I had to go to Baltimore for 2 weeks, left about 2 weeks ago, and just got back .
While away, I asked a friend to remove any corpses, if they occurred in the tank and were noticed while I was gone.
Yes I know, a bit of a cynic.
But little did I realize the scope of carnage.
Small plecos disappeared first, large ones were floaters. (some small ones had disappeared even before I left, I thought they were just hiding.
My friends were freaking out thinking they were doing something wrong and called from Panama.
Then the cichlids started disappearing, a few each day, 1st the small ones, and 2 large pairs soon ended up mauled floaters..
After returning from Baltimore yesterday, I checked pumps, checked water parameters and all were normal.
Even with all the corpses piling up, ammonia was undetectable.
Then I saw it, a looming shadow, almost indivisible, sequestered in some plant roots along the the back wall of the tank, about 12" long.
A Gobiomorus (one I hadn't seen for over a month) because its a very secretive individual, (probably after eating that bunch of small Plecos), it had grow another 3rd larger, and had now graduated to eating cichlids while I was gone. And much like its convergent Asian equivalent the snakehead, will sometimes kill, randomly, and just take one bite.
In all, probably killing a dozen cichlids, 3 Plecos. and a catfish or two, all have vanished over the last 2 weeks.
So...Today .....I tore down the tank, to catch the assassin, and it is now in my QT/isolation tank, where it will stay.
All the Gobiomorus left alive in the 180 gal tank, were 2 Andinoacara cichlids, a couple young Gobiomoris, and 3 or 4 Awaous gobys.
While away, I asked a friend to remove any corpses, if they occurred in the tank and were noticed while I was gone.
Yes I know, a bit of a cynic.
But little did I realize the scope of carnage.
Small plecos disappeared first, large ones were floaters. (some small ones had disappeared even before I left, I thought they were just hiding.
My friends were freaking out thinking they were doing something wrong and called from Panama.
Then the cichlids started disappearing, a few each day, 1st the small ones, and 2 large pairs soon ended up mauled floaters..
After returning from Baltimore yesterday, I checked pumps, checked water parameters and all were normal.
Even with all the corpses piling up, ammonia was undetectable.
Then I saw it, a looming shadow, almost indivisible, sequestered in some plant roots along the the back wall of the tank, about 12" long.
A Gobiomorus (one I hadn't seen for over a month) because its a very secretive individual, (probably after eating that bunch of small Plecos), it had grow another 3rd larger, and had now graduated to eating cichlids while I was gone. And much like its convergent Asian equivalent the snakehead, will sometimes kill, randomly, and just take one bite.
In all, probably killing a dozen cichlids, 3 Plecos. and a catfish or two, all have vanished over the last 2 weeks.
So...Today .....I tore down the tank, to catch the assassin, and it is now in my QT/isolation tank, where it will stay.
All the Gobiomorus left alive in the 180 gal tank, were 2 Andinoacara cichlids, a couple young Gobiomoris, and 3 or 4 Awaous gobys.
