The case of the dissappearing cardinal & neon tetras...H

[e burna]

Ok, here's my story. I have a 29 gallon, fairly well planted decorated tank. Awhile back I bought 4 cardinal tetras. 2 of the died. I got 2 more. 3 of them died. I've heard the ph levels for them are a bit different from other fish, so I didn't try anymore. I've had the 1 swimming around now just fine for some time. I thought of trying my hand at neon tetras, I got 6 of them. 2 days after I was down to 5, now today (3 days later) I'm at 4 of them, and the lone cardinal is still around as well. I found the bodies of 3 of the 5 cardinal tetras (2 were in filter, and 1 I watched die) the other 2 body's were MIA. I even took EVERYTHING out of the tank to try and find them. Now, I've had 2 neon's go down, didn't take everything out of the tank, but I don't see them ANYWHERE. I'll list what I have in my tank, and I'm wondering could any of the other fish be messing w/them and/or eating them?

1 pleco (small)
1 clown loach (small)
2 dwarf frogs
7 cory's
1 platy
3 sissortail tetras
1 cardinal tetra
4(now anyway) neon tetras

Any help guys?

 

[jaysono]

It really would help if you gave us yoru water changing regime and water test results.

I wonder just as a base guess if they went into shock because of temperature issues, or water parameters, or they were too stressed somehow.

I definetly re-examine your filter however. If 2 of them got in there, then there's a gap that needs to be addressed...maybe some window screen material or a sponge to cover it up?

 

[e burna]

If it were a temperature thing, I don't think they would die a few days later, would they? It seems they're fine for a little while, then they go. I just pulled out the cardinal tetra that had lived for awhile (the lone survivor from weeks ago). He apparently got too depressed seing the others or something (lol) I really don't know, but he was found on the bottom belly up. Anyway, I was at 1 card, 6 neons, and am now down to 4 neons.

 

[mattrox]

I have accidently siphoned out tetras before doing pwc's. SOmetimes I have seen them in the bucket other times I noticed thay were gaone after I threw the water out. 8O That is how I get some MIA's.

Sometimes tetras die for no good reason.... That I can come up with. I have had really bad luck with Neons over the years, but no problems with cardinals.

 

[redwhiptailplec]

How do you acclimate your fish this can have a bareing. Neons and Cardinals are both pretty delicate, quarantine them if you possibly can, I seem to loose a quite high proportion in quarantine, but theydo well after that.

I do not think any of your other fish are bothering them, but they probably would not be averse to eating the corpses, that might explain the missing fish. Hope you have better luck with the rest of your Neons.