Who's eating my tetra's?

[Kingst3r]

I'm wondering whos eating my glo rite tetras and my zebra danios.

In my 38g I have two 6 inch blood red jewels, 1 red sailfin catfish, and 3 red tip sharks.

Do the blood red jewels eat smaller fish? Do the red sailfin cats eat smaller fish? The red tip sharks havnt been touched at all. I am leaning towards the sailfins because every time I go to sleep and turn on my red leds, I come back the next morning and they are gone. I had a total of 8 in between, Im down to 2 (I dont care that they are getting eaten as long as the other fish are eating)? So where do you guys think they're goin?

 

[C L O W N K N I F E]

Its most likely your blood red jewel cichlids. They can eat a glo lite tetra and zebra danio whole even at the early stages of life. They are quite aggressive, especially while breeding (they will turn more red when in "breeding mode"). You should house them with other fish of like size to avoid having anymore problems with missing tetras and danios.

Your red tailed sharks are also not a good tankmate for zebra danios and glo lite tetra..they are aggressive especially when its feeding time. They should not be kept with smaller docile and peaceful fish.

And for your benefit, I would suggest NOT housing red tailed sharks with other bottom dwelling fish. They will compete for the same territory and food since red tailed sharks are also bottom dwellers and mid-level swimmers.

 

[Kingst3r]

Its most likely your blood red jewel cichlids. They can eat a glo lite tetra and zebra danio whole even at the early stages of life. They are quite aggressive, especially while breeding (they will turn more red when in "breeding mode"). You should house them with other fish of like size to avoid having anymore problems with missing tetras and danios.

Oh ok thanks man. The other tetras remaining are hiding in the corner of the tank. I dont really care that they are getting eaten, just curious and now I know. Thanks for the advice man, you think they will go after my red tip sharks? They are just a little bigger than glo rites, but they mind their own business.

 

[C L O W N K N I F E]

Well, if you don't see any problems with the red jewel cichlids and the sharks then you should have nothing to worry about, they both have about the same temperament so I don't see why they wouldn't be good with each other. But according to you their pretty small in comparison to your jewels, so I would just watch them carefully now until the sharks get about the same size as the jewels. Red tailed sharks will also get about the same size as your red jewel cichlids which is good.

Your jewel cichlids will also benefit from eating live food (your tetras) but it can be costly to feed them tetras especially glo lites because if im not mistaken those are around $6 for one. If the rest of your tetras dissapear I would just not buy anymore and instead feed your jewels guppies like once or twice a month. Reason why I say once or twice a month is because guppies can carry all kinds of diseases and if you feed them guppies all the time as their main meal, then you're more likely to have one of you jewel cichlids get sick.

 

[Kingst3r]

I know they are bottom dwellers, but they stay all around my fake coral and rock and eat stuff off it, always in the middle (mid-level) so they dont get in the way of the sailfin. They are def. one of my favorite loaches. If they dont work with tetras thats find, thanks for the info bro. I dont wanna sound ignorant, but I think a lot a lot about fish keeping is trial and error. Everyone says this fish wont work with this fish and what not, a lot of it is true. But I believe you can house many fish together, that you "cant". I have seen it in my friends tank, everyone says you cant and he did, granted some didnt work, but many did. Thanks for the info man, much appreciated.

 

[C L O W N K N I F E]

Np and I also believe in trial and error, I wasn't trying to say you couldn't house your red tailed sharks with your plecos; I was just saying its not that good of an idea (cuz sometimes they will compete over food and territories). But if you say they are doing fine then thats cool, maybe they are getting along and aren't competing with each other over anything. & I understand, all fish are different and some fish that people say can't and are not recommended to be housed with each other actually can get along and be housed together, it just depends on so many factors and of course like you said, trial and error.

 

[Kingst3r]

Well, if you don't see any problems with the red jewel cichlids and the sharks then you should have nothing to worry about, they both have about the same temperament so I don't see why they wouldn't be good with each other. But according to you their pretty small in comparison to your jewels, so I would just watch them carefully now until the sharks get about the same size as the jewels. Red tailed sharks will also get about the same size as your red jewel cichlids which is good.

Your jewel cichlids will also benefit from eating live food (your tetras) but it can be costly to feed them tetras especially glo lites because if im not mistaken those are around $6 for one. If the rest of your tetras dissapear I would just not buy anymore and instead feed your jewels guppies like once or twice a month. Reason why I say once or twice a month is because guppies can carry all kinds of diseases and if you feed them guppies all the time as their main meal, then you're more likely to have one of you jewel cichlids get sick.

Np and I also believe in trial and error, I wasn't trying to say you couldn't house your red tailed sharks with your plecos; I was just saying its not that good of an idea (cuz sometimes they will compete over food and territories). But if you say they are doing fine then thats cool, maybe they are getting along and aren't competing with each other over anything. & I understand, all fish are different and some fish that people say can't and are not recommended to be housed with each other actually can get along and be housed together, it just depends on so many factors and of course like you said, trial and error.

Sounds good man. I cant wait for the red tips to get bigger . If the jewels start going after the red tips, how do i stop it, make a small cave for the tips? N yeah the glo rites were 4 bucks, so its just a one time treat for them LOL. I think the coral is really benifiting keeping the red tips calm because they are constantly around that while the sailfin is hiding in the cave. My set up right now is working out pretty good, so I am just gonna alet these guys grow out and go from there. Than ill put some trail and error to the test n throw some new guys in when I upgrade my tank. Thanks for all your help man!

 

[C L O W N K N I F E]

Ya, I would just get them some caves to hide in or you could get a tank divider...hope all goes well, tell us if your jewels ever pair up and lay any eggs lol

 

[Kingst3r]

Ya, I would just get them some caves to hide in or you could get a tank divider...hope all goes well, tell us if your jewels ever pair up and lay any eggs lol

Yeah Ill try a cave, tank dividers look ugly. Haha, Ill let you know, I bought them off a friend and they didnt breed when they were with him, so I kinda doubt it.