Goodbye Cardnal tetras..

[halo_demo]

I can't figure out why my discus have decided to make my tetras disappear.. I keep them fed, but I've had 2 tetras vanish in two days.. I thought they were supposed to be good tank mates, not good food. Is there anything I can do to make these seem less tasty? I have serpae tertas and a black neon in there and they are all fine.. they just seem to eat cardnals and neons..

[Jennie]

My juvies did the same thing. one by one.

[Eddie]

Provide more shelter or hiding spots but only the strong survive. ;)

[Jennie]

I had all that and of 15 tetras 15 were eaten.

[Eddie]

I had all that and of 15 tetras 15 were eaten.


Weaklings :D

[Jennie]

protein!:D
Weaklings :D

[Eddie]

protein!:D


Expensive though! :o

[Jennie]

you see my signature? :):):):):):)

[Eddie]

you see my signature? :):):):):):)


Yeah, its the truth too. I know all about it. LOL

[TURBOFROG]

I had the same thing in my tank happen! Expensive fish food!!

[halo_demo]

Yeah, very expensive food.. what was so bad about the first one is that it was just sorta bit in the middle.. they could have at least ate the whole thing. I proably need more hiding spaces too.. the thing I find odd is that every since about a week after I got the discus, there has been only 1 black neon tetra in with them.. and he is fine.. I just added the cardnals a couple of days ago, and bam.. two dead.

[halo_demo]

Why couldn't they eat the $1.00 serpae tetras?

[tcyiu]

My juvies did the same thing. one by one.

Just a data point of one: My juvies did the same. They hunted the cardinals and the sterbai in packs. But when they grew up and were put into the main tank, they did not seem to have the same interest in the cardinals (even though the discus are now fed less than when they were in the growout tank).

Tim

[2wheelsx2]

With smaller tetras and cichlids you always run that risk. And since it varies from fish to fish, it might work for some others but not for you. Get some larger and deeper bodied tetras like Emperors or the large black neons, or Columbian tetras and you should be fine.

[Jennie]

never heard of the emporors. Any sponsors here sell them???

[2wheelsx2]

Here's a couple of lousy pics of mine:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_92IVadGjH2w/S-9dR2hK1aI/AAAAAAAAB2g/VQVqocmJOBs/s800/DSC_1842.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_92IVadGjH2w/S-9dSCpdJTI/AAAAAAAAB2k/QAXekRhaNN8/s800/DSC_1843.JPG

[Jennie]

there not real popular as google really didn't have images. I've tried the cardinal tetras too and those were eaten:(

[2wheelsx2]

there not real popular as google really didn't have images. I've tried the cardinal tetras too and those were eaten:(

Hmmm...I googled and found hundreds of images, including this one...weird.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_palmeri.php

[Jennie]

That is weird that your getting images. I was getting sites that carried allot of other tetras. Neons, blacks, cardinals, skirts. Our 2 fish stores here don't carry those.

[TURBOFROG]

Yeah I had the same problem with Rams. I put about 8 of them in the tank and had 3 in the morning.

[tcyiu]

Hmmm...I googled and found hundreds of images, including this one...weird.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_palmeri.php

Hmmm. Same here. Found hundreds of pictures. DiscusLover65, maybe you could not find pictures because your Google is set with Safe Search on. After all, the fish are nekkid. :-)

BTW, I hear (i.e. I have no direct experience), that Emperor Tetras are very finicky about water conditions ... even more so than cardinals.

Tim

[Jennie]

hahhaa! Maybe so! I guess I'll stick with just the botias in the tank, at least I know they won't be food.



Hmmm. Same here. Found hundreds of pictures. DiscusLover65, maybe you could not find pictures because your Google is set with Safe Search on. After all, the fish are nekkid. :-)

BTW, I hear (i.e. I have no direct experience), that Emperor Tetras are very finicky about water conditions ... even more so than cardinals.

Tim

[2wheelsx2]

BTW, I hear (i.e. I have no direct experience), that Emperor Tetras are very finicky about water conditions ... even more so than cardinals.

Tim

This is the first time I've had them and my are super hardy. The only problem is that they are very aggressive towards small critters so they killed all my shrimp. :D They seem to be tough as nails and are very common locally. Many vendors have them.

[Jennie]

Our new fish store carries the black tetras and the emperor tetras. I really like the emperors but sheesh, 4.50 a piece! At least I got to see what they looked like though. Very nice!

[Discus-Hans]

I think it also depends on the size of the Cardinals, I've groups in with my wild Discus and don't find any half ones :D :D :D

We get the Cardinals in at JUMBO size (what's a joke) we keep them 6 to 8 weeks full on food before we sell them.

In those weeks also the weaker ones drop out

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=81987

Hans

[Gonzo]

Emperor Tetra's work well. Never had one eaten.

[Jennie]

I don't know what the shipping would cost but may but if it's too high then that's really an expensive tetra. Would have to buy allot of them online.

[Discus-Hans]

I don't know what the shipping would cost but may but if it's too high then that's really an expensive tetra. Would have to buy allot of them online.

If people combine, buy 300 ~ shipping ??? $100.00 = $0.30 each (shipping)

Hans

[Ronald]

Hi all,

Hans hit the nail right on:D

I got around it with buying the small ones (only ones I could get) and grew them out in a small 20 gal until they where a too large snack for our Discus. Works like a charm. But of course you can buy adults (if you find them) for more $$.

[Ken N]

Not sure if you are set on tetras but I had a problem keeping cardinals too. Not because of the discus but because of a spotted Rafael catfish that I have had for about 12 years. I never see him but since the cardinals almost lay on the bottom at night he cleans house with them. I have moved to harlequin rasboras and they add to the tank so much. They do well in warm water and the temp seems to make them glow. They swim from one end of the tank to the other in their school but do not swim too fast to spook the discus. Just a thought. :)

[Willie]

Interestingly enough, I have more success with cardinals than emperors. My adult discus definitely eat emperor tetras. They went through about two dozen before I decided enough was enough. Cardinals do well in my adult discus tank. They tend to get caught up in my Python during water changes though. :o

Willie

[Jennie]

really Willie, they are like 2 inches long and thick bodied??

[RudeDogg1]

Yeah I had the same problem with Rams. I put about 8 of them in the tank and had 3 in the morning.

u must of had teeny tiny rams for them to b discus fodder

[lissy]

please don't tell me they are going to eat rummy nose tetras are they?:confused:

[Eddie]

please don't tell me they are going to eat rummy nose tetras are they?:confused:

It can happen, depends on the size of the discus/rummy nose. Also depends on if the discus were/are in the tank first. Keep the discus fed well also.

Eddie

[halo_demo]

So Rasboras are ok in a discus tank? I've seen them, but didn't buy because I didn't know if they were recommended. I can definately do that seeing as how they are around $1 here compared to $4 for cardnals.. Haven't seen any emperors, and Rummy nose tetras are rare.

[3dees]

my choice was lemon tetras. too big for my discus to bother. they school great and are really pretty once they get out of the lfs tank.

[2wheelsx2]

So Rasboras are ok in a discus tank? I've seen them, but didn't buy because I didn't know if they were recommended. I can definately do that seeing as how they are around $1 here compared to $4 for cardnals.. Haven't seen any emperors, and Rummy nose tetras are rare.

In my experience, depending on the rasboras, they can get a bit "nippy" with other fish.

[fishorama]

In my experience, depending on the rasboras, they can get a bit "nippy" with other fish.

Rasboras can't do much, they don't have teeth like tetras.

[Sharkbait]

I'm finding my rummynose are lasting a lot longer than my cardinals. It's a shame too because I find the cardinals more attractive.

Do cardinals have a weak immune system? Or just not that hardy?

[2wheelsx2]

I know, cyprinids don't have teeth in the mouth. But tell that to my fish which had fins shredded by Harlequin Rasbora and Red tail black sharks. Both supposed to be cyprinids. They're also the most notorious shrimp eaters too. My rummy nose and cardinal don't touch my shrimp, but my Harlequins cleaned them out.

[lissy]

:( OH! oh! you were right! my new discus have settled into the tank & they r chasing the cardinals, neons, rummy nose, blue rams,corys all except the flying fox. If the little fish were board before they r'nt now. Good luck guys!:D

[Eddie]

:( OH! oh! you were right! my new discus have settled into the tank & they r chasing the cardinals, neons, rummy nose, blue rams,corys all except the flying fox. If the little fish were board before they r'nt now. Good luck guys!:D


Yup, will make a nice expensive meal. :o

[Scribbles]

I'd kept cardinal tetras with my discus for 10 years without any problems until this last batch of discus. The cardinals were huge fat and healthy but as the discus got bigger they started hunting the cardinals in the early morning hours as the cardinals "slept". I wondered why I kept finding cardinal bodies in the tank when they looked so healthy. I went downstairs early one morning and the discus were slowly swimming around. They singled out a tetra sleeping at the edge of the group, cut it from the group as well as any cutting horse then BAM they all rushed in and one less tetra in the world. They didn't eat it just killed it then moved on to the next one.

Chris

Chris

[Eddie]

I'd kept cardinal tetras with my discus for 10 years without any problems until this last batch of discus. The cardinals were huge fat and healthy but as the discus got bigger they started hunting the cardinals in the early morning hours as the cardinals "slept". I wondered why I kept finding cardinal bodies in the tank when they looked so healthy. I went downstairs early one morning and the discus were slowly swimming around. They singled out a tetra sleeping at the edge of the group, cut it from the group as well as any cutting horse then BAM they all rushed in and one less tetra in the world. They didn't eat it just killed it then moved on to the next one.

Chris

Chris


Yup, like a game! The great hunters. ;)

[Scribbles]

Yup, like a game! The great hunters. ;)


More like SOB's. :D Not as bad as the male Marlboro Red that killed 3 expensive fancy plecos. :(

Chris

[Eddie]

More like SOB's. :D Not as bad as the male Marlboro Red that killed 3 expensive fancy plecos. :(

Chris


LMAO, thats funny! Yeah, had one group of discus kill some corys once, just pecked them to death. :(