Zebra dartfish ate a damsel

mosreef · Nov 29, 2023

Anybody have experience with Zebra Barred Dartfish eating other fish? They ate one of my kupang damsels. Damsel was only about an inch, but healthy. All was well when I fed them in QT tank at noon, came down at 3 and found just the head. Moved damsels to their own tank.

Now I’m wondering if they are safe to put into my display after qt is over. Do they eat corals? Inverts? Small fish?

They are ravenous, & currently the 6 of them in qt eat and poop a TON (3 cubes a day plus flake soaked with selcon, and still hungry) It’s like a shark feeding frenzy when I feed them. Is this normal? Thinking maybe I should deworm them before starting copper?

zoolan70 · Nov 29, 2023

I would guess that the damsel died and they ate it. Fish can show no signs of disease or stress and then suddenly tip over. They don't eat fish or corals or inverts (except microscopic ones) naturally.

As far as them eating a lot, I find that with any fish, especially if they feel that they need to compete for food. Many fish will eat until they die given the opportunity because naturally they are prey-limited.