NOLAunderwater

I just bought 5 Cardinal Tertra and within a week- ALL 5 WENT MISSING, slowly. One or two one night, another a few days later.

They aren't in the tank. I have looked everywhere! Who is eating them? Or where are they going?

Shawnie

hi NOLaunderwater
what else is in the tank?

Lucy

Fish Aliens!

Does your tank have a lid? Do you have a cat?

Barbrella

How big are your eupterus catfish ("featherfins") and how big were your tetras?

If those catfish are juveniles, they cannot live together as they get older as they can be extremely aggressive towards their own kind. Also they can grow up to 8" and are going to need a very big tank.

Another explanation, if your tank hasn't been set up very long, is that the cardinals died on their own and the other fish ate them. Cardinals do not do well in new tanks.

NOLAunderwater

The tank has been set up since December. All the levels check out okay.

The Featherfins are about 4 inches each. They seem to just ignore each other.

Yes, lid. No, cat.

Shawnie

5 fish just dont disappear ...are the featherfins big enough to eat them? or is there something else in the tank that might?

NOLAunderwater

The only other thing thats bigger than them are 2 Pearl Gouramis, 2 Sunset Gouramis, and 1 kribensis. The Featherfins are big enough to eat them, but I didnt think they would eat tetra. I didnt think they ate other fish. And the tetra would mostly stay up top, the catfish on the bottom. Who knows.

Barbrella

Most fish will eat anything they catch, including tetras, if it fits in their mouths.

COBettaCouple

It wouldn't surprise me if the Krib ate them. Have you checked the entire filter assembly?

goggles

your tetras must have been scared of something as they are mid-bottom dwellers. they like to play around in the caves and plants.

capekate

I agree with goggles,My Cardinal tetras never swam at the top of the tank. They do like the bottom region where they can swim around plants, rocks and decorations. If your tetra were hanging out at the surface I would think that its possible that a recent addition to your tank is disrupting their lifesyle, such as the catfish who also hang out at the bottom of the tank.
Also just to let you know that these little cardinal tetras when they die,they fade away very quickly, but the catfish and others would make a short lunch or midnight snack on them if left in the water. Im betting its those four inch catfish that cleaned the tank for you.
I love Cardinal tetras and feel bad for your loss...

Evelyn1919

yeah they probably got eaten. poor fishies...sorry for your loss.

lalynya

check the filter

NOLAunderwater

Well what should I get in place of the Cardinals? I liked them because of the blue color they brought to my tank, dominated by oranges.

TFA101

Tiger barbs or a larger type of tetra might work, like bleeding hearts or congos. How big is the tank, what do you have and I might be able to make up stock possibilities

lalynya

My answer is always..long fin white cloud minnows..or you could try some rosebara

goggles

look at glow light tetras,thats what i have and they are bigger than neons

Evelyn1919

you can get the cardinal tetras again just be sure your nitrogen cycle is finished and just ad 2 or 3 at a time. don't add all 5 or any kind of fish cuz that might disrupt ur cycle.

good luck!

by the way how big is your tank?