Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty) Herbivore??? I think not!!

[hamstercaster]

My brother and I got hold of some Rustys a couple of weeks back.  I got one and he got two.  We also got some Tretocephalus at the same time.  I got two and he got one.  I had two Danio Zebras and he had several... No I have none and he's got about 3 or 4 missing.  Not that it's a problem per say but anyway, long story short my brother told me his wife was sure she saw a fish tail in one of the Rusty's mouth.  They said it was hunting the Danios down to eat them.  I said, impossible, they are herbivores.  Chances are that your Tretocephalus has hunted one down and the Rusty being opportunistic just ate the tail that was lying in the bottom of the tank.  We left it at that and he seemed satisfied with the explanation.  After all, herbivores are suppose to eat vegetable matter don't they  Well boy was I and specially Cichlid Forum wrong!!! my brother gave me a call this morning to tell me he witnessed the rusty chasing down and killing a Danios and ate him right in front of his eyes.  All the was left was a bit of fish meat caught on his filter intake 

So all this to say that we shouldn't believe everything we find in books or on the net or at least search more than one place for the same subject as some information may be wrong... or maybe not.. Maybe the Rusty is just out of its mind and was tired of being a vegeterian 

Anyone else have that happen to them with fish they thought was Herbivore only to find out they were not?

[darkdep]

You've just discovered a truth about Mbuna...they are herbivores with regards to their nutritional needs, but they are opportunistic...

I have often heard that Mbuna would happily drink gasoline if offered.

Most Mbuna will attack smaller fish and happily consume them.

[darkdep]

Try to look at the Cichlid Forum designations as "what they should be fed", not "what they will eat".

[blizzack1]

My juvenile Rusties cleaned out my entire MTS population...

Awesome fish though! 

[hamstercaster]

Yes awesome fish indeed.  He is still fairly small at about 2 inches long but he is already starting to colour up nicely.  He's actually one of my favorite along with my male red zebra (blue)

[WIndeXqc]

  ho well An other one gone I guess my Danios will be history pretty soon.  Thanks bro for the nice thread for me. 

[darkdep]

I used to have a tank at work with a handful of zebra danios in it that I shut down.  They were always fast enough to escape the small Brevis they were with.  I brought them home and put them in an Mbuna tank and sure enough, next day they were gone