# The Following May Be Graphic: Angelfish Getting Their Eyes Eaten!



## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

ok I recently bought some angelfish (7) about the size of a quarter and I have them temporarily in my 20 gallon, as I had planned to put them in my 75 gallon once it has done cycling...

Now every night I find a dead/dying angelfish, with missing eyes!!! I am done to 4 now, with a death-by-missing-eyeball rate of 1fish/night. I know there is some sick twisted fish in my aquarium but I am not sure who!

Currently I have in my 20 gallon are about...

4 adult size guppies
4 jumbo neon tetras
3 corydoras
1 chinese algae eater
2 siamese flying foxes
2 kribs (male and female, where the female is currently courting the male)

I only suspect the kribs!! but who? Who!?


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

The fish are likely having their eyes eaten by the flying fox or algae eater after they die.


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

Cory said:


> The fish are likely having their eyes eaten by the flying fox or algae eater after they die.


well I can see that for the dead ones, but what about the ones that are still alive!!


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

Im going with the flying fox or the algae eater too...They are known to be aggressive and to nibble on dead fish...

Im sure its more a matter of the fish dying from stress or whatever have you then it being mealtime. Flying foxes and and the AE are very territorial and can alway buzzing around stressing the peaceful chilled angels out..
good luck with the rest tho... You could takre one or two of the fish out or even both of the suspecxted culprits and see if everything calms down a bit


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

another thing is that these flying foxes are not adults, they are about an inch long, and they seem pretty afraid to anything that moves near them...

so i shouldn't put angelfish with flying foxes then?! because i planned to do that for my 75 gallon


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

Byronicle said:


> another thing is that these flying foxes are not adults, they are about an inch long, and they seem pretty afraid to anything that moves near them...
> 
> so i shouldn't put angelfish with flying foxes then?! because i planned to do that for my 75 gallon


a 75g has a lot more space and territory available...so in a 75 it should be ok..


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Chinese algae eaters are misnamed -- they don't come from China, and they don't eat much algae. They are known to chew the the slime coat (and skin) off other fish. I'd suspect them first.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*should i be concerned*

i was told that the chinese algae eaters were good for removing algae 
should i be worried about them i purchaced two of them 
i have angels in my tank as well as rams
thanks 
tom


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

I would suspect the Kribs as well. Have you notice them chasing the angles around?
This is really weird, in a 75G it's impossible for any kind of agression to develope to the killing point.
Chinese algae eater are siamese flying foxes are wuz. They simply don't have the teeth required to blind a moving fish.
Try looking around at sharp rocks or any pointy objects.

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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

I would suspect the kribs as well. Try to setup a camera to catch the culprit!


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Chinese algae eaters are active at night, so they can attack fish that are sleeping. While they will eat algae as juveniles, they are more carnivorous as they get older. They get quite large and can really stress fish by harrassing them at night.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

I would be VERY surprised if KRIBS were attacking the eyes of angelfish to the point of killing them. First off, Kribs are not eye eaters nor are they particularly aggressive. Even when spawning the most they do is defend their area. On top of that, a fish can survive without an eye or both eyes just fine, same as humans it is not fatal. 

Even if there are fish alive without eyes, I'd still bet it's one of the two sucker fish. Eyeballs have lots of slime and other proteins and are soft and easy to much on. Once one of them latched on the angel would have no way to get them off. If your kribs were attacking their eyes you might have some ocular damage but I doubt the entire eye would be gone.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I think you should just rearrange your stocking until it stops. The sooner you do it, the better, the order you do it in, is anyone's guess.

Or you will soon run out of angels, and the problem will also be solved. 



W


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