Mystery solved

[Anthony]

I had lost a couple of fish in the last few months all from the same tank.
1 x Salvini, 1 x Texan and 1 x Snowball PLeco. I also had a Panamensis cichlid die because of a large
bite mark. I had it down to two possible culprits.
My Ornate Birchir and a large Eclipse catfish. The mystery has finally been solved.
The wife came running in tonight to say that the big Aligator type fish had a catfish in his mouth.
The Birchir was swimming around with a Granulosis by the tail end in his mouth. Not just that but he was beating the fish off rocks and substrate trying to kill it.
I caught the Birchir in a net and he released it.. The Granulosis looks a little worse for wear but should
survive. I now have to find a home for home or he will be eaten or worse the Birchir will die eating him.

[apistodiscus]

And you thought you couldn't get him to feed

[igmillichip]

The hidden secret of Polypterus......unfortunately you found out the hard way.

The advise often given is don't put them with small fish.....but that is based on our judgement of small fish.

It is not a matter of whether a fish is small enough to eat, it is if the Polypterus itself thinks something is small enough to eat (and that 'small enough' is quite big). They can be real buggers (and the worse thing about it is they seem to have a smile on their face with a fish nearly the same size stuffed in their mouths).

Soz to hear about the losses.

Ian

[Anthony]

The Snowball was the biggest loss. Only had him two days..

Came down this morning and the Granulosis was swimmng around and in good health.
Only thing is I have to sell him now and maybe even the Bristle nose plecs.
I was watching him the other night measuring up a PIke cichlid. The fewker was only short of taking
out a measuring tape..

[igmillichip]

One of things that I find fascinating about the predatory nature of the Polypterus (and lungfish as well) is that they almost seem friendly and polite when being on the predatory prawl pathway (early morning especially).

It's like a pleasant face man steps up to greet you.....then whilst shaking hands says '...you look nice....' [gobble].

Hope you don't get any repeats.

ian

[paul ....]

Lucky she spotted it going on, even more so lucky it was not the green phantom

[Anthony]

It would take some fish to eat him although I recon he would give it a go.