Disappearing Fish

[The Alchemist]

Just very curious about this.

Past few days one of my pictus catfish had been act erratic, and swimming very hard around the tank.

Than yesterday, I noticed that he just disappeared. No traces of anything. I looked everywhere, in the tank, moving the decorations around looking in all the holes where he could hide, but nothing. Not even a piece.

I have one tinfoil barb, 1 other pictus, 2 shark catfish. No one is bigger than 5 inches here, the pictus that disappeared was about 4 inches long. The tank is completly covered by a lid.

I have had little tiny fish just disappear but that was because someone ate them. The pictus is to large IMO to be eaten by its inhabitants.

What do you think could have happen.

 

[Gilli]

Alien abduction? .....cat with a fishing rod?

Seriously id have another look. Sometimes you think fish have disappeared and then suddenly there they are!

 

[FishBlast]

Just very curious about this.

Past few days one of my pictus catfish had been act erratic, and swimming very hard around the tank.

Than yesterday, I noticed that he just disappeared. No traces of anything. I looked everywhere, in the tank, moving the decorations around looking in all the holes where he could hide, but nothing. Not even a piece.

I have one tinfoil barb, 1 other pictus, 2 shark catfish. No one is bigger than 5 inches here, the pictus that disappeared was about 4 inches long. The tank is completly covered by a lid.

I have had little tiny fish just disappear but that was because someone ate them. The pictus is to large IMO to be eaten by its inhabitants.

What do you think could have happen.

Do you have sand substrate? If so, get digging.

If the pictus died, it could have been nibbled until nothing remained of him, even tiny fish can devour a huge one if in a group.

 

[Aquamaniac]

You said the fish looked unwell yes?
What must have happened is he died of whatever was affecting him an the other fish ate him after that. Any left overs the filter must have sucked it in.I had a cory missing on my last tank, never found her in the tank. I did found what was left of her inside my filter.

That's my guess. Fish don't disappear they normally just die when we are not there to notice.And yes,a dead fish the other ones will eat.

 

[Welshweeks]

Have a look on the floor area behind tank?

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Just very curious about this.

Past few days one of my pictus catfish had been act erratic, and swimming very hard around the tank.

Than yesterday, I noticed that he just disappeared. No traces of anything. I looked everywhere, in the tank, moving the decorations around looking in all the holes where he could hide, but nothing. Not even a piece.

I have one tinfoil barb, 1 other pictus, 2 shark catfish. No one is bigger than 5 inches here, the pictus that disappeared was about 4 inches long. The tank is completly covered by a lid.

I have had little tiny fish just disappear but that was because someone ate them. The pictus is to large IMO to be eaten by its inhabitants.

What do you think could have happen.

Do you have sand substrate? If so, get digging.

If the pictus died, it could have been nibbled until nothing remained of him, even tiny fish can devour a huge one if in a group.

+1 I've seen this happen before. My Grandfather used to keep Discus that got pretty big in with a group of 7 bronze Corydoras catfish. I remember distinctly that one died in the night and we couldn't find it before he put me to bed. In the morning I found an fin stuck on a plant and he had to explain to me that he may have been eaten, which is why he was nowhere to be seen. If a group of 7 small Cories can clean a large, adult Discus off in 7-8hours, I'm sure larger fish can do more in a shorter space of time It is just nature though, they wouldn't instinctively eat another fish otherwise.

There HAS to be a gap in your hood somewhere to allow fresh air to the surface water - could he have gotten through? Look anyway, just in case. After all, you did say he was acting erratically. I'm sure erratic behavior can be an early indicator of external parasites? Don't quote me on that, I may or may not be wrong. Keep an eye on your other fish regardless.

 

[FishBlast]

+1 I've seen this happen before. My Grandfather used to keep Discus that got pretty big in with a group of 7 bronze Corydoras catfish. I remember distinctly that one died in the night and we couldn't find it before he put me to bed. In the morning I found an fin stuck on a plant and he had to explain to me that he may have been eaten, which is why he was nowhere to be seen. If a group of 7 small Cories can clean a large, adult Discus off in 7-8hours, I'm sure larger fish can do more in a shorter space of time It is just nature though, they wouldn't instinctively eat another fish otherwise.

There HAS to be a gap in your hood somewhere to allow fresh air to the surface water - could he have gotten through? Look anyway, just in case. After all, you did say he was acting erratically. I'm sure erratic behavior can be an early indicator of external parasites? Don't quote me on that, I may or may not be wrong. Keep an eye on your other fish regardless.

I wonder if my catfish could eat a dead fish. He can't even eat large pieces of food, he has no teeth. LOL. And it takes him a while before he grabs the flakes from the surface, should see him chasing the flakes to the corner of the tank before finally grabbing them. And I've had dead fishes when I was younger, which I've discovered when I got home from my grandma's... They probably died a day or two before I came there, not a pretty sight but still no sign of nibbling on them. Nothing touched them.

I'm glad that my improvised hood has no gap at all, but it basically leaves the entire tank open to air. The carbon net allows ventilation while keeping the fish and light in and insects out. Not sure about dust though. LOL.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

+1 I've seen this happen before. My Grandfather used to keep Discus that got pretty big in with a group of 7 bronze Corydoras catfish. I remember distinctly that one died in the night and we couldn't find it before he put me to bed. In the morning I found an fin stuck on a plant and he had to explain to me that he may have been eaten, which is why he was nowhere to be seen. If a group of 7 small Cories can clean a large, adult Discus off in 7-8hours, I'm sure larger fish can do more in a shorter space of time It is just nature though, they wouldn't instinctively eat another fish otherwise.

There HAS to be a gap in your hood somewhere to allow fresh air to the surface water - could he have gotten through? Look anyway, just in case. After all, you did say he was acting erratically. I'm sure erratic behavior can be an early indicator of external parasites? Don't quote me on that, I may or may not be wrong. Keep an eye on your other fish regardless.

I wonder if my catfish could eat a dead fish. He can't even eat large pieces of food, he has no teeth. LOL. And it takes him a while before he grabs the flakes from the surface, should see him chasing the flakes to the corner of the tank before finally grabbing them. And I've had dead fishes when I was younger, which I've discovered when I got home from my grandma's... They probably died a day or two before I came there, not a pretty sight but still no sign of nibbling on them. Nothing touched them.

I'm glad that my improvised hood has no gap at all, but it basically leaves the entire tank open to air. The carbon net allows ventilation while keeping the fish and light in and insects out. Not sure about dust though. LOL.

Depends how fine the net is. Sounds good though, just for piece of mind I'd check anyway! And I imagine your catfish would probably have a go at it. All of my catfish (cories and a pleco) would appreciate a meal between meals! The little sods would just keep eating if they had their way. Have you moved and checked around and under all your decor and stirred up the top layer of sand (if you're using a sand substrate)?

 

[FishBlast]

Depends how fine the net is. Sounds good though, just for piece of mind I'd check anyway! And I imagine your catfish would probably have a go at it. All of my catfish (cories and a pleco) would appreciate a meal between meals! The little sods would just keep eating if they had their way. Have you moved and checked around and under all your decor and stirred up the top layer of sand (if you're using a sand substrate)?

I'm not the one who lost a fish though so don't have what to check. OP lost the fish.
My catfish never had a go at dead fish for as long as I've known him, unless they were the butchered fry my male swordtail left behind and the hoplo sucked them in, although he seems to protect the live ones and even blow tiny bubble nests for them between the plants he carried to the top, or he just sometimes sits on a fry, crouching oddly with his dorsal raised high.

And the net is very very fine. Can't even fit a fry's head through it.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Depends how fine the net is. Sounds good though, just for piece of mind I'd check anyway! And I imagine your catfish would probably have a go at it. All of my catfish (cories and a pleco) would appreciate a meal between meals! The little sods would just keep eating if they had their way. Have you moved and checked around and under all your decor and stirred up the top layer of sand (if you're using a sand substrate)?

I'm not the one who lost a fish though so don't have what to check. OP lost the fish.
My catfish never had a go at dead fish for as long as I've known him, unless they were the butchered fry my male swordtail left behind and the hoplo sucked them in, although he seems to protect the live ones and even blow tiny bubble nests for them between the plants he carried to the top, or he just sometimes sits on a fry, crouching oddly with his dorsal raised high.

And the net is very very fine. Can't even fit a fry's head through it.

LOL Apologies, I'm really tired

 

[FishBlast]

LOL Apologies, I'm really tired

No problem, I also make mistakes when tired.

 

[The Alchemist]

Ok, so we found him.

He was floating at the top of one of the houses.

He was all puffy lookin and swollen and bruised. Something looks like it was attaching him. His fins were all torn up.

I would like to know why he started acting all erratic like that. The rest of the population is seemingly fine for the moment.

 

[FishBlast]

Ok, so we found him.

He was floating at the top of one of the houses.

He was all puffy lookin and swollen and bruised. Something looks like it was attaching him. His fins were all torn up.

I would like to know why he started acting all erratic like that. The rest of the population is seemingly fine for the moment.

So is he still alive or dead? If dead, he was most likely eaten out of after he died.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Ok, so we found him.

He was floating at the top of one of the houses.

He was all puffy lookin and swollen and bruised. Something looks like it was attaching him. His fins were all torn up.

I would like to know why he started acting all erratic like that. The rest of the population is seemingly fine for the moment.

As aforementioned, I'm sure external parasites can cause sudden and erratic behavior. Keep an eye on your other fish, some parasites will remain active in the water column for several days.

 

[Staxx]

this is an old thread i know but ive just counted my fish and noticed some are missing?

im missing 1 leopard danio, 1 or 2 albino cory cats and a female black molly..

ive took out all the ornaments, checked everywhere and cant find them! do you think they have jumped out the tank and my dogs ate them?

either im seeing things or ive suddenly lost the ability to count