Disappearing fish

[DaveSac]

Hello all,

I have a 29 biocube with a 20g sump/fug that has been up and running great for about 8 months now. I have been having a lot of luck with the coral I have placed into the tank, parameters have been stable for about 7 months now. So, I decided to buy a few fish. I started with a lawnmower blenny, and he has done well. A few weeks later I purchased a pseudochromis dottyback, also doing well.

Then I bought 3 small blue/green chromis, and they seemed to be doing well... until I woke up the next morning. Two of them were gone. The larger of the three, and the smallest. I removed my LR, checked the drain to the sump (which is too small for them to get into, even if they found a way to get back there), nothing. I waited a week or so to see if they were just hiding due to stress from the move, but they never appeared.

Last weekend I bought two clowns, and they were as happy as could be the day I placed them into the tank. I woke up 6 hours later to check on them, and one was missing. I again removed just about all the LR, and the little guy was just gone. All the other fish are still there, happy, eating, exploring. All the parameters are in check, the coral continue to grow.

I am at a complete loss. Does anyone have any ideas?

Sorry for the long-winded post.

Thanks,

-Dave

 

[skinz78]

Do you have any anemone's in the tank?

Do you hear popping sounds coming from the tank after the lights are off?

 

[csal1-175]

When I had a bio-cube they would jump the wall and hide in the fill site glass on the side of the chamber.GL hope ya find your fish...

 

[NanoNano]

I have a 20 gallon high nano and I've lost a 6 line wrasse and 1 false perc. No clue where they went. Everyone tells me my Golden Dwarf Moray got them but he's way too small to eat fish that size. They could have jumped and the dog or cat got them I guess.

 

[slkotara]

I have a 12 gal. nano and had 3 fish completely disappear and the best I can guess I have a mantis shrimp somewhere I have seen yet.

 

[hippo tang]

Try this . A hour after you turn off your lights ( house lights too ) get a flash light and some type of food ( shrimp pellets work good ) put a little in the tank and wait ( 10 to 15 mins. )
Turn your flash on and look in your tank . You may find the problem

 

[droblack]

I've had the same problem, with fairly large wrasses even. Just disappear. Think my problem may be an eunicid worm. Need to set a trap.

 

[DaveSac]

Thank you for all the replies. I found a mantis the first week I had the tank running, he is happily living in the fug. I guess a second one hiding in the display isn't out of the question.

I will try your suggestion tonight hippo tang.

Thanks again, I will keep ya posted

 

[DaveA]

Do you hear popping sounds coming from the tank after the lights are off?

What would the popping sounds indicate????

 

[_Alex_]

pistol shrimp, snapping fish and dragging them in its hole would be my guess

What would the popping sounds indicate????

 

[Speg]

Mantis shrimp make some loud noises as well when they attack hard prey (i.e. crabs/snails)

 

[DaveSac]

I tried luring any hidden preditor with shrimp last night once all the lights were out, but nothing appeared. I haven't heard any popping noises outside of the mantis in the fuge hammering on rocks and redecorating. I will try to lure something out over the next few nights with more food.

If I don't find anything I may setup a video camera after replacing the clown I lost.

 

[inactive]

Could be the damsels killing each other in the small tank.

 

[hippo tang]

My tank has been setup for 4 years and I still find things in the dark that I didn't think I had
I have caught a few harry crabs ( took a year be for i found the first one )

 

[hawkfishman]

do you have cats? kidding stone crabs can eat a fish pretty quick look for little red eyes at night. if you have any i've used panty hose tied off at one end and a straw made into a square at the other end to hold it open, put some food inside and there hairy legs get stuck.