What's eating my fish?!?!?!

[ashm5]

I'm not a beginner but I didn't know where else to put this thread, I have a 240L tank set up with: 2 Kribs; 2 Gouramis; 2 leopard plecs; 1 siamese flying fox; 9 zebra danios; 7 serpae tetras; 5 white cloud mountain minnows and 5 cherry barbs. So far in the past first fin nipping started with the serpae tetras, before I had cherry barbs (which I have my suspicions are the nippers) I put the tetras in a different tank and all seemed to be fine (after they'd killed off all my guppies) but I read that the reason was because they're wern't enough of them (at the time I only had 4) so i bought a few more and put them back into the tank and everyone was getting along fine, I then bought some mollies who I had the same problem with apparently for the same reason and have just got rid of them, I've have just noticed however, even though i've sorted my tetra and mollie problems out that Some of my fish have bites out of their fins (the kribs and the barbs) The only suspects I can think of now are the cherry barbs but I was told on the site I bought them from that they are peaceful (tropicalfish4u.co.uk) Please help me :S

[gm72]

Well the list of fish you have there hardly seems compatible to begin with, so I am not surprised to hear of your difficulty. That being said, sorry to hear that you are having trouble.

The mollies were a poor choice to add to that tank, and that is why you had the trouble there. Simple enough, sorry to say.

I am a little confused as to what you actually have in the tank at the present time though. Can you make it a little easier for us to understand by listing the current stocking of that 240L tank? In this way we can help you a little more easily.

Hang in there, we'll figure this out!

[ashm5]

The first list on there is what I have in there now (not mollies anymore) how are my fish not compatible? will I ever be able to get a siamese fighter? :( I had one before but it looked like it got eaten, I couldn't tell weather it was fin rot or fin nipping but the interesting thing was that only my labyrinths (2 gouramis, the betta and 2 dwarf gouramis) were effected but anyway sorry I'm going off track so yeah any ideas? :S

[ashm5]

And also I'd just like to say that I did research most of the fish before I put them in there using books internet and asking in the shop so please don't get angry :D

[roulfi004]

Barbs like Rosy barb and tiger barbs are peaceful, but they are called semi-agressive because they will nip fins and take advantage of weak fish. Do cherry barbs have the same behavior? if yes:

More barbs tend to make them fight each other and leave other fish alone. I tried this and it worked. however they are still nippers and will do it, even if less often

Yes i doubt its the Cherry since these are loners according to a website i consulted

Otherwise, some fish turn into "predator mode" at night. try to watch them with red lights


Good luck

[Dave66]

Tiger barbs only keep to themselves in groups of eight or more. Under that number, anything with longer fins is fair game. I've never known Cherry Barbs to pick on anyone. If the flying fox is still in the tank, he's your culprit. The way to solve that is to give him a clump of plants (preferable) or pile of driftwood he can call his own. When they are secure, bad behaviour usually stops.
Dave

[Lady Hobbs]

It would be a toss up between the serpae tetra and the barbs. You previously had problems with the serpae's when they killed your guppies so no reason to think their disposition has changed. However, barbs are known as fin nippers altho I didn't think the cherry barbs held onto this characteristic so much.

[Spyder]

I doubt very much it's the Cherry Barbs. These are one of my favorite fish and I've never had an issue with them with any other fish. Is you siamese flying fox and Flying Fox or a True Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) Crossocheilus siamensis? Either was, a mature Flying Fox will be aggressive and could be the culprit, a Siamensis is a wonderful peaceful schooling fish but if kept alone will feel insecure and could show some aggression. With that said, I do beleive it is the serpae tetras.

[ashm5]

well I don't think it is the serpaes as I bought some more and everything was fien until I bought this lot of fish which were the barbs the siamese flying fox and the white cloud mountain minnows, I was todl that the cherry barbs don't have the nature of most barbs and are peaceful and keep themselves to themselves like some have said on here, the siamese flying fox is a "siamese flying fox" and not just a "flying fox" which i was told were also extremely peacful and liked living on their own and were only ever agressive towards others of their own kind if in a small space with them, he has lots of plants and a few pots/rocks etc. and he is onl about 2/3cm atm so not quite full grown don't think it could be him as I have never seen him anywhere near any other fish but will keep an eye out does anybody think its possible that although these fish are peacful that not having food for a day or two may have made their predatory side come out? as I have just moved them into a temporary tank whilst their tank was re-filled (due to bad water conditions i felt it best to start again) and then put them back in and was reluctant to feed them because I've heard that it is unwise to during transportation etc.

[ashm5]

Well the list of fish you have there hardly seems compatible to begin with, so I am not surprised to hear of your difficulty. That being said, sorry to hear that you are having trouble. and also could anyone help me with what this member meant about these fish not being compatible? :S

[Spyder]

the siamese flying fox is a "siamese flying fox"

It's one or the other, two different fish. Either a Siamese Algea Eater or a Flying Fox. Please read this to see the difference.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[ashm5]

Oh right well on the sight I got it from there were two types, of flying fox's... siames flying fox and just flying fox, it's definately a siamese one so I guess it's the SAE

[ashm5]

And also can I just say that i'm sorry that it's very hard not to sound cocky and arrogant on here I'm sure everyone knows what I mean :S lol I am trying to be polite as possible!

[RobbieG]

I'd put my money on the serpaes. I've kept them in large groups with no problems - but you have a lot of other fish in with them - they probably see too much other activity and are mad more agressive because of it. As you said you didn't have any problems until you added more fish.

[ashm5]

thats a good thought didnt think about that, the too many distractions part, do you think that getting even more might help? I don't want to get rid of them really there really fill up my tank and they'e just started performaing mating rituals I might keep my eye on the problem because there doesn't seem to have been anymore bites since I first saw them it may have been one mad moment in the night as it was the night that they had all just been put into a new tank

[ashm5]

one of my cherry barbs was killed last night :( they've started on my WCMM now and they're 2 small to put up with it I think, who thinks I should just forget these fish, as apparently they are a very bad community, and start with some cichlids? seeing as my pH and water hardness so it may be a much easier option, i may be completely wrong :S any suggestions?

[gm72]

and also could anyone help me with what this member meant about these fish not being compatible? :S

Yes, of course. Sorry for the delay, forgot about this thread! :c11:

"2 Kribs; 2 Gouramis; 2 leopard plecs; 1 siamese flying fox; 9 zebra danios; 7 serpae tetras; 5 white cloud mountain minnows and 5 cherry barbs."

The gouramis are relatively slow moving, whereas the zebra dannios and minnows are fast, thereby possibly creating a behavioral mismatch and causing stress. The serpae tetras can sometimes be fin nippers, so the long fins of the plecos and gouramis would be targets.

I should have clarified in my first post, my bad!

[RobbieG]

You could try breaking up the tank a bit with a lot of plants or decorations. This could allow the different groups you have to set up their own little turfs.

I'd go with plants personally decorations that are large enough to break up the tank tend to be kinda tacky.

Having a lot of plants gives your fish lots of placfes to hide and helps them feel safer - a lot of agression comes from the fish feeling threatened.

[ashm5]

ok thanks well I am now thinking of moving some of my fish into a smaller tank, about 2 ft (not sure how many gallons) and getting some cichlids for my bigger tank, which fish do you think I should move into my smaller one and which ones should I take on a trip to the LFS? Sadly I'll have the same problem with ph being 8.5 as it is my tap water but maybe with a smaller tank I can refill with bottled water, so thats an added bonus, I'll lose the serpaes because that will be too small for them and maybe too small for gouramis do you think it'll be possible to keep my australe killiefish as I've raised them from eggs and would like to keep atleast 1

[ashm5]

sorry i was writing my reply whilst robbie was posting I don't have an aquarium light atm becaus I have no hood on my tank (but dont worry I do have a temporary one to keep fish in the water) it could be a long wait before I can get a light and I don't want this going on for long as I said one fish already died last night and they've started on my WCMM's :(

[RobbieG]

You could try taking the new fish (I think they were the barbs and minnows) back to the store and see if the behavior calms down a bit.

The trouble with moving all/some to another tank is we really don't know where the trouble is coming from - doing something major like that is probably just as likely to make things worse as it is to make things better.

It might not be a bad idea to try moving the new fish to the new tank at least on a temporary basis to see if it helps.

[gm72]

A 2 foot tank would be plenty large for the serpaes. Robbie, once again, has some great information here also!

[ashm5]

my tank is empty with out the new fish :( lol I think we have all come to the conclusion that it is the serpaes though, now I've got my heart set on the cichlids (im like that you see, act on impulse thats my problem lol) the reason I said the two foot wouldn't be large enough for the serpaes is because if they're with other fish then it's gonna make te situation worse because there isn't enough room for chasing and hiding

[ashm5]

eek! :( danio dead now he was decapitated need to sort this fast I'm going to get rid of the serpaes asap then I wll select the fish that are goin to go into my new tank. do you think that gouramis are too big and agressive to be in a 2 ft?

[RobbieG]

They may be OK - but I would expect them to at least chase each other in that sized space.

[ashm5]

yeah they used to chase eachother when I had a male and femal pair, :( sadly the female died because of the mollies (i didnt know that they snackd on gouramis slime) but since I got rid of the mollies I bought a new gourami to keep my one company they don't seem to chase eachother as much but i'm not sure if the new 1 is a male or female as its to young, but the chasing is what I meant by agressive behaviour, they should have enough space for the female to hide not sure if 2ft is enough I could always give it a trial run i suppose apart from that I think the rest should be fine, once I know the capacity I can work out how much fish I'm allowed and sort that out then, (I don't have the tank atm it's at my dads)

[RobbieG]

Sounds like you have a good grasp on what may happen and what to do if it does - good luck with the whole project!

[ashm5]

thumbs2: Thanks! realy hope that wasnt sarcastic :/ lol

[RobbieG]

Definitely not sarcastic!

Good luck with everything:9: