Danios eating tetras??

Question
Hello there, I have recently set up a fresh water aquarium at home for the first time.  I started with 6 Danios, one died and the other disappeared mysteriously - a few weeks later I bought 6 neon tetras.  Within a few days we're down to 1 tetra who looks like he's being terrorised by the danios!  Do they eat other fish??  I can't see any dign of dead fish and I can't believe I'd miss 5 dead tetras!  Any ideas?

Thanks so much in advance,

Sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah;

To really help you I need more information. Without knowing the tank size, how long it's been set up, type of filtration, whether it's heated, how often water changes are made, feeding regimen, how the fish were helped to acclimate to their new home, etc., I really am taking a shot in the dark here. I do have a few suggestions and you can let me know from there;

Danios can sometimes be nippy. It depends on the type of danio, their size compared to the neons, and also the size of the tank. Neons can also be a bit weak these days and any fish will pick on weak or dying ones.

Other things to consider;

Is the tank temperature high enough for neons? Neons are tropical fish that need 76f to 80f all the time. If it is too low or fluctuates, they can die. A heater that is thermostatically controlled to keep the temperature consistent is necessary. Neons also need a filter. Danios are cold water fish and they don't really need filtration, although it's helpful.

What size is the tank? Mixing neons and danios in a tank smaller than 10 gallons or any tank with few hiding places can cause friction between them if your danios tend to be a bit hyper.

How long has the tank been set up? If it hasn't completely finished the break-in period (takes up to 8 weeks) the fish can easily die from the waste toxins that build up.

Let me know...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins