Where do They Go?

When I buy new fish I always check the bag as I'm putting them into the tank to make sure all fish are there and healthy looking.

However, most times, within a few minutes of the new fish joining the aquarium community, one or more is missing. I wait for them to resurface, dead, in days but they do not.

Where do they go? This happens equally with little fish as well as larger ones (2\" being my lragest fish so far).

Hi Sabriana

What have you got in your tank so far and what fish are going missing ?

I have a mix of small fish (most will stay small, but a couple are likely to grow bigger). This includes 8 (now 7, one missing) dwarf Gourami, 8 assorted mollys, 2 Marbled Angelfish, 2 Tiger Barbs, 3 Zebra Danios, one Clown Loach, one silver shark, one catfish who looks like a silver shark, one Siamese Fighter, one suckerfish (who is by far my biggest fish so far, growing rapidly), 7 guppys and various tetras.

The ones that are going missing include some new tetras, one gourami, one new catfish that looks like a worm, and one glass tailed black fish that looks like a feather. Sorry for referring to some of them by description rather than name, but I'm still learning:)

First of all we were all learning once so don't worry about naming fish I think I know the ones you mean.

Right. First of all you have only got 2 tiger barbs,. Tiger barbs are better off in a big group of at least 10.

Zebra Danios like groups of at least 6 but 3 is ok.

Clown loach need to be in groups of 3 they do get very BIG but they do grow slowly.

Silver sharks ( also known as Bala Shark ) get very big quite quickly and they like to be in groups of at least 3

The catfish that looks like a silver shark could be a Pictus catfish and that might be where your fish have gone.

Danios, Siamese fighters and guppies are not a good idea as the danios will rip there fins to shreds as will the tiger barbs. Your various tetras should be fine depending on what they are

The glass tailed black fish that looks like a feather could be some sort of Knife fish. If it is a knife fish you won't see it much during the day or when your tank lights are on. they are nocturnal But With out a picture to ID it properly I am unsure

The missing Gourami could have passed away and been eaten by the catfish and any other bottom dweller.The smaller fish could have been eatn by either the catfish or if it is one the knife fish.

The new catfish that looks like a worm could be a Khuli loach of some type but again without a picture I am unsure of that. If it is a khuli loach that would have buried itself in the gravel and made it's home in there. you won't see it much.

So really to answer your question depending on the size of it. I would say that the fish did pass away and the Pictus catfish ( if that is what you have ) ate them.

Another little tip. When you buy fish don't put the water from the shop into your tank.

It could introduce diseases.

I am sure some one else will come along later with a few other suggestions. But I hope I have helped a bit.

Jill<br><br>Post edited by: Red Empress, at: 2007/08/11 17:45

Hi SabrinaSummerville,

Welcome to the forum !

The list of fish you gave us earlier is quite impressive.

Before you add any fish to your current set-up, I would wait until things settle a little in your tank.

RedEmpress is correct in highlighting that some fish would be happier in a shoal, but you need to keep in mind the rule of thumb regarding the population density in your tank (260l) (I think it's 1 cm of tropical community fish for 1 liter of water - please someone correct me if I'm wrong ).

It might also be a good plan to identify some of the fish you already have by with books/internet. You can also post pictures on this forum so that we help you identify them (through photobucket for example - it's dead easy).
This way, you will be closer to figuring out the culprit that makes your fish disappear.

Wishing you the best of luck in your fishkeeping !

Kindest regards,
Valerie

PS - Bala (Silver) Sharks grow to 35cm, clown loaches to 30cm (slow growth), if your sucker fish is a common pleco, it can go to 40cm+.<br><br>Post edited by: Valerie, at: 2007/08/11 18:27

that was a very good tip on not putting lfs water into your tank.
will have to remember that for the future.

so i assume you just need to have a bag, put some of your own water into it for the fish and acclimatise the newbie in your own water....
what ever happened to ading your water into the bag bit by bit to help acclimatise the newbie:huh:

Welcome to the forum Sabrina,

I'm not going to add anything because your being looked after by two of the forums best female fish gurus.

Personally I found 1 of mine behind the curtain a day and a half later. so I know what ya mean.

I think you ladies are right with the Knife Fish and the Khuli Loach. Knife fish is definitely right - I'll check Khuli Loach online.

I have bought three fish books and started writing a list of my stock. I kind of got embarrassed as I went on writing it as I figure I have more than 70 fish in the one tank, though given their current size that's probably ok based on what Valerie said there. I'm embarrassed 'cos I introduced about 30 of them in the past 2 weeks (the others came from the old tank). That saying, you don't notice 14 neon tetras as a big volume of fish-body!

The tank is still cloudy and it makes me sad to look at it - but I have set aside all of tomorrow morning for cleaning and a water change (was thinking of maybe 30%???).

Behind a curtain? I like that!!

My nephew got a silver shark for his tank and insisted on putting it in himself (he's 6). His little sister kept pointing and saying \&quot;Oh look, oh look\&quot; but nobody paid her any attention as I just assumed she was pointing to some water on the floor. But she's three, and she's pushy, so eventually we looked where she was pointing - Mr Shark was writhing in agony on the floor!

zale wrote:

I'm not going to add anything because your being looked after by two of the forums best female fish gurus.

What you after now Mark ? <br><br>Post edited by: Red Empress, at: 2007/08/11 19:21

koinonia wrote:

that was a very good tip on not putting lfs water into your tank.
will have to remember that for the future.

so i assume you just need to have a bag, put some of your own water into it for the fish and acclimatise the newbie in your own water....
what ever happened to ading your water into the bag bit by bit to help acclimatise the newbie:huh:

Hi Koinonia

No you don't have to go that far. You can float the bag in the tank when you get it home.

Just don't add the lfs water to your tank when you let the fish go.

@ Jill

A bigger tank, some more SA cichlids maybe, uh and one of those things that blow bubbles into the water:P<br><br>Post edited by: zale, at: 2007/08/11 20:09

@ Mark,
Like one of these ?



I'm not sure SA cichlids would like it !

Valerie

Very Good.

makes sense jill:cheer:


i had a zebra danio go missing in my tank 3 weeks ago.

i was cleaning my juwel filter last night and whatever way the light caught it i saw a fish swimming in the section were the powerhead(assume I'm right) is.


it was my zebra ..and it had actually grown its now happily swimming in the main tank..and who ever said danios need a lot of space to swim in:silly:

koinonia wrote:

makes sense jill:cheer:


i had a zebra danio go missing in my tank 3 weeks ago.

i was cleaning my juwel filter last night and whatever way the light caught it i saw a fish swimming in the section were the powerhead(assume I'm right) is.


it was my zebra ..and it had actually grown its now happily swimming in the main tank..and who ever said danios need a lot of space to swim in:silly:

Oh great glad you found him. Tuff little fish Danios takes a lot to cause them problems.

Two of the missing ones finally turned up - the Kuhli Loach was, as you suggested, buried under the substrate. He put in a guest appearance for about an hour, and is gone again. As for the glass tailed knife fish - well, he was a sorry story - appeared like something from a horror film, clearly dead a few days and partially eaten.

I am interested that all the fish seem to lose colour when they die - why is this?

SabrinaSummerville wrote:

Two of the missing ones finally turned up - the Kuhli Loach was, as you suggested, buried under the substrate. He put in a guest appearance for about an hour, and is gone again.

Your khuli loach probably came out because they are affected by the weather. ( Rain / storm fronts )Glad you found him though.

As for the glass tailed knife fish - well, he was a sorry story - appeared like something from a horror film, clearly dead a few days and partially eaten.

I am interested that all the fish seem to lose colour when they die - why is this?

I won't be too graphic. But it is all to do with the rotting prosses and the fact that in the wild the body would either be eaten or washed away down river.

I am sure someone else will be able to explaine it better than that.

That's a good one about the fish being affected by the weather!

SabrinaSummerville wrote:

That's a good one about the fish being affected by the weather!

Another bit of information I picked up along the way.

Many of the loach family and bottom feeders are affected this way.
When a weather front is approching they go nuts because of the air pressure change.
So if your loach comes out and goes nuts all over the tank then your due some rain or a storm with in an hour or two.

Red Empress wrote:

SabrinaSummerville wrote:

That's a good one about the fish being affected by the weather!

Another bit of information I picked up along the way.

Many of the loach family and bottom feeders are affected this way.
When a weather front is approching they go nuts because of the air pressure change.
So if your loach comes out and goes nuts all over the tank then your due some rain or a storm with in an hour or two.

And Corydoras get frisky:blush:

Which ones are Corydoras? I love even the sound of the name!!

I am relieved to say that the tank is really settling down. It's only vaguely cloudy now. I discovered that my filter pump was clogged, which was obviously causing a big problem with buildup of crud.

SabrinaSummerville wrote:

Which ones are Corydoras? I love even the sound of the name!!

&lt;

---

My avatar has a corydora picture.Corydoras arcuatus ( skunk cory )

You want to search the forum photo section.

Daragh Owen has a good few different ones and his collection &amp; pictures are stunning

I am relieved to say that the tank is really settling down. It's only vaguely cloudy now. I discovered that my filter pump was clogged, which was obviously causing a big problem with buildup of crud.

Glad you got that sorted out and it is now clearing. <br><br>Post edited by: Red Empress, at: 2007/08/14 16:39

I see you're from South Wales! I have a house full of Cardiff folk this week. Family.

I am only about 20 miles north of Cardiff:)

OK, Jill,
if Munster make the Heineken Cup final next year, i'll be knocking on your door for a place to kip. Don't mind those other 20 people in red jerseys behind me. Only my true followers

apistodiscus wrote:

OK, Jill,
if Munster make the Heineken Cup final next year, i'll be knocking on your door for a place to kip. Don't mind those other 20 people in red jerseys behind me. Only my true followers

And you would be most welcome mate.

You can do my water changes.

With all the beer in us we could cycle several hundred tanks for you

apistodiscus wrote:

With all the beer in us we could cycle several hundred tanks for you

Now that thought is going to give me nightmares

Well, would save you plenty of prawns. I'd rather have them on sandwiches