tuffpaws

I have a 25ish gallon tank. In it were 5 otocinclus, 3 corie cats, and 5-6 neons.

Then I got a kitten. Kitten loves to watch the fish, and paw at the glass. "Oh, so cute!" I thought.

Then all my neons started dying, save for one. I think maybe the kitten scared them to death. Could this happen? Water parameters were my standard 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5ppm nitrates.

Gouramiguy17

how long ago did you get your neons? it could be from that neon tetra disease that they sometimes get when they are caught wildy

Lucy

Although the kitty could cause them stress, I doubt it would kill them.

CHoffman

I'm with Lucy. I doubt if the stress was the ending factor. What is your pH?
Sometimes those little neons are SUPER sensitive

ABCDemily

Kitty shouldn't be causing unfortunate fishy deaths. Neons are really sensitive little guys, and if you got a bad batch, and there was something up with the water chemistry, aside from the obvious. They may have been a sudden pH change which may have stressed and killed them.

Good luck with the rest of the tank

aquarist48

Good morning. Sorry to hear about your fish loss. I agree with the statement that I don't think kitty is the problem.

Can you list any symptoms? Any difference in appearances? pH levels?
Telling us as much as you can will help others to help you more.
Best of luck,
Ken

tuffpaws

Well, my pH is notoriously low, but it's always like that. I had had the neons about 6 months maybe? 3 months prior, we made a 3 mile move, and they all survived.

As far as appearance/behavior, they seemed "normal" then all of a sudden one would start looking pale, and having trouble swimming. Sometimes the snails would start eating a neon even before it was dead. Man, those snails are metal! I had one fish go missing/dead/eaten about every day - every other day for a week or so, and now there is just one left. He's been a single fish for close to a month now.

The single one left seems OK. He's big, and eats, and swims around. He can't be too happy being alone though. The kitten has seemed to have lost interest with just the one neon.

Biscato33

Those symptoms that you listed were very similar to some of the symptoms my neons had a few months ago. It sounds like neon tetra disease. I highly doubt your kitty caused the death of your fish. You might want to get a few buds for your neon though. They are schooling fish, and are happier, and healthier in schools. Just make sure before you buy your fish, check the tank thouroughly for any signs of irregular swimming, bloating, and sometimes there are a few dead fish floating around.

Hope I helped!

peacemaker92

oh wow... I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how it feels. But except for the kitty scaring the fishies part. Have a cat at home but he just stares at my tank then walks off after a minute or so.