# Unpleasant death



## SSneddon (Oct 2, 2012)

This morning I woke up to a very unpleasant situation in my fish tank and I'm very confused and disturbed by it. I had three neon tetras and one skirt tetra all living peacefully for the past couple weeks. My tank has only been set up for about a month or a month and a half but everything had been going very smoothly. However, this morning when I looked into the tank all was not well. I couldn't find the third neon. And then I realized it was floating on the top of the tank. But it wasn't a normal death. I could barely identify that it was a fish at first. I have no idea what happened but the fish was shredded. I'm afraid my skirt tetra could have somehow eaten it? I don't really think so and I truly hope not. But I don't know what else could have happened. I don't see any way it could have gotten into the filter.. I was planning to get a new fish today but now I'm scared. Please help!!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

What size of tank? what are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Is the tank cycled? What size is the tank? To be honest three neons is a tad thin, they need larger numbers as does the skirt tetra. I cant promise it wasnt aggression from the other one, which would most likely subside if you get the numbers up. It could have also however died if the tank parameters were not in order.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

fish eat fish.As Majerah said water quality could have been cause.Can you test your water for ammonia/nitrIte/nitrAte?Those numbers would be helpful in finding cause of death. If dead fish was not removed the other fish could eat it. Not necessarily an act of aggression but fish nature in action.As both the fish you keep prefer to be in schools of their own kind to feel more comfortable.Can't rule out aggression but it's not top of the list to me.If you could post test results better advice/opinions could be offered.Sorry to hear about you fish.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Lone black skirt tetras are known to be aggressive, but odds are that's a scavenging issue, not a killing.


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## graybot (Apr 24, 2011)

Fish are opportunistic feeders- meaning that if something tastes good, won't swim away, and can fit in its mouth, it's food. 

Looking at what you stock in that tank, chances are the feeding frenzy was post-mortem. It's just what happens when a dead fish is left alone with the living.


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## gar1948 (Jan 25, 2012)

I agree it was probably eaten after it died.


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