Disappearing Cardinals

[Lisa Peters]

I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong area.

I have a 65 gal tank (upgraded from a 29 about 4 months ago). It is a planted tank. The residents are:

1 pair of black angels (have spawned twice recently)
2 geophagus (surinamensis I think). They bicker, so I think they're both males.
1 clown loach
1 red tail labeo (small)
6 danios
1 tiger pleco
3 otocats
4 cardinal tetras (used to be 8 )
1 beta

The problem I am now having is that numbers of cardinal tetras disappear over night. No remains to be found. I've had a school of 8 cardinals for about a year with the same fish in the tank. Now, it appears that they are being eaten! I don't know who the culprit is...any guesses? I've added cardnials back in to keep a school. All told, about 12 have disappeared in two weeks.

I did have 6 rosey barbs that were with us fo a little over a month - they have been returned to the fish store. They were my first suspect - being the most recent addition - but two disappeared the night after they were removed.

I REALLY love cardnials. I will be disappointed if they are no longer safe in the tank.

Any advise is appreciated

 

[WILDER]

Could be the angels and betta, how do the betta and angels get on as fin nippers, plus clown loaches need to be kept in groups to be happy, plus need a 90gal tank as they grow bigger.

 

[SamUK]

my bets on the angels too.


theyve probably jus got big enough to eat cardinals.

 

[Lisa Peters]

Could be the angels and betta, how do the betta and angels get on as fin nippers, plus clown loaches need to be kept in groups to be happy, plus need a 90gal tank as they grow bigger.

The angels only bother other fish when they're protecting their half of the tank to spawn. Then it's just a quick "get out of here" chase.

I've never seen the beta near another fish, or any fin nipping. He just seems to mind his own business...

I guess my time with cardinals is over for now. Guess someone just got too big, and hungry.

Hm, a group of clown loaches....that has potential!

I had wanted to add some ghost (or other freshwater) shrimp. I'm guessing at this point they'd just be expensive fish food.