Missing Fish...

[jimmy_veal]

Over the past month or so i added to my tank 2 Zebra Danios and 2 Rummy nose tetras, after a week the 2 rummy nose tetras had disappeared overnight? couldn't find them anywhere. I have a Juwel Vision 180 tank with an internal filter, i thought they may have got stuck between the glass and the filter box, i slid a ruler down the side but nothing. So I put it down to a vanishing act. Then yesterday I did a 10% water change, both Zebra Danios were there. After a few trips back and forward to the sink refilling with water i noticed that evening when feeding them that 1 of them had disappeared??! Can't find him anywhere - does anyone else have this problem with disappearing fish?

 

[Noahs ark6]

Danios are notoriously good jumpers. Have you checked the floor around the tank? regarding the tetras, have you look in the filter? how heavily planted is your tank? I also see that you have an angelfish in there, how big is he, as large angelfish can eat small fish

 

[robertsskippyj]

I had this problem before I cut the Internal out of my Juwel Rio 180.

My Zebra loaches use to hid under the filter in the gap between my gravel and the filter.

I also lost a small Cardinal Tetra and lifted the lid off the top of the filter to find him swimming around in the same section as the pads.

 

[jimmy_veal]

I didn't know they were good jumpers - i will have a look around the back of the tank when i finish work. It is in an alcove in my room so will get the torch out. The tank is not heavily planted, so i can see all around it, i may take the 2 filter cages out later and have a good search around.
Will let you know my findings if any...

My Kuhli loaches hide under the filter too...dont see them much, they come out when the light is off.

 

[robertsskippyj]

I didn't know they were good jumpers - i will have a look around the back of the tank when i finish work. It is in an alcove in my room so will get the torch out. The tank is not heavily planted, so i can see all around it, i may take the 2 filter cages out later and have a good search around.
Will let you know my findings if any...

My Kuhli loaches hide under the filter too...dont see them much, they come out when the light is off.

As I had the room I took the number of Zebra Loaches up to 6 from 3 and although they are a fairly nocturnal species they now spend a large anount of time out whilst the lights are on, as they feel safer in groups. Might work with your Kuhli to, if you have the space room in the tank.

 

[jimmy_veal]

Yeah I have 2 kuhlis so i guess another 2 or 3 would be ok. I love to watch them but it is a bit difficult as they are always hiding!

 

[MBOU]

To be honest, the fish are probably hiding because they arent happy and dont feel safe.

You have loads of different species of shoaling fish which in the wild would should in their hundreds if not thousands.

Only having 1 or 2 of a species like that it a bit cruel and you wont ever have happy fish, i would either rehome the fish you dont want to increase numbers of or up the numbers.

Depending on how mature your tank set up is... I would be changing the stocknig to:

-I would rehome the tiger barbs as they desperately need to be upped in numbers which will take up more space than you have. In the long run you will probably find they bully and kill smaller fish and nip the angel.

-I would up the Bloodfin Tetras, XRay Tetras, Zebra Danios and Rasbora (harlequins?) up to having minimum of 6 of each species. Bearing in mind that if you get small ones, your angel will probably eat them.

-I would up khuli loach to 8, they take up no space at all but need to be in groups and also your zebra loach to 4 (id say more but with khulis and bristlenose in there too there isnt room).

----

That said.... I would personally rehome the tiger barbs and two species of smaller fish (the glass bloodfins and one other as easier for angel to eat when it grows).

That way you can have two shoals of fish and up them to 10-12 of each species and they will look much better and be much happier and wont hide.

I would aim for:

12 Danios (top of the tank)
12 Rasbora/Xray Tetra (middle of the tank)
8 Khuli Loach (bottom of the tank)
4-5 Zebra Loach (bottom of the tank)
2 Congo Dwarf Frogs (if its the african clawed frog it will need rehoming asap).
1 Angel as center piece (middle to top level)

Red Tail Black Shark, i would personally rehome, the tank just isnt big enough and when he hit maturity, you run the risk of him killing or harrassing everything in your tank.

 

[jimmy_veal]

Thanks for the advice i will have a think what to do with the fish. Question: When does a red tailed shark hit maturity, i have had mine for 4 years now?

 

[jimmy_veal]

I have contacted my LFS and asked them if they will take back my red-tailed shark and barbs, still waiting on a reply, then i can up the numbers of my other fish. May have a change of scenery in the tank whilst Im at it.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm wondering after reading this if the angel has eaten the tetra's. I read somewhere that they eat neons in nature but I don't know if that means all tetra's or just neon tetra's

 

[balajake]

If they died they would have been took apart in minutes

 

[MBOU]

Angels will eat anything that fits in their mouth so all depends on the size of the angels really.

They can only eat the species of tetras that are long and narrow in the body like nons, cardinals etc but not those deep in the body like xrays and phantom teras and the such like.

 

[jimmy_veal]

I hadn't thought of the angel fish eating them, although they seem a bit big to fit in its mouth??
Went into my LFS today and they have said they will take back the barbs and red-tailed shark. So will be dropping them off Monday. Then can increase numbers of other fish i have.
Looking to get:
2x Golden Zebra loaches to increase the numbers to 4 in total.
4x Bloodfin Tetras to increase the numbers to 6 in total.
4x X-Ray Tetras to increase the numbers to 6 in total.
4x Kuhli Loaches to increase the numbers to 6 in total.
2x Paradise Fish to keep the Angel company.

Hopefully then the tank will be a more peaceable one without the barbs and shark terrorizing everything!

 

[fluttermoth]

That looks good, much better than before; but leave out the paradise fish!

They're terribly aggressive, and will bully the angel rather than keep him company!

Angels are a bit of a nightmare; they need to be either in shoals of six or eight, or in mated pairs; they have to choose their own mate too, as they're very difficult to sex, so you can't just buy another angel and hope they'll get on.

You'll probably just have to resign yourself to keeping him on his own; it's not ideal, but it can be done; my own angel lives on his own as he turne on his mate one day and I had to rehome her

 

[jimmy_veal]

Rang the LFS today to arrange to drop off the shark and barbs, but they are a bit short staffed today so will drop them off tomorrow. will be sad to see them go really because i have had them for a number of years, but i know it will be the best for the tank in the end.
The LFS shop told me that my shark hadn't grown very much because the males don't grow as big as the females, so at least i know now it is a male that is terrorizing the tank.
I bought a new net at the weekend so i could catch the fish, it has a red net, and says on the packaging it is infa-red, and fish may not be able to see the net so can catch them easier. Has anyone had any experience with this or is it just a myth?