Eating My Neons

[manners8]

just brought 7 new fish on the weekend (sunday) and since then someone's eating my small neons. previously i've had my other medium neons for bout a month. yesterday i added 4 small neon's, 2 swordtails and a guppy.

Not sure which one is attacking them, but its gotta be either the swordtails or guppy.

lost one last night and one in the last 2 hours, was quite a big chunk taken out of the small neon and the other lost its head


had already had 3 danio's, 2 platies, 1 sucking loach, and 4 medium sized neons.


any advice on which fish is the culprit and should i separate it from the rest or just return it?

p.s they're getting fed regularly (daily)

 

[Juice]

Watch the swordtails. I know my cousins swordtails eat the guppy fry, so I guess they are the type to eat small neons also

 

[SuperColey1]

Swordtails are not going to eat Neons unless they are very very young and tiny.

Sucking Loach gets my vote!. Most likely is a CAE - Chinese Algae Eater. Check out the profile of this fish in the fish index.

Renowned for turning aggressive.

andy

 

[jourdy288]

I agree with Andy, sucking loach.

 

[Butch]

I would bet on the swordtails, how big is your swordtails? I know they can be huge enough to eat small neon tetras but not entire neons, just leave half bodied ones lying around. CAE....well its impossible that they would catch small neons with that mouth as they were designed to sucking on flatbodied or roundbellied fishes such as angelfish and fancy goldfish.
Danios are known for being playful, they may chase the small neons then causes danios accidently ate their tails off but danios are known as fin nippers.

Danios and swordtails are likely did it. CAE are known for aggressive but I don't think CAE killed your neons.

 

[groovitudedude]

Might be the CAE. Supposedly very mean, but I have no problem with mine.

 

[manners8]

went down to the my local aquatics center, and they've also suggested that it is likely that they loach bit them, but only after they died. they've replaced my swordtails also as they say that the change in water may have affected they're behaviour and aided in the neon's getting killing.

added to new swordtails and will see how it goes, touch wood thou, i've not had any more neons die since the swordtails were replaced yesterday.