Classic Who-Dun-It?

karin · Dec 20, 2009

Kind of a gross bi-line, sorry.

Okay so today, one of my six neons is missing a side fin and an eye. He/she was the smallest of the neons. Who dunit?

The main suspect is the african butterfly fish. But am I just prejudging him based on stereotypes? I have never seen him hunt the others. He loves his crickets though so I know he has that side to him/her. But does that mean he suddenly developed a taste for neon? (Truth be told they have all lived together for 4 weeks now). But shouldn't I keep an open mind?
Could for example the zebra loach have done this? He/She is only one zebra loach and may have a motive. Perhaps he is angry that he has no other of his kind in the tank? The corys, again I stereo type. Like others on this list, corys remind me of rabbits and rabbits are not killers (Monty Python aside). Are they? Could the other neons have turned on one of their own? Is there anything else I might be missing?

Any help before I just go ahead and give the african butterfly fish to my lfs?

P.S. The neon was still actively feeding. Could he possibly survive?
P.S.S. Before you say get more zebra loaches, I really don't want any. It is a 29 gallon tank, the one guy is fine but I don't want any more of that species.

Thanks for any thoughts, suspicions, accusations etc.

hughessomefish · Dec 20, 2009

the neon could get inffected if the wound is open

three-fingers · Dec 20, 2009

It was either one of the other neons of the loach. The butterfly would have just swallowed the neon whole or not bothered.

May want to get some very mild anti-bacterial in the like Melafix, just in case it gets infected.

karin · Dec 21, 2009

Any one else out there want to take a shot at the who dun it? After Three-fingers reply I did read up on the Zebra Loach. Lots of places say it is a great peaceful community fish but one or two mention that if kept as a single they can become aggressive or reclusive. So, unless I hear otherwise I think I'll try to see if the lfs will take him. No offense to the loach but the tank size and my preference for some schooling small tetra are the reasons.

karin