# Can a Frontosa swallow a 4.5" fish?



## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Hello,

I have a bit of a mystery that I need to solve in my 80 gallon african ciclid tank.

My male copadichromis trewavasae disappeared one day. I looked everywhere in my tank, even moved all the rocks to make sure he didn't die and was under something. He did not appear anywhere in the tank or out of it(thought he might have jumped out). So - thought the only other thing that could have happened was that he got eaten by one of my other fish. He was about 4.5 inches long, and the biggest fish in that tank is a male frontosa that measures about 6.5 inches long. Is it possible that the frontosa ate him? Is it possible that he could swallow a fish that size? He didn't look like he had a large belly at any time, so if he was able to swallow him, wouldn't there have ben a noticable bulge?


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

That seems quite impossible. I would imagine the fish died or got stuck and the other fish picked at him until he was all gone. Other then that he may have jumped.


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## w_boughner (Mar 18, 2010)

I would say your fish shredded him I watched it happen at a pet store and it only took a couple minutes

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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

probably died and was consumed in a matter of hours by everybody.

This happens in my Dad's 220 with smaller fish from time to time, a black neon disappears (or all the angelfish as it so happened to begin with) and no bodies were ever found. Loaches got to them, so did the rest of the tank mates I would assume.


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## shotokan (Sep 21, 2013)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> probably died and was consumed in a matter of hours by everybody.
> 
> This happens in my Dad's 220 with smaller fish from time to time, a black neon disappears (or all the angelfish as it so happened to begin with) and no bodies were ever found. Loaches got to them, so did the rest of the tank mates I would assume.


 i have frontosa, if it injured it, for sure in pieces,. it may take it out, and eat it, i don't think it would swallow it whole at that size, my 7 inch frontosa, though, will take a mbuna, 3.5 inch whole no problem


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks for the replies.
That must be what happened because I just can't find the fish anywhere. Although, the frontosa has never showed any real agression to any of my other fish. The most he ever does is sometimes chase the other fish a very short distance away when they are in his immediate vicinity. Also, unfortunately I have had a couple of other fish die in that tank and have always found them whole and intact, not even partially eaten.


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

I finally solved the myserty of my missing fish. I found him dead and decomposed inside my large seashell. What a shame to lose this fish.


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## shotokan (Sep 21, 2013)

Mykuhl said:


> I finally solved the myserty of my missing fish. I found him dead and decomposed inside my large seashell. What a shame to lose this fish.


 i find sometimes at feeding time, the frontosa will wait for other smaller fish to get food, and strike with out warning, if the fish is big enough to fit in its mouth, its very possible, in the wild the hunt smaller fish, just be carefull,


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Mykuhl said:


> I finally solved the myserty of my missing fish. I found him dead and decomposed inside my large seashell. What a shame to lose this fish.


Large seashell?

Was this collected by you and added to the tank? If so I hope you bleach bathed it as it could leech toxins into the water.


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Large seashell?
> 
> Was this collected by you and added to the tank? If so I hope you bleach bathed it as it could leech toxins into the water.


No, I didn't collect it myself, I bought it from Finatics.


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