Tank of death

[Iodizedfate]

This is me venting and thinking out loud. I'm aware of the obvious mistake I've made with this and by no means am looking for advice for those.

We bought fish at the beginning of the week. We got 3 male guppies to add to the 2 we had, an apple snail and a betta (yes I know, not a community fish).

I had read a bunch of different places that about 50% of the time bettas work out, and I had a betta in a community tank as a child and don't ever remember any problems.

The betta took out a guppy and I figured the guppy was just dumb because for the first few days the betta pretty much left everyone alone except if they got too close to his turf. Figured I would give him a few more days and see what would happen.

He took out his second guppy 2 days ago and now lives in a 10 gallon. It was quick and I watched the whole thing happen. By the time I realized that the betta had gotten a hold of the guppy it was too late and I had to euthanize the guppy a few hours later.

Now for the apple snail. I'm feeding him algea tabs right now because he started eating my plants. That worked for a few days but then I got some java moss and it looks like he's eating that too.

The thing that worries me is that since I've had him (and since I moved the betta to a 10 gallon) I have lost at least one neon tetra every night. No sickness, no body, just gone.

My gut reaction is that the apple snail is eating them while they're sleeping. It's the only thing that's different in the tank, they lived and were happy there for weeks before introducing anything.

My biggest question:

Is my snail eating my fish?

Is he ok to move in with the betta?

It's been a rough fish tank week for me

 

[GTFCTIM]

I very much doubt the snail is eating live fish.

 

[a.tetreault]

Your snail will eat bodies of fish after they are dead, what are water parameters in the tank and what are the other tank mates? You can move the snail with the Betta if you wish, sometimes they don't get along tho, your Betta may pick at the snail. The only reason your tank didn't work out I probably because of those guppies, Bettas see the fancy tails and go after them.
Sorry to hear your having a bad week, my bad week was this week too, lost a cichlid and some neons due to a power outage its kinda funny that you think the snail is eating your fish cuz I thought the same thing after my power outage, the neons just disappeared! He went through 4 in one night lol

 

[Iodizedfate]

One of the tetras showed up when I did a water change, but I didn't see any body of the other one that was missing. Last time I checked (march 18th, it's been a while) the parameters were 0 ammo, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate, 8 ph, 78 degrees. I'll check again later just to be sure but I doubt it's much different.

All of my other fish look fine and are happy, no obvious signs of distress.... just the missing tetra. I checked all the ornaments when I did a water change today and nothing. It's weird that he just disappeared.

 

[Iodizedfate]

Ok just did a test. Keep in mind I just got done with a 50% water change on the tank (65 gallon) and my tap water tests 1 ppm ammo. out of the faucet.

.5 ammo., 0 'trite, 5 'trate, 8 ph, 78 degrees

ammo. will go down to 0 by the end of the night.

It's nothing out of the ordinary, but i was surprised it was reading 5 'trate after a 50% water change because of my small stock. But I did add a few plants recently so that could be from the die-off from the transplant.

I still think the snail ate the fish but it's only one and now he's stuck with the other fish killer in fish prison.

 

[a.tetreault]

Neons move way to fast to be eaten by a snail when they are alive, maybe something else in your tank is eating them?

 

[Iodizedfate]

Maybe, I'll just keep an eye out I guess

 

[boadams87]

Look around on the floor, they may be jumping.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Ok just did a test. Keep in mind I just got done with a 50% water change on the tank (65 gallon) and my tap water tests 1 ppm ammo. out of the faucet.

.5 ammo., 0 'trite, 5 'trate, 8 ph, 78 degrees

ammo. will go down to 0 by the end of the night.

It's nothing out of the ordinary, but i was surprised it was reading 5 'trate after a 50% water change because of my small stock. But I did add a few plants recently so that could be from the die-off from the transplant.

I still think the snail ate the fish but it's only one and now he's stuck with the other fish killer in fish prison.

I don't know if anyone agrees with me, but the slight increase in ammonia may be due to a dead fish in the tank...

 

[Cynic]

I don't know if anyone agrees with me, but the slight increase in ammonia may be due to a dead fish in the tank...

The tap water has ammonia present

 

[Lotsofbabies]

Neons move way to fast to be eaten by a snail when they are alive, maybe something else in your tank is eating them?

I agree. I have way too many apple snails in my 40l and all my guppies are accounted for even the smallest ones... and guppies are much slower than neons imo . I had a few guppies die a while ago due to terrible driftwood, and the snails didn't even fancy eating the bodies (they died while I was at work) .

Thus there must be something else wrong.

Let's help out guys!

 

[Iodizedfate]

There's nothing else in the tank though. I'm just gunna watch the tank and make sure nothing else dies or disappears for now. All my fish are small so we'll see what happens. They were happy and alive till I added the snail and Betta.

I'm also going to have a real good look around the tank to make sure the missing fish isn't there.

 

[Lotsofbabies]

There's nothing else in the tank though. I'm just gunna watch the tank and make sure nothing else dies or disappears for now. All my fish are small so we'll see what happens. They were happy and alive till I added the snail and Betta.

I'm also going to have a real good look around the tank to make sure the missing fish isn't there.

Did you find the missing fish?

 

[Iodizedfate]

Nope I think I'll just blame the cat

If more disappear I'll get worried. Nothing has gone missing since I moved the apple snail.

 

[phoenixkiller]

Nope I think I'll just blame the cat

If more disappear I'll get worried. Nothing has gone missing since I moved the apple snail.

Ok, well, I'm wishing you luck!

 

[a.tetreault]

well im pretty sure we are in competition now for the real tank of death....lol the bad luck continues!! i dont think ill be adding neons to another tank any time soon!

 

[Iodizedfate]

It's funny that you said that because I've had a few other guppies die the past few days. I think either they're killing each other or that it's cause I bought them from Walmart. The only confusing thing is that one of thee guppies that died I've had for a while....

None of my other fish seem to be having any problems ( except for the still missing tetra)

I'm going to do a water test once I get the kids in bed and see if that shows anything

 

[Lotsofbabies]

It's funny that you said that because I've had a few other guppies die the past few days. I think either they're killing each other or that it's cause I bought them from Walmart. The only confusing thing is that one of thee guppies that died I've had for a while....

None of my other fish seem to be having any problems ( except for the still missing tetra)

I'm going to do a water test once I get the kids in bed and see if that shows anything

Walmart can cause havoc anywhere...

As mentioned before, I have way too many guppies (16) and they do not kill each other, even though some of the males chase each other, but I think that's to impress the females mostly... Maybe you should record the tank and see what that shows?

Btw, I found a skeleton of one of my guppies that died due to driftwood AFTER doing a 100% water change to get rid of the snail eggs (guppies was placed in defferent tank). Maybe your tetra died and it's skeleton was picked clean by all the hungry mouths and you can't see it??? Just a thought.

How'd it go with the test?

 

[phoenixkiller]

Walmart can cause havoc anywhere...

As mentioned before, I have way too many guppies (16) and they do not kill each other, even though some of the males chase each other, but I think that's to impress the females mostly... Maybe you should record the tank and see what that shows?

Btw, I found a skeleton of one of my guppies that died due to driftwood AFTER doing a 100% water change to get rid of the snail eggs (guppies was placed in defferent tank). Maybe your tetra died and it's skeleton was picked clean by all the hungry mouths and you can't see it??? Just a thought.

How'd it go with the test?

Not a bad thought. That skeleton would have to hide pretty well though!

 

[Iodizedfate]

I tested the tank water last night and hit 0 ammo, 0 trite, and 10 trate.

I keep looking but dont see any skeletons Maybe it will show up later.