They're pretty peaceful and hang out under the drift wood. They've scavenged the dead bodies, but we never see them go after fish.

Our angel has already killed another angel (they were bought and raised together, killed when it was around quarter-size), so we're really thinking it may be him. Irregardless, what is the best way to determine who it is that is killing off the others?
 
Second, are you positive your fish is the killer? You might have an illness running around your tank. The half eaten carcasses could be spreading it! If a healthy fish nibbles on the body of s sick one they could contract the illness.
 
I would guess watch your tank. Each fish acts differently in each setting. If you want to avoid possible issues. Try moving thing around in the tank every so often. That way they have less aggression. It helps avoid territory issues in the tank. Good luck.
 
Second, are you positive your fish is the killer? You might have an illness running around your tank. The half eaten carcasses could be spreading it! If a healthy fish nibbles on the body of s sick one they could contract the illness.

Yeah, everyone is healthy and active when added to the tank, as are all of our other fish. We have a QT tank for the new fish, too, after having had the entire tank infected with Ich before (that was our oops with the black neons and how we ended up with only 2). One of the fish (male guppy) was mauled in a matter of hours after being added, but we weren't home to see who it was that did it. Everyone seemed to be getting along when we left. Came home and he was floating and ripped apart. The rest were killed throughout the week. About $30/fish down the drain that were perfectly healthy and happy in the QT tank.
 
If the angel has killed before it could be it BUT don't rule out the gourami. Probably all the other fish are eating at the body not necessarily the killer. I have 13 adult breeding angels in a 220g tank with a ton of little fish and shrimp and have never had issues. Thing is each fish has individual personalities so the thing to do is if you want rehome the angel and see if it stops if you feel it is truely him. I sure as heck wouldn't rule out the tiger barbs, just because you don't actually see them harassing anyone during the day doesn't mean it can't be happening after lights are out or in the early morning hours. There truely is no way to catch the culprit/culprits so all you can do is start removing the main suspects. If you have another small tank you could just move suspects over for a time to see what happens in the main tank.
 
If the angel has killed before it could be it BUT don't rule out the gourami. Probably all the other fish are eating at the body not necessarily the killer. I have 13 adult breeding angels in a 220g tank with a ton of little fish and shrimp and have never had issues. Thing is each fish has individual personalities so the thing to do is if you want rehome the angel and see if it stops if you feel it is truely him. I sure as heck wouldn't rule out the tiger barbs, just because you don't actually see them harassing anyone during the day doesn't mean it can't be happening after lights are out or in the early morning hours. There truely is no way to catch the culprit/culprits so all you can do is start removing the main suspects. If you have another small tank you could just move suspects over for a time to see what happens in the main tank.

Is there any reason why it would only be the new fish they are going after?
 
Is there any reason why it would only be the new fish they are going after?

Actually yes, the current fish have established territories and new fish are intruders. When this happens alot of time you have to "try" to remove the possible offenders (I'd say remove the angel, gourami, tigers) and totally rearrange your tank. Break up the sight line so the fish can't see from one end of the tank to the other. Add the new fish, then re-add the others. Personally I'd do this but only re-add the gourami first, wait a few days, see what happens, re-add the angel, and if all is still fine were it me I'd re-home the tigers. Both angels and gouramis tend to establish territories and don't do well with intruders. You have a good sized tank so if you have plenty of plants and some DW or decorations to break the tank into smaller territories doing the above has the best chance of making things work.
 
Thanks, Rivercat. When we have the extra cash to replenish our tank, we will do that. I was ready to cry when all 5 rummynose disappeared overnight...
 
Yeah that had to have hurt! I have a school of 21 rummy nose with my 13 adult angels and I love them because they school so well, not to mention I just like how they look.
 
Yeah that had to have hurt! I have a school of 21 rummy nose with my 13 adult angels and I love them because they school so well, not to mention I just like how they look.

Yeah, the hubby and I fought over getting them because he didn't like the way he looked. Since he ended up getting his Mbuna tank for his birthday, he caved and said now that the 65gal was completely mine I could put them in if I wanted. And the male guppy I had who got mauled was absolutely gorgeous. I was so upset.
 
I had a murderer dwarf Gaurami once, I went through a lot of fish before I realized he was a killer, pretty sure he killed 4snails( I think) his other dwarf mate, and 5 or so Molly's. the only thing left in the tank was him and 2 albino Cory's before I realized what was happening.
 
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