Carpenter wrasse just vanished?

jake.harry.3 · Aug 26, 2015

So i have had my carpenter wrasse for about 4-5ish weeks. He usually is out swimming around during the day, just fine with my 2 clowns and goby/pistol. I took a weekend vacation to indy last weekend and came home to him being completely gone. He isnt in any of the usual hiding spots and 4 of us have searched the tank looking for him. My question is...do they burrow? The top has a cover over it and the only spot it isnt covered is the light bar(which is completely dry). Im so confused.

evolved · Aug 27, 2015

They do not bury in the sand.

If there is ANY escape path in the top of the tank, I'd hedge my bets on that being it's demise. If the head fits, the fish fits.

My only other thought, is if it's a drilled tank with a sump, make sure you check the overflow/sump.

AlexG · Aug 27, 2015

Check the floor and sump along with pump intakes. As evolved said any tiny hole they can fit though they will find.

jake.harry.3 · Aug 27, 2015

We have checked the floor around the tank. The intake of the sump has a cover and the return is only a few inches long and has a check valve. Ill try and check inside that tube again, but i didnt see him in there when i checked.

ca2or · Aug 27, 2015

My bet is floor, unless you have a cat that would grab said fish off of floor, or sump. If, which I hope not, it died it could be getting picked apart by your CUC somewhere in the rockwork

jduck · Aug 27, 2015

In the stand stuck next to the sump someplace.

jake.harry.3 · Aug 27, 2015

Im going to mark it down as a KIA fish. No signs of jumping, no fish remains on floor or in sump, and ive looked at almost every nook and crevice i could see in the tank. Even went as far as using a camera with a flash to search the tank and watch it in slow mo. Ill take the $30 loss and suck it up.

Mattrg02 · Aug 27, 2015

I've had a few fish completely vanish before. It's as if they were abducted by aliens.

EDO · Aug 27, 2015

Mattrg02 said:
I've had a few fish completely vanish before. It's as if they were abducted by aliens.

Have there been any black helicopters spotted in your area lately, lol

Mattrg02 · Aug 27, 2015

EDO said:
Have there been any black helicopters spotted in your area lately, lol

Yes, but they were there for me.

jake.harry.3 · Aug 27, 2015

I live right by a army air base so yes. Black helicopters all the time.

jake.harry.3 · Aug 28, 2015

Okay now its starting to worry me. I now cannot find 1 of my 2 clowns. Its only been since 5 last night, but im so confused. Where are they going.

Rattooth · Aug 28, 2015

Anemone ?
Predator?
Jumped?

A small fish can hide under rock then die and be hard to spot?

Mike_J · Aug 28, 2015

Worst case scenario, but could there be something predatory in your tank? Green brittle star or bobbit worm (yikes)? Perhaps stalk your tank late night with a red light.

rlman41299 · Aug 28, 2015

mantis by any chance?

evolved · Aug 28, 2015

Mike_J said:
Green brittle star or bobbit worm (yikes)?

rlman41299 said:
mantis by any chance?

Those are all the likely suspects, if something is eating them.

ca1ore · Aug 28, 2015

I've given up on keeping Carpenters. Sticking with leopards - much easier (and far less neurotic). They either just disappear; or seem hell bent on jumping out of the tank. FWIW, a fish will decompose to almost nothing in a few days. Far more likely than some aquatic boogeyman IMO.

jake.harry.3 · Aug 29, 2015

My tank mates consists of:
1 yellow watchman goby
1 pistol shrimp
1 carpenter wrasse(MIA)
2 clownfish(1 MIA)
2 cleaner shrimp
And to many snails and shrimp to name.

The wrasse I am chalking up to maybe he went in a hole and the pistol killed him, but the clown im at a loss. I understand that I will lose fish, but when i think lose in the saltwater world i think die or be eaten. Not disappear. My wrasse was a good 2-3 inches long so small, but not completely tiny.