SOS 3 inch mbuna cichlids just vanishing?

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candidpets

candidpets

Candiru
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Okayi n the past i have had red tail cuda for years! HE NEVER ate fish larger than a guppy. HE was big around 10 inches.


Now i bought a fish that was sold as another red tail but looks like a yellow tail. He is tiny only 4 or 5 inches.

IS this species like a gulper fish? swallows down large fish? UNLIKE the red tail that goes for micro fish?


I dont get it because the mbuna just vanished they were good sized mbuna! i just put them in the tank! and looked at his bellow was expanded like a snake!

SOS anyone know the diff between red and yellow tail cudas?
 
They are very similar. The difference is size. The yellows get bigger and more slender. Not sure how big the other mbuna were. The yellow are more timid and sensitive. They aren't like gulpers and nor does it feed that way.

Check ur tank to see if it jumped or other tankmates.
 
found another larger kenyi totoally ripped to shreds with its stomach opened up


now i found a 4 inch female aratus with a wound on her tail like another fish tried to grab her by the tail.

something is going on, i do have five star cichlids in the tank as well but usually mbuna and them are fine my five stars are fremponji not faciatus which are the true killers.

but wow the male full grown aratus is now hiding a lot he was such a show off and aggressive when i got him. I Saw the interaction between five star and aratus the five stars dont attack the aratus they are the dominant fish but they ignore the mbuna.

I have seen the yellow tail cuda stare at the mbuna just stare and size it up until the mbuna would scare it away.

My red tail even at 12 inches NEVER did this he only attacked small fish he could eat he never went after larger fish than an inch.

There must be someone here has more experience with yellow tails?? They must be more aggressive killers.
 
Simple test.. remove the Cuda and see if the others are still disappearing/getting torn up... if not then it's the Cuda if they are then you have another culprit at hand
 
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The cudas will eat the fry for sure. Maybe a plastic tub from Walmart with a small air pump or filter. But keep covered as they will jump out is startled.

Don't think it's the cudas though.
 
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OMG I JUST CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT there was a female aratus around 3 inches cuda is about 5 inches im guessing maybe six max well shes about to drop i thinkt and she was swimming around the sand he spotted her and went for her bee LINE!

he missed and then he went for her again and snapped up a bunch of sand what was shocking is hiis HUGE MOUTH he could like dislocate his jaw like a snake something my red tail could not do, he did what real cudas do his jaws went huge but he bit the dust. The aratus then went after him for a second and left.

IT really is him. I thought it had to be the five stars but its him. THen just after he caught a 3 inch giant diano and swallowed it hole. HIs face BLew up.

These are nothing like my red tails.

He is attacking them but is he doing it predatory or pure aggression? Not many keep these not many have experience with them because they all prefer the red tails more common more fun to watch. Red tails interact with us more and i think easier to keep. So its hard to find someone with real experience in having these. BUt my big red tails could not expand their jaws this way.
 
candidpets said:
OMG I JUST CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT there was a female aratus around 3 inches cuda is about 5 inches im guessing maybe six max well shes about to drop i thinkt and she was swimming around the sand he spotted her and went for her bee LINE!

he missed and then he went for her again and snapped up a bunch of sand what was shocking is hiis HUGE MOUTH he could like dislocate his jaw like a snake something my red tail could not do, he did what real cudas do his jaws went huge but he bit the dust. The aratus then went after him for a second and left.

IT really is him. I thought it had to be the five stars but its him. THen just after he caught a 3 inch giant diano and swallowed it hole. HIs face BLew up.

These are nothing like my red tails.

He is attacking them but is he doing it predatory or pure aggression? Not many keep these not many have experience with them because they all prefer the red tails more common more fun to watch. Red tails interact with us more and i think easier to keep. So its hard to find someone with real experience in having these. BUt my big red tails could not expand their jaws this way.
Click to expand...
so did you separate him or u gonna wait a few more days to be sure?
 
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U don't get it all my fish are breeding if I put him in a five gallon bucket he will die they are weak fish and no heater I bought. Six and using all. U want me to seperate him I have a 125 gallon just a pair of frempongi male is 8 inches they have fry I know the cuda won't get any fry tho not even one those cichlids catch and eat giant diano or monos like guppies when breeding
 
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