Disappearing Fish

nike12301 · Jun 2, 2009

So I think I lost a fish.

Yesterday I did a 25% water change and today I noticed one of my Roseline Sharks wasn't swimming around. I looked for him, lifted all my rocks, shook the plants a little with a hanger.... nothing. No sign.

Now I could understand if maybe I scooped out a little fish during the water change and didn't notice - but Roseline Sharks are pretty big. How could it just go missing?

There were no signs of sickness or anything like that, so I don't think he died. And even if he did, I'd find him somewhere.

Anybody ever lose a fish this size before? Any suggestions?

I really like those fish - and they're expensive so this is really annoying. I only got them about two months ago.

mixmaster jay · Jun 2, 2009

it could of died and got eaten very quikly ive had a few go missing in the past with no traces they were red finned sharks around 3/4"

Phage · Jun 2, 2009

Was it fully grown? My german blue ram disappeared recently and I am in the same boat as you.. no trace.

mixmaster jay · Jun 2, 2009

ive had it with 2 royal rams well now one lol but one ate the other so i know what happened to it

nike12301 · Jun 2, 2009

It's a Roseline shark - about three inches long. There's another one in there about the same length.

All the others are about an inch long.

So I would be surprised if he got eaten considering he was the biggest in the tank.

Very frustrating because he was an expensive, really good looking fish.

kevinthecow · Jun 2, 2009

Does anyone in your house play with your tank?

Cause I just found out the day my weather loach went missing-- my dad saw it dead and scooped it out.
or was it dead..?

saz326 · Jun 3, 2009

When you did your tank maintainance did you turn the filter off or remove the filter inlet for any reason?

I ask coz one of my fish loves to play at the filter inlet and swam up the pipe once when I had the strainer off to clean it. Its worth checking the filter just to be sure.

I had my cockatoo dwarf cichlids disappear on me once - I was frantic and worried coz they were my feature fish and so my favourite ones... After looking in the tank and getting my fella to do the same we eventually got to the stage of moving everything. The Male and female had dug out a tunnel under a large piece of driftwood and she had spawned inside the tunnel. .... what a relief it was to find them. Hopefully I didnt disturb them too much.

Bobtastic · Jun 3, 2009

What other fish have you got in the tank? Is there anything in there that could have "cleaned up" a dead fish? Could be possible that it died and was then eaten by the other fish?

stranger69 · Jun 3, 2009

I had 3 pea puffers in an old tank, 2 died and one disappeared after a bacterial bloom. Moved everything around shook plants and nothing. So I let it go assuming it was eaten by the other fish, or so I thought. 2 - 3 weeks later what's swimming around in the tank

The lost pea puffer, I was baffled. Not a clue where it was before but was happy to see it back.

mfwl · Jun 18, 2009

I have had a 4-5 inch long chilid disappear? No signs, its in a community tank and I noticed my discus have got cloudy eyes and thats water quality so I did some investigating - like you I looked everywhere and cant find a trace! Madness! Still a 50% water change and removal of some weeds should hopefully sort out the discus. I have added aquarium salt but has anyone else had this problem with discus eyes?