My male Swordtail has been eaten!

[Richalds]

I can't figure this out. I have a 29 gallon tank with 4 red velvet swordtails. 3 females 1 male. Yesterday I noticed the male was hiding and constantly laying on the rocks and breathing rather fast. I was worried but all water tests proved fine, as well as the other fish were still very active and healthy.

The male was always alot smaller and seemed more shy and "sissy" sorta speak. Also I noticed yesterday when the male was laying on the bottom a couple times the females would come up and charge him, kinda pushing him around.


Now today I can't find the male at all. No sign of him whatsoever. Has he been eaten? Did I do something wrong?


It sucks to lose your first fish :(

[Full3R]

are you sure that there wasnt more males? but it is possible since he was smaller and "sisy" as you say that he could've had something wrong with him and so the females were attacking him

[Richalds]

yeah from the get-go he was never 100% it seemed. He always stayed distant and never chased any of the females or anything like that. Would they eat the whole fish? Can't even find any remains :/


I had one male (it had the long swordtail) and 3 others that were thicker and did not have the sword tails, are they not the females?

[Full3R]

it depends because the tails can grow at different ages atleast thats what happened to mine

Check under ornaments or plants that you may have in the tank because dead fish bodies can rot and float into things like ive had happen with my plattys

[kimmers318]

Yea, lucky for me, the couple of fish I have lost are usually found under something, especially the otos.

[William]

Keep looking for it. Your swordtails do eat dead fish but it is very unlikely that 3 females would be able to eat the entire body during one night-

[Richalds]

I can't find a single thing :( so weird... when I clean the gravel soon I'll pay extra attention to see if I can find anything

[William]

Ok. Let us know

[Full3R]

also could be stuck in filters?

[Squirt0170]

Did you just by him recently? If you did, maybe he was already sick when you bought him? I've never known them to be aggressive.. really weird

[Richalds]

yeah they are recent. about 2 weeks now. just cycling the tank with him.

i think he was sick from the beginning, he was always kinda alot smaller and thinner then the females and always liked to just sit on the gravel in the plants, didnt move around much.