Clown Loach Burried Alive

[danny_sims]

Hi
i think that when placing new air stone accross the length of the tank that one of my clown loach has got stuck under the gravel.
i can only see seven in my tank and one is missing its not around the tank anywhere (sealed tank also)
i have removed all rocks etc to find him but i cant.
im cleaning the tank/gravel today so may find him.
where else could he be
oh i have checked the filters first of all.
danny
RIP

 

[Athena]

Loaches are known to burrow in the substrate (although more so if it's sand or fine gravel). Go gently when doing your gravel clean in case he's hiding under there somewhere.

Athena

 

[danny_sims]

hi
did not find him....
last time i seen all together was last week so it might have been a death but all tests have come back perfect.
why does it have to be my favourite fish. it could have been the angel fish that i need rid of.
danny

 

[WILDER]

Check around the tank area to see if he's jumped out.
Do you have any pets?

Make sure he not stuck in a tank ornament also.

 

[danny_sims]

not on the floor not in the ship and other than that its just rocks which i removed earlier to check.
unless he has dies and been completely eaten or rotted away. cant remember last time i seen him.
i cant believe it ruined my day its all i keep thinking about.

 

[WILDER]

What fish do you have in the tank?

 

[Athena]

Hmmm...that's strange. Even if he had died and the other fish had eaten him, there would usually be some sort of remains left, like the head or tail fin.

I remember having a very similar scenario to this years ago. I had purchased a tiny albino red tail shark about 4/5cms long. Anyway, after a few weeks he went missing. I turned that tank upside down trying to find him but never did. No remains either. Like you, I suspected the other fish had eaten him.

Months and months later, I was watching the aquarium one evening when suddenly I saw this tiny white face poking out from under the large central ornament thingy (it was a sunken ship on a large rock). I got such a fright not knowing what on earth was under there. I lifted up the ornament and caught a glimpse of the albino shark, very skinny and barely any bigger than when I'd bought him. He quickly swam up a tube-like section of the boat, somewhere I would never imagine a fish to reach!

So, he had spent those few months hiding away under there, possibly only sticking out his mouth to grab at any food nearby on the substrate - and all the while I thought he was dead! Amazing how he survived really. The thing is, that I had lifted up that ornament when he went missing and saw nothing under there. Obviously he was up the long,thin tube section!

Anyway, the point of me telling you that is just that sometimes fish can get into the tiniest of spaces. Worth having another look I think. Check any holes or crevices under or up inside the ornament.

Other than that, we'll have to assume he has been eaten and any remains have dissintegrated and been swallowed up by the filter. Have you checked inside the filter to see if there are any tell-tale fragments?

Athena

 

[danny_sims]

hi i have just checked the filter for any remains. and checked inside the ship in every little bit.
there may be remains in the gravel somewhere which i just cant see.
Hope i dont lose anymore.
very very strange.
danny

 

[laxation]

My girlfriend had a spiral shell in her tank, she lost 2 fish who swam up it and couldnt turn around to get back out! Once we figured out the problem we stuffed the shell with glad wrap so it wouldnt happen again!

Shame about your loach, hope you find him!

 

[Athena]

Ah well, it's always worth having that extra look. Sorry you didn't find him.

Now, if he's died, we need to find out why that has happened to help prevent the others going that way...

How big is your tank and what are all the tank inhabitants you have? You mentioned 7 clown loaches (I hope you realise that they will each grow very large, over a foot in length, if they survive long enough).

Are any of them showing any signs of being unwell? Any idea of your water stats?

Athena

 

[danny_sims]

In the 300 litre tank i have got
7 clown loach.
2 bala shark
2 rainbow shark
3 pink tetra
1 albino bn
1 orange spot pleco
6 x platties
4 mollies
3 dwarf gourami 2 female 1 male
2 x guppy's

in process of fish in cycle in tank number 2 so i can remove the livebearer to the other tank and then move my 2 leporinus back to the 300 litre.
i am looking for a 6x2x2 tank to rehome the fish asap
all fish are babies. biggest fish is 3 inches at most.
running 1000 lph ext and fluval u3 internal.

 

[WILDER]

With having all them fish I would over filter your tank.
Your water readings should tell you if your filter not coping with your stocking.

 

[danny_sims]

it is running 2 filters one internal and one external.
i have never had an ammonia reading or a nitrite reading. (test twice a week)