Murder Mystery

[GauguinBoy]

Hi everyone!!!

I have a problem in my tank. During the last three weeks 4 mollies has disappeared. I haven't found the bodies, so I think someone has eaten them. But who?

Inhabitants:
5 black stripe barbs
3 gouramis
6 black mollies (used to be 10)
2 crabs

[Komar]

My guess is that the crabs got 'em. My second guess is that they died of natural causes or possibly the wrong water conditions; I think mollies like brackish water. (http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/ftopict-24.html)

My third guess is that either the barbs or the gouramis *may* have killed the mollies. I've never kept barbs, but I've heard they can be aggressive. I've had one very aggressive Pearl Gourami.

Whatever the cause of death, the crabs probably ate the corpses before you could find them. Lobsters, crayfish, crabs, and shrimp all eat dead fish. Some even attack live fish. I had a Red Claw shrimp nip half the fins off my Betta in one night, and I had a crayfish take out a goldfish twice its size, also in one night. These invertebrates are mostly nocturnal; you'll have difficulties catching a crab in the act, if this is indeed the case.

Then again, you may want to check around your aquarium to see if any of the mollies jumped out...

[GauguinBoy]

I think I ought to buy an other tank for the poor mollies to get them away from that dangerous neighbourhood.
I've been thinking of setting up a new tank for a while, and this way they can have the kind of salinity they prefer.

But what can I put in the first tank instead, something that wont get killed by the crabs OR gouramis, but wont kill anything either?

BTW, I checked, no fish corpses outside the tank. But I do have a kitten, so you'll never know...