My neons got ate

R.B.

AC Members
Feb 28, 2005
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I've got 4 serpae long fin tettras I've cycled a 20 gallon tank with & all's well.So I added two cory cats & alls good.A week later I went to the libary & bought some books to learn more, & everything I read says just about all tetras can live together.One book suggested a combo of serpaes,black neons & glowlight tetras.

All the pet stores had,that I liked, was some blue neons.I bought 6 of the tiny fish & threw em in the tank.

Next day one's gone.I looked everywhere & it aint there.I figured one of the serpaes ate it.Following day anothers missing.So now I'm down to 4 but the good news is I've been at four for 3 days.

So the questions I have are, do the serpaes eat other tetras or just anything smaller than them ???

The serpaes have grown larger since I brought them home & now I'm wondering if when I go to ad some black neons, that the neons(Which will be larger by then) won't eat them too.What I mean is when I add fish they grow,Then I add more but their just babies,so I'm wondering if it's a size thing or a species thing or just a weak willed fish thing.

The coryies aren't much bigger than the neons & they were in the tank for 2 weeks alone with the serpaes.And they didn't get ate.So I'm not getting why 2 of 8 smallish fish got ate & not all of them.

All the neons are just babies, but the smallest of the 6 is still kicking & the serpaes don't look like they could eat even him.

I'd like to keep 6 neons & replace the 2 that got ate but after reading a little here about serpaes I wounder If I shouldn't get rid of those.BTW I haven't noticed any agressive behavior between the serpaes & themselves or the other fish.They all act like buddies when I'm around.

Could it be possible the neons died & the other fish ate them ???

The tank has a hood.I looked behind it to see if they jumped out the gap where the heater & air hoses go in.I looked in all the plants,All the cracks & crevices & there gone.But the serpaes don't look like they swallowed a fish 3/4's their size.

I just can't figure how a fish a inch & a half long could eat one a good inch long.

I'd like to eventualy get rid of the serpaes & go with 6 neons,6 black neons & 6 myers hatchet fish BTW.

Any help would be appreciated :thm:
 
I highly doubt the serpaes ate them. Neons are sensitive, and it's not uncommon to lose a few right after you get them home. My guess is they died and the others ate the bodies.
Keep an eye on your serpaes, IME they can be nippy little guys and they may harass your other tetras and corys.
 
I agree with blinky, and with neons it is also a good idea to acclimate them to your tank over an hour or two, slowly adding tank water to their bag, that will let them adjust to your tank more gradually. If you plan to keep the serpaes and the corys, you'd be a bit overstocked with the addition of 18 more fish!! You would also need to keep the water in very good condition becuase the neons can be sensitive to water condtions
 
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