Is the madtom’s mouth big enough to fit a least killifish? It’s possible.
Tadpole Madtom - Is he eating my least killifish?
My tank is well-planted and seemingly happy, but the fish population has dropped in the past year. I'm sure natural attrition explains much of that, but I'm concerned the tadpole madtom (about 3 inches long) is eating the least killifish specifically as their population has gone from "hordes" to "a few", and no other fish would seem capable of eating them. Same thing happened to the bluefin killifish population. Other fish in the tank include several golden topminnows, 2 female sailfin mollies, a couple bluefin killifish, about 3 mosquitofish, 5 flagfish, and a tiny swamp darter... nothing that would seem likely to eat anyone else.
I've seen some articles saying TMs only eat invertebrates, algae, and detritis, not fish. However, he is tough to get food to as he hides all day, so I wonder if he's resorted to nighttime raids on bigger prey. Anyone know for sure if this guy is likely to be picking off the little fish?
I hope not... my 10g NPT has a thriving population of amphipods and snails (only) and I really do enjoy watching them... and I know they'd be quickly consumed if I moved him there. Hope I'm not forced to build a 3rd tank ;D
I've seen some articles saying TMs only eat invertebrates, algae, and detritis, not fish. However, he is tough to get food to as he hides all day, so I wonder if he's resorted to nighttime raids on bigger prey. Anyone know for sure if this guy is likely to be picking off the little fish?
I hope not... my 10g NPT has a thriving population of amphipods and snails (only) and I really do enjoy watching them... and I know they'd be quickly consumed if I moved him there. Hope I'm not forced to build a 3rd tank ;D
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Feeding him at night after you turn out the lights might help.
The first step in determining what is causing the decrease in your fish population is to test the water parameters in your tank. If your tank is not properly cycled, the ammonia and nitrite levels may be too high, which can be lethal to your fish. You should also check for other signs of stress, such as pH levels and temperature. If you find that the water parameters are all within acceptable ranges, then the next step is to observe the tank inhabitants. If you are seeing the tadpole madtom hunting the other smaller fish, then it is likely the cause of the population decrease. You may want to consider adding more hiding spots so that the smaller fish can have a safe place to hide from the tadpole madtom. Additionally, you could try to separate the tadpole madtom from the other fish in the tank by using a divider or a breeder net, so that it cannot hunt the smaller fish.My tank is well-planted and seemingly happy, but the fish population has dropped in the past year. I'm sure natural attrition explains much of that, but I'm concerned the tadpole madtom (about 3 inches long) is eating the least killifish specifically as their population has gone from "hordes" to "a few", and no other fish would seem capable of eating them. Same thing happened to the bluefin killifish population. Other fish in the tank include several golden topminnows, 2 female sailfin mollies, a couple bluefin killifish, about 3 mosquitofish, 5 flagfish, and a tiny swamp darter... nothing that would seem likely to eat anyone else.
I've seen some articles saying TMs only eat invertebrates, algae, and detritis, not fish. However, he is tough to get food to as he hides all day, so I wonder if he's resorted to nighttime raids on bigger prey. Anyone know for sure if this guy is likely to be picking off the little fish?
I hope not... my 10g NPT has a thriving population of amphipods and snails (only) and I really do enjoy watching them... and I know they'd be quickly consumed if I moved him there. Hope I'm not forced to build a 3rd tank ;D
11thEarl, this has been a brief but interesting thread. I enjoy observations of native fish species when kept in aquaria, even though I am very sorry it came at the expensive of your least killifish.
But with marinecaneantpie's post above, it has become interesting in a very different way. The post is accurate but pedantic and soulless in a strange uncomfortable way. "m" is a realtively new member, only responding to existing threads in the same erie style.
"m" is almost certainly not a person. Instead it is a pseudonym for a CHatGPT, a type of artificial intelligence algorithm that can imitate the prose style of any author.
M, I challenge you to a duel. The weapons will be our humanity, or lack thereof. Answer this question: why does a woman need a man like a fish needs a bicycle?
But with marinecaneantpie's post above, it has become interesting in a very different way. The post is accurate but pedantic and soulless in a strange uncomfortable way. "m" is a realtively new member, only responding to existing threads in the same erie style.
"m" is almost certainly not a person. Instead it is a pseudonym for a CHatGPT, a type of artificial intelligence algorithm that can imitate the prose style of any author.
M, I challenge you to a duel. The weapons will be our humanity, or lack thereof. Answer this question: why does a woman need a man like a fish needs a bicycle?
Oh Lord, what have I started? Lol
For the record, the water parameters are perfect and the fish behave completely normally. Fish seem to just disappear, I have found maybe 3 dead fish in a year.
I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords...
For the record, the water parameters are perfect and the fish behave completely normally. Fish seem to just disappear, I have found maybe 3 dead fish in a year.
I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords...
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