Cannibal Chromis

[DonW]

I started with 5 green chromis and a coris wrasse, now I'm down to just 2 chromis. All seems fine during the day nobody picking on anybody. When I get up in the morning I find just a head floating around.

Anyone seen chromis do this?

Don

 

[sandollar]

Nope. Unless maybe some of your chromis were sick, died, and your fish ate a free meal or you have a predator hiding in your rocks you are un-aware of.

 

[DonW]

Nope. Unless maybe some of your chromis were sick, died, and your fish ate a free meal or you have a predator hiding in your rocks you are un-aware of.

Predators are pretty much impossible. There has never been anything live added to the tank except the fish of course.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

How big is your coris wrasse?

 

[DonW]

How big is your coris wrasse?

Right now about 1/4" long. Was about 2" maybe 3".

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Right now about 1/4" long. Was about 2" maybe 3".

Don

Got eaten?

If so and no other predators present, your damsels are severely under fed

 

[Boomer]

Never anything added Don but fish ? No LR that can house a Mantis Shrimp ? Your description is classic Mantis, hitting at night and leaving the head behind

 

[DonW]

Got eaten?

Ya I blamed him at first but he was the second one to go. Going back and looking at my feeding log. This has happened 4 times all on days when I only fed once. All the other days there were 3 or more feedings.

Were not talking about a rotten dead fish. Were talking just a head that looks torn from the body much like a crab attack. Fresh meat and gills still bright.

Don

 

[DonW]

Never anything added Don but fish ? No LR that can house a Mantis Shrimp ? Your description is classic Mantis, hitting at night and leaving the head behind

Rock was left to dry outside for months, bleached, blasted with compressed air and left in FW for a month. Sand was just dry aragamax new from LFS, rinsed and cleaned with ro water.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

No other inverts as in crabs?

 

[DonW]

No other inverts as in crabs?

Not unless they lived through the rock killing process. I doubt its even possible.


Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

OK.
Then by exclusion of all other potential causes, looks like very hungry fish.

 

[DonW]

OK.
Then by exclusion of all other potential causes, looks like very hungry fish.

This is what was fed for the last 5 days for 3 remaining chromis

Wed: 1/4 cube frozen mysis Fish eaten
Thurs: 1/4tsp zooplankton, 1/4cube frozen mysis, 1/4 cube F1
Friday: 1/4 tsp zooplankton, 1/4 cube F2
Saturday: 1/4 cube mysis, 1/4 cube F1, 1/4 cube F2
Sunday: 1/4 cube frozen mysis Fish eaten

That should have been plenty of food. I also toss in three or four pellets a couple times a day for giggles but I dont track them.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Sounds like the correct amount of food equals 1/4 cube and one fish:badgrin::badgrin:

Sorry, that was my dark side taking control

 

[DonW]

Sounds like the correct amount of food equals 1/4 cube and one fish:badgrin::badgrin:

Sorry, that was my dark side taking control

I'm not going to feed them tonight. If I find a head in the morning Im going to bring the devil chromis over to your tank.:lol:

Don

 

[Scooterman]

In a small tank I think this is possible. I watched 5 of them as they got older kill each other off, not enough room IMO so in their nature they will fight for dominance. These fish remind me of Africancichlids which will do the same thing.

 

[jezzeaepi]

IMO, a quarter cube of mysis is hardly any food. with three fish Id probably do atleast a whole cube, split in half and fed in morning and night.

 

[DonW]

IMO, a quarter cube of mysis is hardly any food. with three fish Id probably do atleast a whole cube, split in half and fed in morning and night.

1/4 cube is a small meal but most days they got much more. They are only young fish 1/2 to 3/4" at most.

Don

 

[Red C Aquarium]

sounds like you are feeding them enough meat:lol:
chromis do fight and kill each other ,very common.

 

[ac7av]

I thought I saw someone talking about green chromis doing that some times a couple months ago. Cannibalizing there own school.