Fish mystery

08-25-2006
when feeling Confused

OK, so this morning, i discovered a floater.
no real alarm as one of our newer platy (3 of them total) was showing some odd behavior, but other than caution, didn't appear ill, just lethargic. not that he was active like the mini catfish - named Hamtaro and Piggy. they have been pyscho active and eating the bottom feed as designed, but swimming like crazy.

so after about a month of 9 fish, minus the floater, i now have 4; one guppy (Divey), one Platy, and the two aforementioned mini-cats.
somehow, over the past week or two, i have unknowingly lost the rest.
i did a water change 2 weeks ago and all were accounted for.

now, given that the one platy is somewhat large in the belly, i must note that i have been feeding them more often. mostly out of fear that i would be underfeeding the larger fish.

so now i have a mystery.
do i have a jumper, or is the fat platy a cannibal or devil pet a la 'south park' goldfish???

i have NEVER had a jumper and the other part that's perplexing: NO CARCASSES; no filter cloggers. i've pulled up EVERY piece of decor in the tank, even thinking one of them went jimmy hoffa on me and was buried under giants stadium (giant rock).

NOTHING.

so then i'm thinking it could be a combo: jumper (large platy, the marbled one) lands on floor; scourge (the cat) sees it and eat it. then the previously referred to large in the belly platy has eaten three guppies, though his mouth is only able to bite the equivalent of an adult to a small child; not a swift consumption, but something carcass-leaving. is that even valid?

this is messed.

i can't think of any other explanation. some women in the house think it's aliens. these women need to take their meds.

[Editor's note: in the many months since this post, i discovered snails are quite efficient in stripping a corpse in very little time. that and other fishies pecking and it becomes less a mystery and more a savage jungle.]