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	Clowns eating neons?
skinny (ish) Fish Addict Posts: 506 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-Sep-2003	My clown loaches are getting fairly big now (about 4.5-5.5" and they're VERY confident. They come up to the surface to eat (almost from my fingers) and they chase the other fish at feeding time to get their food. They seem to have discovered that chasing a neon and getting the food it drops is easier than going to the surface or waiting for the food to sink. Anyway, my point is that I used to have 8 neons, now I only have 6. Could it be that the clowns are getting a bit too eager and are actually eating the neons as well as their food?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
Adam Administrator Posts: 1090 Registered: 25-Jul-2000	I don't think they have the teeth for it.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
sirbooks Moderator Sociopath Posts: 3875 Kudos: 5164 Votes: 932 Registered: 26-Jul-2004	Clown loaches are good community fish, I would doubt that they would eat any live neon tetras. Bottom feeders will sometimes eat dead fish, though. I've had that experience with my cories. And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
terranova Fish Master Posts: 1984 Kudos: 1889 Votes: 229 Registered: 09-Jul-2003	I would never think that clowns would eat them either, I can see them picking on them if they already died and were on the bottom, but not healthy ones... What else is in your tank?? -Formerly known as the Ferretfish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
skinny (ish) Fish Addict Posts: 506 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-Sep-2003	Other fish are: 2 Sterbai Cories 2 Pearl Gouramis 3 Kuhli Loaches 3 Ottos 1 long-finned bristlenose 2 Amano shrimps Apart from the gouramis, the clowns are the only ones with big enough mouths. I did wonder of the clowns were chasing them so much that they jumped out, but I've never found them on the floor....
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
Perky Mega Fish Posts: 1064 Kudos: 1036 Votes: 162 Registered: 24-Nov-2003	I would have guessed the Gourami maybe or if the Neons died of other causes all the fish just picked at it for food.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
Natalie Ultimate Fish Guru Apolay Wayyioy Posts: 4499 Kudos: 3730 Votes: 348 Registered: 01-Feb-2003	If the neons could fit in the clown loaches mouth, there is a very good chance that it was the clowns that ate them (if they got eaten at all). Even "vegetarian" fish like giant gouramis and pacus will not hesitate to eat small tankmates. I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
heaven2 Mega Fish Posts: 1065 Votes: 0 Registered: 10-Jun-2002	It could indeed have been the CLs. I had a pair of CLs devour 6 diamond tetras whilst in QT. Could hardly credit myself, but the evidence was irrefutable. I later found a post on predatory CLs at loaches.com On the other hand, if a neon dies in a large planted tank, the body may easily go undiscoved...
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
keithgh Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 6371 Kudos: 6918 Votes: 1542 Registered: 26-Apr-2003	My clowns would certainly clean up any dead fish in the tank, but as far as chasing and eating live fish I have never heard of it before or mentioned here in FP. Keith Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do. I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT? VOTE NOW VOTE NOW
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
digiclear Fingerling Posts: 44 Kudos: 33 Votes: 0 Registered: 29-Feb-2004	I have had the same problem, i have the missing fishies as well. I have lost 5 fish in a month. Must have gone into a black hole. The fish wont sick or anything like that and 8hrs later they were gone. So i wouldn't be supprised. They were all small fish as well. I dont know if it was my bala sharks or my CL's now seening this forum i would be pushing more to the CL side.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
simpkia Hobbyist Posts: 114 Kudos: 93 Votes: 0 Registered: 10-May-2004	i've experienced this with my CL's and neons. Some days i'd wake up and count one less neon in the tank and not know the reason but one early morning I woke up and saw a CL quickly grab a dead neon the was floating on the surface, take it into his hidey-hole and come out with a fat stomach (okay, I didn't see the fat stomach part but you know what I mean). Perhaps your CL's are getting too boistrous around the neons and they are dieing, then being eaten. I'd never for a second believe that the CL's are chasing down a neon and then eating it, even accidentally!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
DaMossMan Fish Guru Piranha Bait Posts: 2511 Kudos: 2117 Votes: 359 Registered: 16-Nov-2003	Any member of the loach family can be predatory whenever it feels like it. A 4 inch or larger clown could easily devour a neon. (and they hunt after lights out similar to catfish) They need some protein in their diet also, not vegetarian at all. Gouramis are not vegetarian either, but would have a hard time eating a neon whole. Your clown would have more luck. Your neons might be sick or dead when they're being eaten, by whatever fish/es gets to it first.. It's common for a dead fish to be picked at by the other fish until there's nothing left.. The Amazon Nut...
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04


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