Unboxing Gulper Catfish

[HarleyK]

Someone has been quietly nibbling on their fins. The only other lifeforms in the tank are tons of ghost shrimp, Endlers, bristlenose plecos, and two Siamese flying fox.
I suspect the ghost shrimp.

 

[HarleyK]

It's impossible to catch all the ghost shrimp, so I'm transferring the gulpers into another tank.

 

[HarleyK]

 

[HarleyK]

The little guy with a malformation on the jaw has caught up in size

 

[Desert Bus]

I have seen Ghost Shrimp latch onto fins and chow down, but I'd personally suspect the Flying Foxes (Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus). Pretty sure they're known fin eaters. Siamese Algae Eaters (Crossocheilus oblongus) tend to only beat on each other or similar.

 

[HarleyK]

Desert Bus thanks for speaking Latin, I like that ! Mine are Crossocheilus siamensis. I've had that species on and off for decades, never had nipping issues with them. Even when I had them with angelfish, which have much more "nippable" fins than gulpers...

 

[Desert Bus]

"C. oblongus" is an outdated name for "C. siamensis" and I just went with what was in my brain instead of really checking.

I have one, love it, but I've never had success with more than one or less than a small school.

Common names annoy me, but yeah real SAE's won't do the sort of damage Flying Foxes will.

I once had to chase down a Betta with a Ghost Shrimp taking a ride and chewing a hole in its tailfin. Possible that once something started the damage other fish joined in on the feast. Something smells blood in the water and thinks "EASY FOOD!"

 

[Desert Bus]

Bristlenose are supposed to be one of the most herbivorous/Xylophagic(sp?) Plecos but I've seen them go for dead fish and dying fish. Food is food.