Platty murder mystery

NotMe

Over the last couple of months all four platties have vanished without a trace. About a week or two between each disappearance. At first we thought it was the lobster(crayfish?) killing them because it was attacking any fish that went near it and cutting their fins off. But that died and two platties disappeared afterwards.

So that leaves an angel fish, a red finned shark, a silver shark, 2 plecos and a crab. So who's the culprit? They're all fairly peaceful. The red-finned shark occasionally chases other fish but doesn't attack them and I don't think it could eat a whole platty. On the other hand the plecos have been getting very fat! Oh yeah there's a minnow aswell but unless it's like Nibbler from Futurama then I don't think he's a suspect.

FranknFurter

Its either the tank setup itself, or my money would def be on that crab.

Arcadian

I'm more inclined towards it being a problem with the set up. How long has the tank been set up?

NotMe

The tank has been going a few months now. It went through a cloudy period but it seems okay now. And if the fish were dying of natural causes then surely there would be bodies floating around. Unless the dead bodies were eaten?
The crab is tiny. It's about the size of a euro and it spends most of its time sitting on top of the filter or the heater. I doubt it could catch a fish unless they fell asleep beside it. Oh and it doesn't pinch very hard.

Arcadian

Platies aren't nearly as robust as they used to be and quickly succumb to poor water quality, i'd invest in some test kits. Dead fish can be eaten up fairly quickly !

Kersh

Either the crab or the angel fish. Some individuals can be bullies.

boroughmal

my moneys on the red finned shark.
I have one in my tank and he demolishes the fish & leaves the rest to muller them. Only happens at night when I think he ambushes them.
First to die was a black mollie he was bitten on one side and we couldnt figure why he was flipping in circles then a platie and then the black mollies mate, who suffered the same fate.
Now the last to die was the pleco, but I think it was old age because he was very old about 6-7" long and they mullered him down to the scull.
I am adverse to killing fish or upsetting nature, but if he ambushes any more I will put him in the river for the pike to muller him.
I keep telling him not to do it.
My daughter suggested a bit of steak and the sharks were the first in for the kill. so I am thinking of an additional bit of meat for the little blighter and perhaps he will leave the rest alone.
Now heres a funny one for you. when a mollie dies he wont touch it.

wasted_winter

boroughmal wrote:

I am adverse to killing fish or upsetting nature, but if he ambushes any more I will put him in the river for the pike to muller him.

Em... I'm not a fish person... and honestly... until I read through the posts I was thinking the thread was about plattypus (sp?)!!!

Would it not be easier (and nicer!) to rehome the evil critter???

boroughmal

Its full of people who think they know better.
When the others get fed up being eaten then they will muller him.
Thats Nature
www.fishkeepingsupplies.com
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wasted_winter

boroughmal wrote:

The funny thing with nature is Its full of people who think they know better.

I'm I to take it that you're pi55ed off with me???

I have family & friends who are big into fish... and one neighbour who has a kitchen with tanks running from the floor to ceiling. This neighbour in particular has the same fondness for his fish that anyone else would have for a cat or a dog. They are pets to him. If he started to have problems with one fish he'd relocate it to another tank, try it with different fish, or just put it in a tank by itself until he could find a more suitable home for it.

I only suggested that rather than having the fish killed (which is what you said you happen) that you should look at other alternatives! I'm sure an ad in the buy & sell... or anywhere else you can think of, would find a home quickly.

I don't think I was doing the 'high and might... I know better' act. I even stated at the beginning of my post that I didn't know much about fish, so I have no idea where your post came from.

NotMe

Two guppies were added last week... now there's only one!

wasted_winter wrote:

Em... I'm not a fish person... and honestly... until I read through the posts I was thinking the thread was about plattypus (sp?)!!!

haha that's funny!

Fuzzie Bear

I am adverse to killing fish or upsetting nature, but if he ambushes any more I will put him in the river for the pike to muller him.

Hes only being sarcastic... hes a huge lover of fish and besides, I wouldn't let him do that... or else, he'd be getting chucked in with the pike... lol

boroughmal

There was no reference to do anything to the fish in question, I simply meant that let nature take its course, fish eat fish & bigger fish eat bigger fish. What I meant was that if the fish got too big that I would introduce a bigger fish than him to put a stop to his little games of mullering other fish. Not once did I mention kill it.
Nature has a way of looking after its subjects and people should not interfere with natures way of taking care of it. simple as that.
In the wild they all live together and no-one cares if they muller each other , thats nature. Even sharks have to be fed, its only man that tries to feed him cake.Thats interfering.
Regards

boroughmal

Got 2 new plecos today I wonder if they will survive???
The Tank rolls on

Dellgirl

mullered

What does this mean?

Notme....did you find your Fish-the-ripper yet?

Skip

boroughmal wrote:

Nature has a way of looking after its subjects and people should not interfere with natures way of taking care of it. simple as that.
In the wild they all live together and no-one cares if they muller each other , thats nature. Even sharks have to be fed, its only man that tries to feed him cake.Thats interfering.
Regards

That's true, but once you set up a fishtank, you already interfere with nature :rolleyes: So theoretically I don't think "natural" laws should apply in a tank, otherwise your fish would have to look for their own food.

boroughmal

All the fish look for their own food, thats when they muller the others for a meal.!!
I have been known to feed them every now & again.
So I added two new plecos to replace the dead one, No sign of them being mullered, so I might add a krib next week.
Hows the other tank getting on

NotMe

Blingarella wrote:

What does this mean?

Notme....did you find your Fish-the-ripper yet?

Can't be certain but one of the plecos is twice the size of the other one and they were both the same size when bought. So he's prime suspect.

boroughmal

Plecos are only scavengers, they will clear up dead fish. Its the killer you want to find, in case he does it again. Stick in a fresh prawn on a bit of cotton & find out who attacks it first.
When you find the culprit you should lock him up for a few years, that will sort him.