# No Face on Platy



## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

I was doing my routine water change like 1 hour ago on all my 3 tanks and when I started off on my 75 gallon tank my wife noticed something behind the filter. 

At first I had no idea what the heck it was and it looked very messed up. It ended up being on my White Female Platy that I had raised since a little baby fry, she was about 2 inches or a little bit more in size. I guess she was back there for quiet some time becaus she was paper white and had 3/4 of her face eaten but that was it. I took her out and did a 6 gallon water change on the tank and the tank and fish seemed clean.

I think it was just a random fish death and nothing big or do yal think that my 6 inch Peacock Eel would kill a platy? The platys have been stealing his bloodworms and I have no idea what the Eel eats and I can not get him out of the 75 gallon tank i Just cant catch him.

So do yal think the Eel might have gotten mad and very hungry and killed the Platy and ate her face? Also any suggestions on how I can catch the Eel so I can place him in my 150 gallon tank?


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## KuroKyoto (Dec 9, 2008)

I'm not really sure how Peacock Eels acts since I didn't have one for very long(mine was peaceful)...but I'm thinking she may have just died and gotten stuck in the filter. And being that she was in there so long, she could have started to decay, so her face was ripped off by the filter.
I did a bit of research on the peacock eel and found this though. 

The Peacock eel is commonly kept in community aquariums since it is a quite peaceful fish. Avoid keeping it with small fishes, since they will be considered food. 

Possibly, since the platy was a little bit smaller, he ate her face. But it seems like they'd eat very small fish that would fit wholey in their mouth, in my opinion. Even though that's not exactly what it says.
I also don't think a fish becomes angry when another fish steals it's food. I've seen my fish pick on fish that are in it's territory, or that are smaller, but I have a slightly agressive fish. So I don't really think your eel became angry.

Now, about catching the eel, if it burrowed like mine did, try watching out for it's nose poking up out of the gravel or what ever substrate you have in the tank. Then slowly take your net and scoop it under the gravel where you think the rest of the eel is, and bring the net up quickly so it doesn't get out. Make sure you have something to put the eel in! I recomend using some sort of aclimation so it does not shock the eel. Meaning put some water from your 150 gallon with the 75 gallon. Try putting the eel in a bag and floating it in the aclamator to get it used to the temperature. Release it into the aclamator for a while, try to bag it again, and and float it in the tank. Then again this MIGHT stress the fish a little, but it should recover.

If you have a problem catching it otherwise, and it doesn't burrow, try this method...
I have problems catching my too large plecos. So here's what I do. I get two people to help. Get two nets and try to use one net to chase it into the other. If you succeed, keep the two nets together and take the eel out...

I'm sorry I can't be much help. But I try. Also, sorry if I used too much information that you probably already knew...


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

Thanks that was some good information but as soon as I try to scoop the net he jets across the tank. I will get him out day or the other lol


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2009)

Suess00,

how good are the shrimps at cleaning the tanks up? any good?


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

Well in my 20 gallon and my other tank they are cleaning it REALLY good but in my 150 gallon tank they are all dead :rip: because of my Clown Loaches started to snack on them.

I would recommend them to everyone to have and they are cheap and just cool to watch. If your lucky you can get them to lay eggs and spawn.


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