Missing Fish?

[Noahs ark6]

Hi.

i had 3 neon tetras (about to get a few more) and a betta. just gone to feed them and theres 2 neon tetras. i've scoured the tank and there is no sign of the missing fish. any ideas, or could the betta even have eaten it!?

 

[KittyKat]

Tank size? Decor? Why did you have only 3 to start with?

Fish will eat other dead fish quite happily.

 

[Noahs ark6]

tank is 50 ltrs, was building up the neon population gradually,a few live plants and all stats are perfect, i dont see why the neon would have died as it was completely fine and happy 6 hrs before i next checked the tank...

 

[daleboy]

What sort of filter do you have?
Any chance it could have been sucked in or trapped behind it?

 

[KittyKat]

The filter is an option.

In a properly cycled tank that size, you should be able to get numbers up to at least 6 in one go, especially if you have plants. They are one of the fish which does not do well in smaller numbers.

 

[Noahs ark6]

the filter is a fluval mini internal filter. the slits to allow the water to pass through are tiny, and its not trapped behind it, again, i was increasing the stock gradually (regardless of whether i could add six at a time)

 

[KittyKat]

the filter is a fluval mini internal filter. the slits to allow the water to pass through are tiny, and its not trapped behind it, again, i was increasing the stock gradually (regardless of whether i could add six at a time)

What I am trying to say here, is that a group of three could very well be the reason one of them is dead now. There is being cautious and being cautious. I am all for slow stocking, but not if it means that one fish is going to get picked on to death. With schooling fish, it is best to start with 6, and then stock slowly from there.

 

[Noahs ark6]

the filter is a fluval mini internal filter. the slits to allow the water to pass through are tiny, and its not trapped behind it, again, i was increasing the stock gradually (regardless of whether i could add six at a time)

What I am trying to say here, is that a group of three could very well be the reason one of them is dead now. There is being cautious and being cautious. I am all for slow stocking, but not if it means that one fish is going to get picked on to death. With schooling fish, it is best to start with 6, and then stock slowly from there.

i have checked: in the filter, behind the filter, under the filter, behind the plants, in the plants, behind the heater, under the heater, everywhere within a 4 mtr radius of the tank, even underneath the sand, theres no dead fish there ?

 

[fluttermoth]

Small fish, like neons, do rot away very quickly in the warm water of a tropical tank; the other fish wil have had a good munch on it as well, I'm afraid!
It's not uncommon to lose a fish and never find any sign of it; it's happened to me loads of times (not that I'm a bad fishkeeper, and am forever losing fish, I should hasten to add! It's just that I often don't find a body when a fish has died).

 

[Noahs ark6]

Small fish, like neons, do rot away very quickly in the warm water of a tropical tank; the other fish wil have had a good munch on it as well, I'm afraid!
It's not uncommon to lose a fish and never find any sign of it; it's happened to me loads of times (not that I'm a bad fishkeeper, and am forever losing fish, I should hasten to add! It's just that I often don't find a body when a fish has died).

does a body rot away in a 6 hour period? because it was a 6 hour period until i checked the tank again.

 

[fluttermoth]

With the help of a few hungry fish? Yes definitely. I know it seems mad, but there you are.

 

[KittyKat]

[...]i was increasing the stock gradually (regardless of whether i could add six at a time)

What I am trying to say here, is that a group of three could very well be the reason one of them is dead now. There is being cautious and being cautious. I am all for slow stocking, but not if it means that one fish is going to get picked on to death. With schooling fish, it is best to start with 6, and then stock slowly from there.

i have checked: in the filter, behind the filter, under the filter, behind the plants, in the plants, behind the heater, under the heater, everywhere within a 4 mtr radius of the tank, even underneath the sand, theres no dead fish there ?

I am talking about stock increase here, not corpses.

Small fish, like neons, do rot away very quickly in the warm water of a tropical tank; the other fish wil have had a good munch on it as well, I'm afraid!
It's not uncommon to lose a fish and never find any sign of it; it's happened to me loads of times (not that I'm a bad fishkeeper, and am forever losing fish, I should hasten to add! It's just that I often don't find a body when a fish has died).

does a body rot away in a 6 hour period? because it was a 6 hour period until i checked the tank again.

Yes, it can happen, with the help of the other fish trying to eat as much as they can.

 

[Noahs ark6]

kk, ty everyone