Just for you, Koltsixx...

koltsixx

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Yeah, this happens. One of the reasons I am trying my best to never keep any fish that I can't easily and readily see. For this I endure criticism on YouTube that I am a subpar keeper because some of our tanks are bare.

Yes, the first attack could have been a fluke but still would put me on an alarm and close watch, if it was impossible to separate. IDK why your vulture would do this. I've never seen our vultures display any territorial behavior but they have been in a 4500 gal since 12" (2016) and in the past years and especially lately on the receiving end of the tank mate aggression, which is why now there are only 4 of 6 and they now reside in the 25K for the last month. In a smaller tank things may be quite different. Another reason might be that the trachy is weak or stressed. Our vultures sense this and may attack. But it sounds like yours was feeding and behaving normal, making this guess not plausible.
We know so little about fish and how aware they are of their surroundings as well as what makes them comfortable yet people still deal in absolutes and definitives when there really are none. I think a passionate, dedicated person about the hobby can tell if their fish are stressed and many people who have large enclosures for fish often have bare tanks. I can list the pros and cons of barren and decorated but to me they both have valid merits that need to be taken on a case by case basis but I digress. Instead I will simply say we need to live and let live and forego our critical aspersions. Offering our opinion in the hopes of helping someone is one thing and we are all entitled to our beliefs but we should not force them on others in my opinion nor degrade them when their views do not fall in line with our own. We should try to remain open to new ideas as that is one of the ways we grow as a person. Being close minded only leads to stagnation in my opinion. With that said don't let them get to you Viktor. Let your own observations and experiences lead your way. Be truthful to yourself and you will never go wrong. You are in my opinion a great fishkeeper and I believe you will only get better as time goes on because of how you handle obstacles. You always look to find any fault your own or outside and go about trying to solve the problem therefore ensuring your own personal growth.

I was on alert but so many months went by with no more incident. It may have even been a year or more. I too never saw territorial aggression from the Vulture just an occasional snap back when the Trachy pursued too vigorously. As I said above the Vulture actually got harassed by a 8 inch Blochii and it was the first time I ever saw a Four Line Pim show aggression. I do know Vultures tend to target the weak but that's what surprises me, as you said the Male wasn't weak. Actually the Female has given me worry for awhile now. Both Trachys where very food aggressive but slowly the female became much more reserved. She hasn't grown thin but compared to how thick she was she looks odd to me as she is more streamlined while the male retains his girthy appearance. She is also the last to come out to be fed and unusually reserved in her eating so much so I have to make a special effort to make sure she gets enough. So if anyone would have been targeted I thought t would be her but she remains untouched. I don't know what caused the attack and am at a loss. There are 2 blind Rhinodoras around 8 inches, a 6 inch Apurensis, a 8 inch Yellow Syno Nigrita, 12 inch Kamfa and now the two 6-8 inch Lithodoras besides the Trachys and none have been attacked except the Lithos which the Vulture did bump them around with his snout and feign bite when they arrived but he never did any damage and eventually started patroling peacefully with them on occasion.

Forgive me for the long winded replies, I still haven't learned to be concise.
 

koltsixx

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Just wanted to update, my male Trachy is healing fairly quickly and I think he's going to be okay(knock on wood, don't want to jinx myself). He has been eating regularly and his wounds are closing very fast.
 

thebiggerthebetter

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No more trachy. The last of 4, largest female passed.

I think it is bacterial or protozoan parasitic, as the main cause.

I also think that insufficient water changes contributed too. I waited too long to replace 6 RO membranes. The WC was like 100% in 3-4 weeks for the last couple of years, versus 3-4 days when the RO membranes are fresh. Even though the TDS was still around 300 ppm, that is quite acceptable, I think this is at least one significant compounding factor in the passing of the 4 trachies.

17.5 inches. 8 years old.

100_9957.JPG100_9958.JPG
 

thebiggerthebetter

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Plenty others were affected. Most recently and in the same tank - LSN, tigs, suncats, spiny eels. Overall in the 26K system over the past 4 years, probably several hundred of losses.

No, no plans to get more. Gotta refocus. Plus no money. Still not open for business. We have been eating the full extent of the business expenses and having no business revenue since 2015. If we don't open soon, something's gonna break.
 

MultipleTankSyndrome

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All those fish down the drain with no money. That's got to suck, my condolences ?
 
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