Missing Endler's Livebearer

[corylover5]

I had 1 blue and green Endler's live bearer in my 29 gallon tank. I saw him last night and he appeared healthy, swimming around with a guppy and he came up to eat some Fluval Bug bites. I was just watching my tank today and I can't find him. I moved around all my decorations and looked between the plants but he's not there. I checked all around the outside of my tank too but there's no sign of him. My water parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 8 nitrate. Could he have died overnight and been eaten that quickly? I can't find bones or any trace of him.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Had the exact same thing year ago. I boutght 4 guppies, over time had only 3 and I had shrimp in the tank and so he was eaten. So if you have something that would eat him, this is what most likely has happened.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

They can hide pretty well when they want to. I was convinced a female guppy of mine had jumped out and gone down the back, I couldn't find her anywhere. I pulled that tank apart, and it was pretty sparsely decorated at the time anyway since it was a quarantine tank. Couldn't find her.

Hours later I glance over at the tank, and she's right there, swimming with the others. She must have hidden behind the filter or heater or popped into a parallel universe for a visit or something. Still have no idea how she hid from me for that long. So don't give up hope yet!

 

[corylover5]

Thanks. I'm hoping he's just hiding somewhere. He is pretty small so I wouldn't be surprised if I missed him while looking for him

 

[PheonixKingZ]

He may be hiding, he may be dead. It's really hard to keep track of those little guys. Hope you find him.

 

[Salty&Onion]

popped into a parallel universe for a visit or something

Sure

 

[emeraldking]

Well, also overhere it happened with different sizes of fish. Thought they were already gone but in some way they've managed to hide well (despite of some sizes) and appeared after a long time again...
I do hope yours is just hiding...

 

[Retired Viking]

I have had fish I lost show up a few days later so I hope that is what it is but small fish can be eaten fairly fast and if there are shrimp or snails they are usually gone in a short time. Hope he is just hiding.

 

[corylover5]

It's been over a week since he disappeared. I haven't seen him at all. I'm still not sure how this happened. How could he just die out of nowhere and then be eaten with no bones or any trace of him? My water parameters were perfect and he was healthy with no signs of any disease. He ate and swam around like normal. Next day, he's just gone. He couldn't have jumped out because I have a tight lid and any gaps have sponge stuffed into them to prevent my snails from getting out. I looked on the floor just in case with no sign of him either. He couldn't have been eaten by another fish because his tank mates are small peaceful fish. I'm just so confused.

 

[Retired Viking]

Sorry but snails will also eat dead fish

 

[corylover5]

What could have caused him to die? I can't think of any reason for a seemingly healthy fish to die overnight

 

[Ch4rlie]

Am afraid this is part of fishkeeping.

Sometimes they are very good at hiding and suddenly back in the tank again as if nothing has happened. I had one endler alive and well inside my filter once! And have seen fish inside tank decor even though was sure I checked it and even taken the decor out of tank to see if can find him/her but hey presto there they are! Little Houdini

But I have had a couple of fish simply disappeared without any trace whatsoever.

Even when they look real healthy and show no symptoms at all, then shock at realising or come to conclusion that they’ve passed away. Most of my fish lived for at least 4-5 years so naturally will assume some will have died of old age or natural causes.

Most if not all livestock will eat at a dead tank mate since are a good source of protein and nutrients, you’d be surprised how quickly they will be eaten, shrimps and snails are surprisingly quick at eating tankmates.

Not pleasant but certainly not all that unusual and is part of the circle of life.

 

[Essjay]

I finally sorted the water sprite yesterday and I can now see my fish. I was shocked to discover there are only 6 rice fish in my tank. There were 10 last time I managed to count them, but I have never found a body or even a skeleton. But I have cherry shrimps, MTS, 'pest' snails (ramshorns and physids) as well as other fish in this tank.