cant find the fish

[PGriff]

I have a 40 breeder and 20 sump. I have 2 Clownfish, 2 yellow clown gobies, and a red fire shrimp. I just bought the 2 yellow gobies about 3 weeks ago, everything else has been in the tank for 3 0r 4 months already.

About 4 days ago I couldn't find one of my yellow gobies. I don't see him in the tank or on the floor. the last few days the tank is starting to get cloudy. My guess is that he buried himself under a rock or something and has died. Yesterday I checked the water and here are the numbers.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I did a 10% WC ... mostly for the other nutrients... it was time for my shrimp to molt, which he did this morning.

My question is... if the fish is somehow lodged under a rock decaying if I add some nitrifying bacteria will that help speed up the process? I also have a small CUC .... maybe they will eat it?

I'm kinda lost because I don't want to have to tear the tank down to find him.

 

[Peace River]

I have a 40 breeder and 20 sump. I have 2 Clownfish, 2 yellow clown gobies, and a red fire shrimp. I just bought the 2 yellow gobies about 3 weeks ago, everything else has been in the tank for 3 0r 4 months already.

About 4 days ago I couldn't find one of my yellow gobies. I don't see him in the tank or on the floor. the last few days the tank is starting to get cloudy. My guess is that he buried himself under a rock or something and has died. Yesterday I checked the water and here are the numbers.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I did a 10% WC ... mostly for the other nutrients... it was time for my shrimp to molt, which he did this morning.

My question is... if the fish is somehow lodged under a rock decaying if I add some nitrifying bacteria will that help speed up the process? I also have a small CUC .... maybe they will eat it?

I'm kinda lost because I don't want to have to tear the tank down to find him.

Have you checked the overflow and the sump? Do you have a cat or dog that could have made the fish disappear if it did jump? Additionally, it the fish did pass while hiding in the rock work then the clean up crew (CUC) could have taken care of the fish.

Of course, there is still a reasonable possibility that the fish will reappear from the rock work any time! Good luck to you and your goby!

 

[MnFish1]

I have a 40 breeder and 20 sump. I have 2 Clownfish, 2 yellow clown gobies, and a red fire shrimp. I just bought the 2 yellow gobies about 3 weeks ago, everything else has been in the tank for 3 0r 4 months already.

About 4 days ago I couldn't find one of my yellow gobies. I don't see him in the tank or on the floor. the last few days the tank is starting to get cloudy. My guess is that he buried himself under a rock or something and has died. Yesterday I checked the water and here are the numbers.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I did a 10% WC ... mostly for the other nutrients... it was time for my shrimp to molt, which he did this morning.

My question is... if the fish is somehow lodged under a rock decaying if I add some nitrifying bacteria will that help speed up the process? I also have a small CUC .... maybe they will eat it?

I'm kinda lost because I don't want to have to tear the tank down to find him.

Eventually he will 'decompose'. What were the other 'numbers' you did the water change for? Watch the ammonia carefully - as it may rise. Adding nitrifying bacteria will not speed up the process of decaying - but it may help with the production of ammonia.

If I were you - I would sift around in the sand a bit - carefully so you dont injure yourself. And try to find it.

Edit - Assuming he is dead and in the tank in the first place

 

[bluprntguy]

I can’t imagine a single dead yellow goby would make a blip in your 50ish gallon system and cause water cloudiness. Seems like there is something else going on.

Are you running carbon?

 

[Flippers4pups]

If it's dead, your clean up crew will clean it up. A small fish, such a goby will decay quickly and the amount ammonia released will be small. No worries.

If it's gone, I'm sorry for your loss. If it jumped or not, I would put a screen top over your tank to keep them from jumping out.

 

[PGriff]

I have a 40 breeder and 20 sump. I have 2 Clownfish, 2 yellow clown gobies, and a red fire shrimp. I just bought the 2 yellow gobies about 3 weeks ago, everything else has been in the tank for 3 0r 4 months already.

About 4 days ago I couldn't find one of my yellow gobies. I don't see him in the tank or on the floor. the last few days the tank is starting to get cloudy. My guess is that he buried himself under a rock or something and has died. Yesterday I checked the water and here are the numbers.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I did a 10% WC ... mostly for the other nutrients... it was time for my shrimp to molt, which he did this morning.

My question is... if the fish is somehow lodged under a rock decaying if I add some nitrifying bacteria will that help speed up the process? I also have a small CUC .... maybe they will eat it?

I'm kinda lost because I don't want to have to tear the tank down to find him.

Here are pictures of the tank and sump.

 

[PGriff]

Have you checked the overflow and the sump? Do you have a cat or dog that could have made the fish disappear if it did jump? Additionally, it the fish did pass while hiding in the rock work then the clean up crew (CUC) could have taken care of the fish.

Of course, there is still a reasonable possibility that the fish will reappear from the rock work any time! Good luck to you and your goby!

Here is the overflow. the holes are to small and i keep some filter sponge on the inside to keep flake foods from ending in the sump before the fish can get to in.

 

[PYRU]

Don't feel bad i havent seen my dottyback in weeks. Parameters are fine

 

[PGriff]

Eventually he will 'decompose'. What were the other 'numbers' you did the water change for? Watch the ammonia carefully - as it may rise. Adding nitrifying bacteria will not speed up the process of decaying - but it may help with the production of ammonia.

If I were you - I would sift around in the sand a bit - carefully so you dont injure yourself. And try to find it.

Edit - Assuming he is dead and in the tank in the first place

I just did a small WC because the sea salt I use has calcium and other stuff that makes it easier for the shrimp to molt.

I'll check the ammonia in a day or so and sift threw the sand if it doesn't clear in a few days.

thanks

 

[Peace River]

Here is the overflow. the holes are to small and i keep some filter sponge on the inside to keep flake foods from ending in the sump before the fish can get to in.

As long as the fish is wet there is a chance that it could still be alive in there. I think it is worth taking the sponge out and looking into the overflow chamber with a strong flashlight (or more if you can disassemble it further). Good luck!

 

[PGriff]

I can’t imagine a single dead yellow goby would make a blip in your 50ish gallon system and cause water cloudiness. Seems like there is something else going on.

Are you running carbon?

Yes, carbon, GFO, and bio-pellet reactors.

 

[PGriff]

If it's dead, your clean up crew will clean it up. A small fish, such a goby will decay quickly and the amount ammonia released will be small. No worries.

If it's gone, I'm sorry for your loss. If it jumped or not, I would put a screen top over your tank to keep them from jumping out.

yeah, I was going to but an acrylic top on it with some air holes but got talked out of it because of air exchange....

I don't know if he jumped or not. I can't find him on the floor. When I first got him he used to sit on top of the rockwork, which makes me think he is on the backside of the rock underneath the rock?

 

[MnFish1]

yeah, I was going to but an acrylic top on it with some air holes but got talked out of it because of air exchange....

I don't know if he jumped or not. I can't find him on the floor. When I first got him he used to sit on top of the rockwork, which makes me think he is on the backside of the rock underneath the rock?

I had a fish jump out - I found it like 10 feet away from the tank under a table.... as others have said - I assume its a small yellow gobie (not some larger version) - if so - it is basically the equivalent of a bit of overfeeding in that size a tank. I would just watch the ammonia - and check out 'Clearview Aquarium Lids'. They are custom made - reasonable - and high quality.