Bit Baffled :-/

[Shelster]

I have a 54 litre aquarium up and running from the end of december, beginning of January.

I literally took a sponge out from my external filter on my 12 year plus mature aquarium which fitted my new internal filter perfectly.
I also used some water from my mature tank from a water change to have a source of food for the bacteria whilst tank had no fish.

I checked the parameters for ammonia nitrite and nitrate twice daily and added some fish food for a few days until I was happy to add fish.
As the tank was effectively cycled I slowly added my fish beginning with 5 sparklers, then 6 pygmy corys, 4 celestial danios then a further 4 more.
About three weeks ago I added a bamboo shrimp.

All of my tests have been coming out bang within normal and I have been testing twice daily to keep an eye out for any spikes.

A couple of weeks ago I was admitted to hospital for pre eclampsia.
I was in for a few days then let home for a couple of days before they induced me.

Whilst home I went straight to tank and checked all fish were present and correct.

Two days later, induced, healthy baby girl born and home again (away for three more days in total)

Hubby informed me in hospital all was well tank wise.

I came home and 'supervised' hubby cleaning both tanks, it was then that I noticed I had a dead sparkler water had already been changed so I don't know,what the parameters were before hand. It was then that I decided to do a fish count, all other sparkling gourami were present except one AWOL and two pygmy corys AWOL
These fish are all so small but no chance of them getting caught in eheim internal filter.

I suppose there could have potentially been a gourami scrap? But if so where is the other body??? Other fish are all micro so really don't think they could have eaten?

Maybe bamboo shrimp ate??

Why have the corys died?

Haven't noticed shrimp make a beeline for any

This all happened a week ago and I haven't seen the AWOL fish all week, so they aren't in hiding and all other fish seem relaxed.

I change 30-40% of the water on a weekly basis, so tanks are due tonight. I have just checked water parameters and are as follows:

Ammonia -0
PH - 7.2
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10.

I use the api liquid water testing kit and always test the ammonia on my RO water to compare it to my tank readings.

Sorry this has been long winded, but if anyone can shed some light on this mystery I would be very grateful, thanks.

 

[the_lock_man]

First, and foremost
 

to the world, Shelster Junior!!!!

 
Now, about those fish. Dunno. Sometimes, they just disappear. It's likely that the shrimp and other fish, er, disposed of the remains for you, they're good like that, but they wouldn't kill a perfectly healthy fish. If your water stats are fine, which they are, then, sorry, that's life, is about all I can say.

 

[Gilli]

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter! Hope you are both doing well! 

 
As your water stats are all ok and there are no other signs of disease then its just one of those things! If your water stats were off your shrimp would be dead or dying as they are ultra sensitive to water quality. Just check that your water heater is working ok and at the correct temp.
 
Fish  just do die for no apparent reason sometimes. Just keep an eye on your water quality and watch out for any symptoms on your fish.

 

[Shelster]

Thanks for replies, and thank you, Shelster junior is thriving

Yes I guess these things do happen, and it's not always down to something we have done.

You just initially blame yourself thinking water conditions, tank mate compatibility, fish potentially caught in tank ornament etc etc. . .

Tending to overlook the fact that fish also just die!

 

[DrRob]

Shrimp can make quick work of dead fish, but then so can other fish. I found a cory head in a tank, stripped to virtually nothing, just 12 hours after a full head count.