Half Eaten Fish

[moohug4]

AAAAHHH! I don't know what happened! When i got home, i was checking on my fish and making sure that the 2 pregnant fish hadnt given birth, and to my dismay, one of my fish had it's whole stomach eaten off! I don't understand! I swear that i saw a baby fish...

Did the baby eat it's was from the mothers tummy?

 

[Verminator89]

Ok, first off lets find out what fish you have in what size tank.

Tank size?
Stocking?


Then we can begin to help.

 

[moohug4]

Ok, first off lets find out what fish you have in what size tank.

Tank size?
Stocking?


Then we can begin to help.

Red wag platies

20 gallon

5 (now 4) red wag platys

 

[Verminator89]

No other fish in the tank, just the platties? Hmmm, kind of odd.

If she died of natural causes through the day then the others wouldnt hesitate to devour the corpse, and unfortunately any unborn fry.


Slightly different situation, but my oscar devoured a pregnant molly of mine yesterday and did the same thing. Ate the face and the fry from inside, but left a gaping hole in the fishs body where both were.

I'd hazard a guess your other platties could/would have done the same to the female you had die. However,i don't think they would have killed her per se.


Most unusual. Sorry to hear this, its baffled me.

 

[moohug4]

No other fish in the tank, just the platties? Hmmm, kind of odd.

If she died of natural causes through the day then the others wouldnt hesitate to devour the corpse, and unfortunately any unborn fry.


Slightly different situation, but my oscar devoured a pregnant molly of mine yesterday and did the same thing. Ate the face and the fry from inside, but left a gaping hole in the fishs body where both were.

I'd hazard a guess your other platties could/would have done the same to the female you had die. However,i don't think they would have killed her per se.


Most unusual. Sorry to hear this, its baffled me.

It was one of my males!

 

[Verminator89]

Did you actually see the male attack and kill her? Or just a male venturing over for a nibble. Two very different things. A dead fish is food to any fish that sees it. So just because one had a nibble, don't make them the culprit.


Unless it was natural causes that killed the pregnant female i can think only of a rival male wanting to re-impregnate the female. Quite a common thing with none-pairing fish such as platties, mollys, tetras ect. Males will harrass females to be the most recent male to have done the deed therefor making the fry that of his own.


Hopefully another member will be able to shed some more light on this matter as i havnt the most experience with platties/mollys personally.

 

[moohug4]

Did you actually see the male attack and kill her? Or just a male venturing over for a nibble. Two very different things. A dead fish is food to any fish that sees it. So just because one had a nibble, don't make them the culprit.


Unless it was natural causes that killed the pregnant female i can think only of a rival male wanting to re-impregnate the female. Quite a common thing with none-pairing fish such as platties, mollys, tetras ect. Males will harrass females to be the most recent male to have done the deed therefor making the fry that of his own.


Hopefully another member will be able to shed some more light on this matter as i havnt the most experience with platties/mollys personally.

Noooo. A male died.

 

[Harlequins]

Sorry to hear of your loss

Its not uncommon for other fish to nibble at a dead fish.

Depends if it died of natural causes or water related ailment...

What are your readings for ammonia & nitrite?

Its advisable to do a waterchange if you've had a fish die in the tank.

 

[Verminator89]

You mentioned two pregnant platties and then said one has its face eaten off. 1 + 1 = 2.

Clear as mud all that was....

 

[healthyfeet]

I had the same thing happen to me today in one of my tanks!
I have around 60 small Garra Rufa fish (Doctor fish) in each of 2 independant 90L tanks.
2 died yesterday and 2 today in one of the tanks. all that was left of them were the bones! they were completely stripped, no sign of any flesh left at all!
The nitrate levels were high, as were the nitrates (v high!). The Ph was around 5! Water Temperature is set at 26 degrees. The water tank in question had a slight green shade to it, but it is nearest the window and sunlight! All the levels are almost identical in both tanks otherwise.
I did around 20% water change and added biological products to reduce the nitrates and nitrites and some green plants, and added alkaline pebbles to raise the ph slowly.
Anyone have any other advice? I'm no fish expert!
Thanks in advance
Regards

Martyn

Sorry to hear of your loss

Its not uncommon for other fish to nibble at a dead fish.

Depends if it died of natural causes or water related ailment...

What are your readings for ammonia & nitrite?

Its advisable to do a waterchange if you've had a fish die in the tank.

 

[mbsqw1d]

What's the general maintenance / routine for how these fish kept & stored?

I have seen the AquaSiva place in Chester when they are packing up after business. It looks as though all the fish are caught and bagged out from the 'treatment tanks' and then .. taken somewhere else?

I am no expert on Doctor fish / Garra Rufa fish in particular however as with any fish, Nitrites, Ammonia and Nitrates need to be kep't in check!!!

In your treatment tanks, what hardware is there? A heater? filter? airstone?

Your filter is the most important for controlling the toxic Ammonia and Nitrite. Your filter must be 'cycled'

Once the colony of bacteria within your filter has converted the dangerous chemicals into less dangerous Nitrate, you have no option other than doing water changes to remove the Nitrate, unless, you have plants (which will use some of the Nitrate as food).

As a business I wouldn't have thought that losing 2 - 3 fish a day is that bad? However as a fish keeper, that would be horrendous!

 

[moohug4]

What's the general maintenance / routine for how these fish kept & stored?

I have seen the AquaSiva place in Chester when they are packing up after business. It looks as though all the fish are caught and bagged out from the 'treatment tanks' and then .. taken somewhere else?

I am no expert on Doctor fish / Garra Rufa fish in particular however as with any fish, Nitrites, Ammonia and Nitrates need to be kep't in check!!!

In your treatment tanks, what hardware is there? A heater? filter? airstone?

Your filter is the most important for controlling the toxic Ammonia and Nitrite. Your filter must be 'cycled'

Once the colony of bacteria within your filter has converted the dangerous chemicals into less dangerous Nitrate, you have no option other than doing water changes to remove the Nitrate, unless, you have plants (which will use some of the Nitrate as food).

As a business I wouldn't have thought that losing 2 - 3 fish a day is that bad? However as a fish keeper, that would be horrendous!

I've got a filter and a heater. The filter falls and pushes air into the water. And i've got a black apple snail.

 

[mbsqw1d]

sorry, my reply was in response to healthyfeet's post