Missing Neons

[blfoster]

I added 6 neon tetras to my 55 gallon aquarium last week. They stuck together at first, but now they tend to swim around alone. For several days now, I haven't been able to spot more than 4 of them at a time. I have a lot of plants, so it wouldn't be hard for a fish that small to hide. Still, I'm worried that I have 2 dead fish somewhere in my aquarium, but I haven't been able to find any bodies either. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to try netting them or something, so I can know for sure if they're all still alive. I don't want any dead fish polluting my water.

EDIT: I'm reluctant to net them, because they're new fish and I don't want to stress them any more than necessary.

 

[cane76]

could they have been eaten?what are their tank mates?

 

[blfoster]

I have a pearl gourami, a neon blue dwarf gourami, a diamond tetra, a black widow tetra, an x-ray tetra, a pleco, and the neons.

I have never seen any of the other fish bothering them.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

hmmmm the pearl gourami's can be agressive so there's a chance it's bullied them and killed them. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion though.

Short of netting them or pulling the tank apart it can be really hard to tell, especially in a well planted tank. Personally I wouldn't bother.

Have a look for some bodies, if you can't see any then do some water tests, if your getting ammonia or nitrite readings it could be the result of decaying fish. if so then have a good hunt for bodies and do water changes to get the levels back to normal. other than that just leave it, sometimes you do get fish you never see, or shoals you never see all of at once.

 

[blfoster]

Alright, I did a good search and didn't find anything. My ammonia is fine. I think it's likely that they died and were torn apart by the other fish before I noticed that they were missing. I really doubt that they were killed by the other fish, because they're all peaceful (even the pearl gourami).

Thanks for the help.

 

[scubadoo]

Keep your eye out for them - they might just turn up.

I 'lost' a serpae tetra last week for 3 days - I even took the tank to pieces on water change/maintenance night and then 2 days later he turns up but missing acouple of fins ! I have no idea where he's been, but I assume he got stuck somewhere.

I'm currently treating with an anti-bac and keeping a close eye on the missing fins for any signs of infection etc., but his appetite is fine and he seems to be swimming freely - even chasing some of the other serpaes when they bother him.

 

[blfoster]

Alright, I'll keep my eyes open. Even if they are dead, I suppose an understocked 55 gal aquarium should be able to handle two dead neons.

 

[skiltrip]

in my experience, sometimes when i added a new group of neons, i'd lose 1 or 2, not always, but it has happened. if a couple DID in fact die, don't worry about it in a 55 gallon, they will be eaten before they cause water proplems. i've had plenty go missing in a 15 gallon and i never had any water quality problems as a result.

but, on the other hand, i've also counted say... 11 neons for weeks, when i knew i had 12, then counted again one day and see that 12 are indeed there. and i always have one or two loners that like to hang in the plants by themselves. they always come out to eat, but some are antisocial.

either way i think you'll be fine.

 

[keepsfalling]

My neon's go missing all the time!! For days at a time. I think they go on holiday or something!