southern redbelly dace

I'm new to the forum first post, I have been fish keeping for a few years .I saw something last week that puzzles me ,I had four small southern red belly dace 1" long in a 20 gallon long tank for about six mouths. Last spring I went out to the same creek, and collected four adult red belly in full color.put the adults in a quarantine tank for three weeks.Added the adults one at a time, to the 20 gallon. every thing went fine for about a week, then when the lights would go out the adults would bite at the smaller red belly.I had to take the small ones out { missing fins. this happens only when the lights went out. Has anybody ever seen anything like that ? Hotshot

Big fish eat little fish, it's the way of things.

Welcome to the forum and welcome to NANFA. I'm just a few hours nearly directly south of you here in Ohio.

I've had SRBD as they are one of my favorites, but I've never had trouble with aggression. I've never kept young with adults before though it is in my eventual plans when I get more time and space.

Does your 20 gallon tank have plants or other hiding places for the young?

My 20 gallon just has rocks, but they have hiding places to go to. I thought It would be alright, but I guess I was wrong ! And thank you for the Welcome Steve Hotshot

Yes, welcome. I have never had this happen myself, but I am not fully surprised. Pecking order?

Thanks for the welcome Skipjack, you are right about the pecking order, but the thing that got me was they only did it when the lights went out. Hotshot

Well, here's the thing. Once mature SRBD get a taste for young flesh, they never go back to regular...food. Sorry about your luck.