Well crap! I had high hopes for the chili rasboras. When I purchased the initial 8 of them I specifically asked the person at the local fish store whether rummy nosed tetras would eat the chili rasboras and was assured that they would not. Then I put the chilis in and only counted 7. I picked up 6 more from Riverpark Aquatics (mail order from Scotland!) to boost up the numbers a bit, so 13 altogether, but then after a few more days, back down to 6. No sign of any bodies anywhere. Then after what seemed like a particularly frenzied fish flake feeding session a few days later, down to just 2 chilis and I see… hanging out of the face of one of the rummys… the back half of a chili!
After some struggles the rummy couldn’t seem to finish the job and barfed up the now-deceased chili. That body also subsequently went missing. As a desperation measure, I fished out the last two chilis and transferred them to the Shrimphaus. One of the last two seemed poorly and now I only see the one left.
I also later discovered a deceased rummy… perhaps an over-sized chili meal did it in? That body also subsequently disappeared – pretty sure torn apart and eaten.
To be fair, I think the juvenile chilis are just slightly larger than proper eating size and maybe if they had grown up together with juvenile rummys things could have worked out better. Seems fully adult rummys and juvenile chilis together is not a good idea. Peaceful community tank, my ass! It’s a savage world in there.
Hopefully slightly larger alternative fish…
I’m trying ember tetras now as a replacement for the chilis. The embers are quite a lot stouter than the chilis were and so far neither the rummys nor the barbs have gone after them in a food-like manner. Fingers crossed…
Heather says:
It’s the ciiiiircle of liiiiiife!