I been in the hobby a little over 2 years now. I can say I have had experience moving fish around is why I am up to five tanks. Part of it is I don’t like giving up, taking them back, or giving them away. I have lost some really nice fish just like you mentioned like everything going well then all of a sudden something pops off.
Sorry to hear about all the fish losses Cleveland. Hang in there. Wish I had the answers, but wouldn’t have a clue. I think why your predator tank worked the first time is you added all the fish one at a time, so they had their pecking order and their territories. Did you add all the predator fish into the new tank at the same time?