Disappearing Fish?

fatheadminnow · Mar 4, 2009

Well I am not home right now, I am gone every week off at school and only home on the weekends, and my sister takes care of my fish in the meantime.

I called her yesterday and asked her about the tank and she said everything was going good except that she can't seem to find one of the two minnows?

I asked her to look very carefully behind the plant I have in there and all the decor, by the filter inlet and by the powerhead inlet, and she said that the minnow is no where to be found?...weird I thought? :huh:

The minnows are pretty small, and maybe could of got sucked up into the filter if the minnow was weak or something and could not swim past the suction of the filter? (very unlikely though I thought)

Well I just talked to her again today and she said that the minnow is still no where to be found?

Would it be possible for some of my other fish in the tank to have eaten the minnow?

The biggest fish in my tank is my Metriaclima Estherae Cichlid, and he is only 2.5-3 inches long, so I dont know how that could be possible, unless all the fish in the tank nibbled on the minnow if the minnow died from natural causes and was just drifting around the tank?

Any ideas as to what could of happened to my minnow?

Thanks
-FHM

doresy · Mar 5, 2009

Some fish do seem to disappear for ages only to reappear later. However, a fish that dies can be gobbled up in a few hours depending on his tank 'mates'

Also are you aware that Fathead Minnows are often sold as bait (feeder) fish for cichlids and the like?

If it is still missing when you return at the weekend may I suggest you test your water for the main 3 levels. This may give you some clues as to why it may have died.

fatheadminnow · Mar 5, 2009

doresy said:
Some fish do seem to disappear for ages only to reappear later. However, a fish that dies can be gobbled up in a few hours depending on his tank 'mates'

If it is still missing when you return at the weekend may I suggest you test your water for the main 3 levels. This may give you some clues as to why it may have died.

Okay thanks for the response.

The levels were all good this weekend before I left, but could obviously of changed.

The minnows I have in there were form the fish-in cycle I did, not knowing about a fishless when I started out. So the minnows have gill damage from the high levels of ammonia and nitrite from the cycle, thus leaving the minnows unhealthy and prone to death. So that is why I think it died and got eaten.

EDIT: Yes I am aware of them be a feeder fish. Before I started in fish Keeping I used them for ice fishing. But now after keeping fish for sometime now, I can't bear the thought of using them for fishing anymore.

Thanks again!
-FHM