I've Lost A Fish?

[ardandy]

I had 10 Neon Tetras, now I have 9 which I noticed when feeding them. Theres often 1 or 2 that play hidey every now and then but feeding brings them out.

This time only 9 appeared so I lifted up some of the decorations in the tank to check and it was nowhere to be seen! Its not in the filter either.

Do Neon Tetras eat a dead one? If so they've done it since my last count which was between 15-20 hours before.

Really odd!


I can't imagine one ate another when alive? They do chase each other and occasionally see some 'having a go' at each other?

 

[WILDER]

Sometimes they are hard to find and have to remove things from the tank like plants and ornaments.
Fish will eat dead fish sometimes.
What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

 

[ardandy]

Have to check tomorrow but I did a water change yesterday (20%). The ph is normal, haven't tested the others since the change.

I have been feeding them less (once a day) and only giving them the equivilant of 1-2 'bits' per fish.

If they get hungry will they attack each other? I assumed it was natural behaviour but thinking back they do seem to chase each other (Randomly) more than before?

 

[WILDER]

I would feed the fish twice aday and good varied diet of frozen food and veg.
is the red stripe still vibrant on the neons.

 

[ardandy]

All seem vibrant and healthy.

I'll go back to twice daily, went to once a day to lessen the snail issue which seems to have worked.

 

[fatheadminnow]

It wont take long for a died fish to be eaten. So 15-20 hours is plenty of time for a died fish to be eaten.

Happened to me a couple of times too.

What your main priority is now, is to find out the cause of death.

Like stated above, we need to know your water stats, so once you check them, post them on here, as bad water parameters could most likely be the cause of death.

Neon Tetras need at least a 4, if not a 6 month established tank to live in and spot on water conditions. If there is the slightest toxic level of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate present it will most likely kill them.

-FHM

 

[Super Dude]

assuming that the lost fish is dead, and all the others are perfectly healthy, a likely cause of death could be abuse. maybe he was a runt or significantly smaller/weaker.

 

[ardandy]

All water stats are normal, no anomalies.

I have 1 theory.

I did a 30% (ish) water change the night before and also did a prune of the plants and a re-planting of some, as well as putting the boat back in. I probably had my hand in and out of the tank for a good hour and half. Do you reckon it could have got stressed at that?

 

[WILDER]

Its hard to say some fish don't like you messing around in the tank for ages.
With no symtoms to go on it's hard to say what the neon died of.
Just keep a close eye on the other fish.
Maybe a water change with a fish dying in the tank.

 

[GSD]

I would just keep searching, sometimes dead fish are very hard to find, ive even found one burried in the substrate. That amount of time is also sufficient for a dead fish to be eaten. I would have a last look just to make sure though, because a decaying fish can effect water quality.

If all of the other neons are fine it may just have been a one off, a weakened or bullied fish, but i would do as wilder suggested and do a water change and keep a close eye for afew days.