fishes missing, do i expect a nutrient spike?

evolutionZ · 06/08/2013, 07:43 AM

As above, i have a 65g (total water volume system, tank is 48x24x14") tank. i added in a 2" yellow tang 2 week ago and it was eating well on pellets. one week ago i added a 1.5" royal gramma and it was eating pellets too. but 3 days after adding the royal gramma, i found out that it was missing. nowhere to be found.

The next day, my yellow tang went missing! now it seems like there is some sort of killer inside my tank or it could have jumped out ( i have a mini shih tzu but i doubt it will eat it). i decided to take the risk and blew my rocks with my wave maker to try to blow out any bodies. But nothing came out.

My rocks structures are pretty open and there are not many non-visible spots. i've check countless of times and anywhere around the tank but just cant these 2 fishes.

i also checked my ammonia, po4 and no3 for the past few days (its been almost a week since both fishes are missing) and they are as per usual level at 0, 0 and 2 respectively.

anyone can give me an idea what could have happen?

cloak · 06/08/2013, 07:47 PM

Did you use live rock or dry rock? If the fish didn't jump and then get eaten by your dog, my guess would be a mantis shrimp or possibly a red eye crab. Something along those lines. You might want to start flipping rocks over, checking every nook and cranny. Also, look into homemade traps as well. GL.

evolutionZ · 06/09/2013, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

Did you use live rock or dry rock? If the fish didn't jump and then get eaten by your dog, my guess would be a mantis shrimp or possibly a red eye crab. Something along those lines. You might want to start flipping rocks over, checking every nook and cranny. Also, look into homemade traps as well. GL.

i bought the live rocks from another reefer who had it in his tank for more than 6 months without issue. i checked my LR for critters before using but found nothing. certainly hope its not pest related. strange enough my slower moving fish (bangai and mandarin) are still doing very well. i might do a DIY trap to see what i can catch over night.

Kanglee00 · 08/05/2013, 12:54 AM

Did you ever find out what happened to your fish? My royal gramma has gone missing as well.

shifty51008 · 08/05/2013, 02:13 AM

Depening on what you have for a cuc, a fish that dies wont take long to dissapear.

evolutionZ · 08/08/2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kanglee00

Did you ever find out what happened to your fish? My royal gramma has gone missing as well.

my final conclusion is that it died in the tank.

The reason why i made that conclusion is because just 2 days after i bought a fire goby(a week after the missing tang and gramma) It went missing and spotted it's body ledge under a rock. i had 10 nassarius snail in my tank and they were all gathered and feasting on its body.. i believe the tang and gramma died inside and the snails got on to them so fast and ate them up before i could find any body.

ca1ore · 08/08/2013, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evolutionZ

my final conclusion is that it died in the tank.

The reason why i made that conclusion is because just 2 days after i bought a fire goby(a week after the missing tang and gramma) It went missing and spotted it's body ledge under a rock. i had 10 nassarius snail in my tank and they were all gathered and feasting on its body.. i believe the tang and gramma died inside and the snails got on to them so fast and ate them up before i could find any body.

Agreed, far more likely that than some rock dwelling boogie bug.

evolutionZ · 08/08/2013, 08:02 PM

that also explained why i didn't have any nutrients spike... CUC are really important in a tank!

06/08/2013, 07:43 AM	#1
evolutionZ Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 684	fishes missing, do i expect a nutrient spike? As above, i have a 65g (total water volume system, tank is 48x24x14") tank. i added in a 2" yellow tang 2 week ago and it was eating well on pellets. one week ago i added a 1.5" royal gramma and it was eating pellets too. but 3 days after adding the royal gramma, i found out that it was missing. nowhere to be found. The next day, my yellow tang went missing! now it seems like there is some sort of killer inside my tank or it could have jumped out ( i have a mini shih tzu but i doubt it will eat it). i decided to take the risk and blew my rocks with my wave maker to try to blow out any bodies. But nothing came out. My rocks structures are pretty open and there are not many non-visible spots. i've check countless of times and anywhere around the tank but just cant these 2 fishes. i also checked my ammonia, po4 and no3 for the past few days (its been almost a week since both fishes are missing) and they are as per usual level at 0, 0 and 2 respectively. anyone can give me an idea what could have happen?

08/05/2013, 02:13 AM	#5
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Depening on what you have for a cuc, a fish that dies wont take long to dissapear. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

06/08/2013, 07:47 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Did you use live rock or dry rock? If the fish didn't jump and then get eaten by your dog, my guess would be a mantis shrimp or possibly a red eye crab. Something along those lines. You might want to start flipping rocks over, checking every nook and cranny. Also, look into homemade traps as well. GL.

08/05/2013, 12:54 AM	#4
Kanglee00 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 95	Did you ever find out what happened to your fish? My royal gramma has gone missing as well.

08/08/2013, 08:02 PM	#8
evolutionZ Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 684	that also explained why i didn't have any nutrients spike... CUC are really important in a tank!