Tank mates for the carnivorous pleco...

I have three tanks all with BN in...

Tank 1-Fluval
2xBN + 120 bN FRY + a couple of mollies, 4 guppies, and 2 cory's.....

Tank 2-Clearseal
1xBN (4inch) + 5 BN fry... and one red male betta (picture in the current comp)

Tank 3-Rekord
3xBN (1 clown pleco about 3 inches) (1 BN about 3inches) (1 albino gibi about 4.5 inches)
+ 5 mollies and 3 female betta non of the fish have shown any hostility in the past..

Ok as a treat and after reading your other post about BN tank mates, I decided to add 10 small tetra to a well established
*******tank 3 - Rekord 80-- **********just until I set my fourth tank up.... over the next few weeks

Anyways I did a water change on all tanks Friday before I went away for 2 days.

Returned back Sunday night around 9pm to find 9 of the new small 1inch tetras missing from Tank 3.

Dont laugh..... lol....

Appears that even though I left food in the tank for the two day trip away that one of the fish in Tank 3 seems
to have helped him or her self to a extra lunch of 9 tetras over the last two days.

I am now carefully watching the fish for any signs of territorial dispute or flaring...

what do you guys and gals think... and please refrain from the jokes.....

hmmm im thinking your tetras are dying and the other fish are having a feed on them. doesnt look like you have anythin in there that would kill the small fish...

Yeah, im with Karl on that one.

Some of the smaller tetra, things like neons, cardinals etc, are very sensitive fish. Even though they are quite common, it is actually quite hard to keep a good population going without needing to add more to replace those that die. They are actually on par with Discus for their sensitivity to water quaility and changes, but as they are cheeper no one seems to mind when a few drop off.

There is nothing in that tank that would really have a go at them, but pretty much everything in there will chomp down on a dead or dying fish. Loaches in particular are renound for it. As soon as a fish hits the gravel, even if its still slightly alive, they will be on it. and they will eat the whole thing, hence why there is no sign of them.

The other, less likely option, which im sure you have thought of, is jumping. tetra spook easily and are good jumpers. Check the floor around the tank, especially behind it.

I agree that by far the most likely explanation is the one given, that the tetras have died and been eaten after death. That said I have heard of 3 instances where plecos hunted and ate their tankmates ( victims being danios, guppies and neon tetras) Two of these were BN and one an L-001. All 3 plecos were seen by their owners doing this and it was all done in the same manner, they would swim in mid tank at night and drop down on their prey. This would be extremely unusual behavior, but if you think you have a rogue BN you could watch at night and see if this is happening.

thanks guys and gals....

checked round the tank floor before I posted-dont know why lol as the only bit open on the lid was where the auto feeder
was situated. did wonder about them being sensitive but paramters seem sok right now..

still have one left right now...lol

quite often the way with tetra

most will die off and you are left with the really hardy one or two. sucks cos they stress when they are alone. need to be in a school of 5ish or more normlly

Prob sniff, probly a dingo ate your babys.

that one tetra seems to be doing well... it is growing and seems to be staying away from the pleco's lol...

cant afford any more tetra right now as only have a little food left and my next spare cash goes on some cucumber and pleco pellets.

think the fish are eating better than me right now ...lol..

no dingo's near here right now, just my cocker spaniel keeps growling at the sailfin lol,..... seems he dont like the sailfin swimming near his chair...pmsl...

regards

LJ