Disappearing Killies?

[timebomb]

Hi, fellas,

I'm extremely upset.

Yesterday, I did a headcount of my Ep fasciolatus zimiensis SL 89. I got 10 fry from Ronnie who got the eggs from Bill. When I counted them, there were still 10 of them. They are about 1 cm in size and I thought it was time to transfer them into a big tank. I planned to do it today. This afternoon, I came home and discovered that there were only 3 left. I couldn't find any dead bodies in the tank. I searched every square inch of my balcony but couldn't find any dead bodies either.

I just don't understand what could have possibly happened? How on earth did 7 fish go missing? They haven't been transferred yet and the plastic container holding them is only about 10 litres in volume. Where could they be?

Loh K L

[RonWill]

Kwek Leong, between the last time you counted them and the pending move to bigger quarters, were these ZII housed in an intermediate tank? My next question would be... was it covered?

Although small, these buggers can jump... as do most killies. If you've got shrimps and snails, it's likely the bodies have been consumed. If you've got ants around the tank area.... guess who's having a feast?

Other than that, I can't figure what happened to the other 7 fry.

Think I better go count mine too!

[timebomb]

It's very strange. The 10 ZIIs were kept in the same container for several weeks and nothing happened. The day I wanted to transfer them, 7 disappeared.

The container wasn't covered but the water level is low. There's a possiblity they jumped but I can't find the dead bodies. Even if there had been giant ants, it's impossible for all 7 bodies to be eaten in such a short time. The last time I saw them was at about 10 pm last night. I came home from work today at about 4 pm.

I thought of all possiblities, including the highly unlikely one that I could have already transferred them into the bigger tank but not remembering doing it. I could have been sleep-walking and did the transfer in my sleep. So I checked all the big tanks but the fish were nowhere to be found. I also thought of the possibility they got eaten by birds. Mynahs sometimes come to perch on the metal grill in my balcony but it would be impossible for any bird to reach into that container to eat the fish. I had left it in under my Killifish bench and the space between the top of the container and the bench is too narrow.

I thought of another predator - maybe a dragonfly nymph but I did not add any plants or anything to the container yesterday. If there's a nymph, I would have spotted it as the container is pretty bare. There's no filter and other than some Monoselenium tenerum, there's nothing else.

It's very puzzling and I'm still trying to figure out what happened. It looks as though someone came into the house and stole my fish. But nothing else is missing and if there had been a burglary, it would be silly of the thief to take the fish and nothing else. And other than the guys here in the forum, who else would know I have precious fish like ZIIs in one of my containers?

Loh K L

[ruyle]

KL,
I have a theory: knowing that they were about to be transferred, 7 of them
formed a suicide pact and jumped to oblivion, whence they were devoured
by birds/ants. Sometimes fish just refuse to move

Seriously, were they of uniform size to prevent cannabilistic predation? I've
been guilty of not separating the fry and finding the population decimated
when I arrive home from work

If they dropped dead in their quarters, snails will make them disappear
rapidly.

KL, you still have 3, and hopefully Ronnie still has some--there's still a chance for some pairs and we can always get more.

Take care,

Bill
farang9

[stormhawk]

KL,

That's very peculiar indeed. But then again, bodies of dead young fry have been known to disintegrate very quickly but not those of fry larger than 1cm. They could have possibly jumped to other containers or just jumped right into the drain. In any case a cover would be an appropriate thing to do now.

[Nonn]

Some bird like the Oriental Magpie-Robin and Fantail will eat small fish out of the water, do you have any of these birds around in your area?

[timebomb]

do you have any of these birds around in your area?

I'm not sure what sort of birds we have around here, Nonn but I know we have many Mynahs. But even if there are Fantails and Oriental Magpie-Robins around, it would be impossible for them to reach into the container. What is possible though, is that the fish jumped and the birds picked them up as they were struggling on the balcony floor. It's a possibility but an unlikely one. I say this because the fish have been in the container for several weeks and not a single one jumped. The water level is low and I did not do anything recently to raise the level.

Seriously, were they of uniform size to prevent cannabilistic predation?

Almost all of them were about the same size. There was one which was smaller than the others. I'm very sure it wasn't due to cannabilistic predation because the small one is one of the remaining 3 survivors. It couldn't be due to snails removing the carcasses too as there were no snails in the container.

Bill, although they are in my tanks, I've always felt the fish belong to you. I was only sort of a guardian for them and I'm sorry I've let you down.

They could have possibly jumped to other containers or just jumped right into the drain. In any case a cover would be an appropriate thing to do now.

Jianyang, there's no drain in my balcony and although it's highly unlikely they could have jumped into another container, I checked all the containers. The fish weren't there.

I no longer need a cover now because I've transferred the 3 remaining ZIIs into a 2 feet tank. This tank has been on standby for them since I collected the fry from Ronnie. The ZIIs are so beautiful I've always thought they deserve a tank of their own. But it's a pity I have only 3 of them now. I'm wondering if Ronnie has some to spare.

Loh K L

[RonWill]

I'm wondering if Ronnie has some to spare.

Kwek Leong,
I have 7 ZIIs in the 2ft dump tank and 3 in a round container. You can have the 7, to make it 10 again.

Since I'll be at your place this Saturday to migrate the forum, I'll just bring the juvenile along.

I'll take my chances with the 3 that's growing out.

[timebomb]

You can have the 7, to make it 10 again.

Thanks, Buddy. I thought about asking you to keep more for yourself but knowing how many species of Killies you are maintaining, it would be better if I take more of the ZIIs. I'll see you this weekend.

Loh K L

[ruyle]

Bill, although they are in my tanks, I've always felt the fish belong to you. I was only sort of a guardian for them and I'm sorry I've let you down.

KL, friend, never think that. With hatching and growing out killies, it is always a crapshoot, and a new species none of us has ever worked with,
doubly so. If we get no pairs with this episode, we will try again, is all. I'm
determined we will have this specie and it's gonna be a learning curve
thing. Please don't despair, and my best wishes for moving the site, which
will be quite an undertaking for those involved.

Bill
farang9