Help Identify The Attacker Please

[Blakewater]

Came home to one of my 6.5”-7” Xingus halfway out the door. Every other fish in the tank looks fine but I’ve narrowed down the attacker to two possible culprits and I need the communities help on this one.

Keep in mind all scars and marks are located on the tail and end right around the anus roughly.

Culprit 1: 9” Achara Catfish - never had a problem with him before, but the past few days he hasn’t come out during dinner feeding which is when I feed all my bottom dwellers. Originally he never even crossed my mind until after examining the xingu and noticing the wounds look like something rough was scraping along the end of his body.

Culprit #2: 7” Murray Cod - he’s a real jerk to almost every fish that comes into his little corner but he’s never injured another tankmate. Usually his disputes either end with him flaring his gills to chase a fish out or him running away himself because my bigger bass picking on him just as often. Originally he was my assumed killer but none of my other bass have a scratch on them including my azul which is smaller than my xingus nor does he have any marks from a fight.

 

[Blakewater]

thebiggerthebetter could you take a look at that and let me know if it looks like a catfish bite?

 

[Backfromthedead]

Is it possible fish couldve wounded itself while fleeing a larger bass? Maybe the bite mark was the achara after the bass was incapacitated.

 

[Blakewater]

Is it possible fish couldve wounded itself while fleeing a larger bass? Maybe the bite mark was the achara after the bass was incapacitated.

All the bass get along great and have a well established hierarchy. I've never seen them fight or run from each other since they were first introduced. Its possible but very unlikely as he also was free of any other marks or wounds

 

[kno4te]

I’d guess the Murray cod.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I am with Zombie / Lazarus.

The way I see it, the bass must have been mouthed after becoming incapacitated or dead, most likely by the catfish, the achara. That's exactly how the cats deal with the fallen tank mates - check if they can be swallowed - hmm, whisker, whisker, yummy! Let me see, head first? No way, too big, let me try tail first, how far I could push it in... Nope, too big. Try again. Nope. Again... Again... Again... Spit out. Bummer.

Such injuries would not kill a pbass IMHO, no way. It had passed or had been passing for some other reason, seems like internal / latent, and then was test tasted and mouthed by the cat.

I don't think a Murray cod would do it. They are intelligent and sight-oriented. If they can't swallow the prey / carion, they won't try. They are not nasty IME to tank mates either, as you yourself rather corroborate.

 

[Benno87]

Murray COD forsure. Those things are absolutely savage.

 

[Icecold Dan]

Not helpful to the conversation, but I've never heard of a Murray Cod until now. Wow! That's a true monster!