Missing Endler

[MHunt]

Hey all,

Just got two pairs of Endlers for my planted nano. My problem is
i haven't seen one of the females since yesterday afternoon when i put them in the tank. The other three, two males and a female are apparently happily swimming round the tank, but the other female has disappeared. I don't really want to take the tank apart to find it as i have a soil substrate and the resulting move would make the tank a muddy mess.

Do females normally disappear for long periods of time? I guess they may when giving birth or if hiding from the males for some reason. That said if it has died, i may never find it as the two shrimp i have will have made short work of the body.

 

[lilfishie]

she may just be shy for a few days, i've had this in my guppies when they move tank. give it a few days see if she appears, you may have a nice suprise of some fry as some females will hide away when the time comes, just don't give up hope on her, keep us updated

 

[theotheragentm]

It is also a possibility that she died. Fish that may not normally eat other fish will be opportunistic and go after an easy meal. Hopefully you find her alive and well.

 

[MHunt]

Well i found one of the females dead this morning. I took the bogwood out of the tank and had a look around but couldn't see the other. It didn't appear out in the open, nor did i see another body, so that could be both that i've lost straight away. Both the males look really healthy as do the shrimp i added at the same time. I did a water test this morning, but with zero ammonia and nitrite, really low nitrates and a pH of about 7, it's the best water i have kept fish in for ages so i don't think it was that. I'm taking the body i have back to the LFS this evening to see if i can get an exchange, i didn't provide a water sample beforehand so they may not do anything but i can tell them the results of my test this morning and see what happens. I'm not expecting a replacement for the other female unless i can find the body.

 

[orange shark]

Well i found one of the females dead this morning. I took the bogwood out of the tank and had a look around but couldn't see the other. It didn't appear out in the open, nor did i see another body, so that could be both that i've lost straight away. Both the males look really healthy as do the shrimp i added at the same time. I did a water test this morning, but with zero ammonia and nitrite, really low nitrates and a pH of about 7, it's the best water i have kept fish in for ages so i don't think it was that. I'm taking the body i have back to the LFS this evening to see if i can get an exchange, i didn't provide a water sample beforehand so they may not do anything but i can tell them the results of my test this morning and see what happens. I'm not expecting a replacement for the other female unless i can find the body.

Have you checked the filter it could of managed to get itself in there somehow!

Hope this helps, Jack

 

[MHunt]

Well i found one of the females dead this morning. I took the bogwood out of the tank and had a look around but couldn't see the other. It didn't appear out in the open, nor did i see another body, so that could be both that i've lost straight away. Both the males look really healthy as do the shrimp i added at the same time. I did a water test this morning, but with zero ammonia and nitrite, really low nitrates and a pH of about 7, it's the best water i have kept fish in for ages so i don't think it was that. I'm taking the body i have back to the LFS this evening to see if i can get an exchange, i didn't provide a water sample beforehand so they may not do anything but i can tell them the results of my test this morning and see what happens. I'm not expecting a replacement for the other female unless i can find the body.

Have you checked the filter it could of managed to get itself in there somehow!

Hope this helps, Jack

No, I'm filtering using a fluval2+, it has tiny holes everywhere on the casing apart from the outlet, there's no way it could have gotten inside, even by accident. More likely i would have found the body stuck to the side. That's happened with my neons before.

I've tested the water again this evening, this time with the interpet tablet kit, and again all parameters fine, Ammonia and Nitrite 0, Nitrates 10 pH 7.5 (a little high i know but nothing that the fish shouldn't be able to cope with).

I think the reason for their demise could be sexual harassment! Am I right in thinking that i should stock endlers in a similar way to guppies, at least two females for every male? The first female was sulking as soon as i put her in the tank, then when she went, the other one was outnumbered with two males harassing her.

 

[donna123]

yes as with any livebearer 2-3 females per male works well.