What happened to my Scissortails?

[hkgar]

I purchased 3 Scissortail Dart Fish from DD. I put the through TTM and treated with Prazi Pro and then an additional two weeks in QT.

Two days after introduction to the DT one of the two smaller ones was never seen again. Two days later the second smaller also disappeared. One week later - no more scissortails. They were all swimming very normal and eating good also, then one morning they are gone.

Might I possibly have a predator going after them because they burrow at night - as I understand. I also have 4 Wrasse and they haven't disappeared.

[rtecanoe]

they tend to jump and get into overflows and such. I would check your overflow/sump in case they may still be alive. I'd also check the floor behind your tank in case their not! I once had a clownfish I hadnt seen for about six months, he was fat and happy in my overflow the whole time.

[hkgar]

No, not in sump or overflows. I have screening over the top to keep the jumpers in and covers over the overflows. Before the covers for the overflows, I too had a clown fish in the overflow. I had to pull the drain pipe and I hope he enjoyed the water slide. My sump is in the basement with an 8 foot drop a a 15 foot horizontal flow. He did make through.

[Bent]

Darts do not play nice together.

They likely killed each other off.

[hkgar]

I never saw any aggression between the fish. Unlike with Chromis and others that like to kill off each other. And if that were true it doesn't explain the loss of the one that lasted a week longer than the other two.

[Bent]

I never saw any aggression between the fish. Unlike with Chromis and others that like to kill off each other. And if that were true it doesn't explain the loss of the one that lasted a week longer than the other two.

It does actually. They won't fight out in the open most of the time and they are so timid that it doesn't take much aggression to do them in. Most of the time they are so stressed out from fighting that they starve to death.

Here's why.

Metabolic systems have a demand for two things that must be met. Food and oxygen. Different situations increase the demand for one or both. Some fish can handle (metabolically) more stress than others. Their demand for o2 and food does not increase as much as say a dart. Darts have a very fragile metabolic system where the slightest amount of aggression will shoot their oxygen and energy demands to a point that's incompatible with life. So even though the survivor was ok for a few weeks, all the aggression between the three left him in a state where his oxygen and energy demand was unattainable. So he eventually metabolically shut down and died.

Go buy a single scissor tail and I would bet 100 bucks that he will make it through QT with ease and adapt well to your tank as long as no other fish is there to stress him out.

Hope that helps some.

[hkgar]

It does actually. They won't fight out in the open most of the time and they are so timid that it doesn't take much aggression to do them in. Most of the time they are so stressed out from fighting that they starve to death.

Here's why.

Metabolic systems have a demand for two things that must be met. Food and oxygen. Different situations increase the demand for one or both. Some fish can handle (metabolically) more stress than others. Their demand for o2 and food does not increase as much as say a dart. Darts have a very fragile metabolic system where the slightest amount of aggression will shoot their oxygen and energy demands to a point that's incompatible with life. So even though the survivor was ok for a few weeks, all the aggression between the three left him in a state where his oxygen and energy demand was unattainable. So he eventually metabolically shut down and died.

Go buy a single scissor tail and I would bet 100 bucks that he will make it through QT with ease and adapt well to your tank as long as no other fish is there to stress him out.

Hope that helps some.

Yes, that helps some, but then it disturbs me a bit. The three were bought from Diver's Den and were posted as a "trio". Shame on me for assume that that meant they would get along, like a male and his harem of 2 females. That was reinforced when they were received as one was noticeably larger than the other two. He was also the last one standing.

Interesting that the "hide" their aggression. Every time that I observed them they sere swimming together as is great friends. I read a post from someone with more than one who said the swam together as if a synchronized water ballet.

Maybe I will try a single, but now my concern is if the Kole Tang (and will be adding a PBT and a Purple) will be intimidating to it - not aggressive as he (she) never bothered the 3 I lost. The Wrasses may show it some aggression?

[Bent]

Yes, that helps some, but then it disturbs me a bit. The three were bought from Diver's Den and were posted as a "trio". Shame on me for assume that that meant they would get along, like a male and his harem of 2 females. That was reinforced when they were received as one was noticeably larger than the other two. He was also the last one standing.

Interesting that the "hide" their aggression. Every time that I observed them they sere swimming together as is great friends. I read a post from someone with more than one who said the swam together as if a synchronized water ballet.

Maybe I will try a single, but now my concern is if the Kole Tang (and will be adding a PBT and a Purple) will be intimidating to it - not aggressive as he (she) never bothered the 3 I lost. The Wrasses may show it some aggression?

That's unfortunately the breaks with darts. Some people have kept them successfully with tangs and wrasses, but it's a dice roll.

Usually the tangs leave everyone but other tangs alone, so you should be ok there. But I've seen six lines intimidate darts to death as well as other species of wrasse.

Plus you may be ok with a group of darts for months or years before they go all highlander on each other, but it's not a matter of if, but when.

Sometimes you can get lucky with a duo of helfrichi or purple fire fish as they form pairs in the wild, but IME that's the exception and not the rule in our tiny glass boxes.

DD often sells trios or groups of darts unfortunately, and even in the largest of tanks they most of the time won't survive long term.

[hkgar]

Queston: Should I have any cocern for my 4 Pajama Cardinals?

My Kole Tang did show some aggression toward my Spotbreast Angel when the Angel was first introduced, but then I think he decided - oops, only looks a bit like a tang, had me fooled guess I'll leave it alone.

[Bent]

Queston: Should I have any cocern for my 4 Pajama Cardinals?

My Kole Tang did show some aggression toward my Spotbreast Angel when the Angel was first introduced, but then I think he decided - oops, only looks a bit like a tang, had me fooled guess I'll leave it alone.

I wouldn't worry about them too much. I doubt anyone will bother them.

And yes, I believe aggression between tangs and angels is fairly common.

[hkgar]

And yes, I believe aggression between tangs and angels is fairly common.

Same tail look, similar body shape and fin structure. They just get confused.