This Is Dumb But... Can't Find My Flounder........

[simonero]

So, I have a hogchoker flounder.  He's pretty small but over an inch.
 
 
I usually see him at least every other day, if not hanging out on the side then in the sand mostly covered.
 
I absolutely cannot find him.  I haven't seen him in 3-5 days.
 
I sift the sand around anyways to make sure no gas pockets form, and no sign of him.
 
Can he dig down really deep into the sand?   Is there anything I can do to get him to come out so I can have piece of mind?  I had high nitrites before (figured out problem and fixed it, none now) so I'm just a little worried it finally got to him... he lived through the entire cycling of my tank, too.
 
My apologies if this is stupid, I'm just very attached to the lil buddy =)
 

 

[TallTree01]

He'll be deep down mate. Flounders are nocturnal right? If so, go in with a weak torch at night and go for a flounder hunt!

 

[simonero]

Aw man!  Well at least that explains how I could possibly have not found him by now...  By the time he comes out on his own he'll probably be twice the size!  

 

[TooManyChoices]

Hmmm I doubt a little flounder would bury himself that deep. There would be no reason to. A little sand is enough for camouflage and for feeding oppurtunity. Hate to say it but I think the nitrite would've got him. Fish that small breakdown pretty fast so you probably wouldn't even notice.

Still it would be worth having a look at night.

 

[simonero]

I put a decent little mound of blackworms into the tank and pushed them into the sand + covered them before the other fish could get them... this was two days ago, before I left town.  Just checked and I could only find like one worm.  I'm thinking this means there's a chance he ate at least some of them.  It makes sense he would hide too, just got a little puffer.
 
Is there some more substantial or easier to find food that I could put in the sand part of my tank so I can see if it goes missing (aka eaten by something in the sand)?