Likely culprit for missing fish

[Baronen]

Hello all. I was away from my tank for about 48 hours and when i returned there was no trace of my helfrichi firefish. No body, nothing on the ground, just gone. The tank has tons of live rock and he always slept in the same little hole towards the top of the tank. Other inhabitants are a pair of possum wrasse that would very occasionally take a little frustration out on the firefish. Inverts wise, the tank has tooo many crabs. I bought 2 emeralds initially and then assumed they died and bought two more. I now believe all four are alive and i've even seen a red emerald and another very small crab that i assume came with the rock. I also have a pitho crab but i'd be surpised if it was him because he is always either on the sand or one rock up, ive never seen him venuture to the top of the rock work where the helfirchi would sleep. There is also a huuge blood shrimp, the biggest i've ever seen.

Which is the most likely culprit. The firefish was otherwise healthy and had eaten like 8 pellets right before i left for the weekend

 

[Tathamet]

I don’t have experience with fire fish but I think i read a post yesterday about someone with the same issue. From what others have said it sounds like it’s normal for them to go missing for a few days at a time then just reappear.

I’ve also read they’re big jumpers so if you don’t have a lid I’d check around the perimeter of the tank.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

...

I’ve also read they’re big jumpers so if you don’t have a lid I’d check around the perimeter of the tank.

This. They tend to want to be astronauts, check around the tank, any other larger pets in the house?

 

[Baronen]

we have a dog but she was also out of the house this weekend. i guess it could still be hiding but i got used to its routine. lights off - dive into the same hole. lights on - 30 minutes - back swimming in the front. i checked everywhere around the tank. the only thing i didnt take apart was the overflow but its strictly compartmentalized and all water flows through a filter sock first.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I have 4 firefish in my 45g 200litre aquarium, I only see 3 constantly out except during feeding time where my 4th comes out. I have a small cave in my aquarium that current tenants are, pistol shrimp, high fin goby, blood shrimp and my fourth firefish

I will add it's the biggest of my firefish that hides

Besides being great jumpers these guys find great hiding areas (in my experience) I don't see any after lights off.

When you next feed just watch your aquarium and see if he pops out

 

[Baronen]

Still no sign after two feedings. Also my barnacle blenny has stopped eating today. Not sure what’s going on

 

[Sharkbait19]

How long has it been since the latest addition? It’s possible a disease entered the system, and it wouldn’t take long at all for a cuc to make a fish disappear.

 

[Uncle99]

Still no sign after two feedings. Also my barnacle blenny has stopped eating today. Not sure what’s going on

Stop eating can be bad sign.
Watch behavior of others carefully.
Be ready to QT, just in case.
Maybe nothing.

 

[DavidY]

My firefish went missing for almost 2 weeks before he reappeared. I have no idea where he went but if you don't see anything around it's likely hes hiding.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Hello all. I was away from my tank for about 48 hours and when i returned there was no trace of my helfrichi firefish. No body, nothing on the ground, just gone. The tank has tons of live rock and he always slept in the same little hole towards the top of the tank. Other inhabitants are a pair of possum wrasse that would very occasionally take a little frustration out on the firefish. Inverts wise, the tank has tooo many crabs. I bought 2 emeralds initially and then assumed they died and bought two more. I now believe all four are alive and i've even seen a red emerald and another very small crab that i assume came with the rock. I also have a pitho crab but i'd be surpised if it was him because he is always either on the sand or one rock up, ive never seen him venuture to the top of the rock work where the helfirchi would sleep. There is also a huuge blood shrimp, the biggest i've ever seen.

Which is the most likely culprit. The firefish was otherwise healthy and had eaten like 8 pellets right before i left for the weekend

My two guesses: jumped out of the tank and one day you’ll find a dried up fish stick or in the overflow

 

[tbrown]

+1 to the above. Check your overflow to the sump or even the sump.

 

[Baronen]

It like physically isn’t possible. It’s a Red Sea max nano and I attached this Etsy thing that literally seals the initial chamber so all water has to go through the first filter sock. I guess I can take it apart and look. How many feet could it be away from the tank?

 

[Baronen]

Also I believe the crabs have eaten away their supply of algae because I see them a lot more the last few days and they are more aggressive during feedings.

 

[tbrown]

It like physically isn’t possible. It’s a Red Sea max nano and I attached this Etsy thing that literally seals the initial chamber so all water has to go through the first filter sock. I guess I can take it apart and look. How many feet could it be away from the tank?

They launch when they jump and they flop around so they can flip a little ways from the tank. You checked the filter sock?

 

[Baronen]

Yeah just checked like a five foot radius and took apart the back. Nothing :/ hope the guy just appears but he seemed very punctual with his morning routine :/ expensive snack for the crabs. Thinking I’m gonna try and give them all back except the pitho

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

It like physically isn’t possible. It’s a Red Sea max nano and I attached this Etsy thing that literally seals the initial chamber so all water has to go through the first filter sock. I guess I can take it apart and look. How many feet could it be away from the tank?

I’ve seen one flop up to four feet away. Must likely culprit would be behind. I found three fish that way

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Yeah just checked like a five foot radius and took apart the back. Nothing :/ hope the guy just appears but he seemed very punctual with his morning routine :/ expensive snack for the crabs. Thinking I’m gonna try and give them all back except the pitho

On the bright side, it would seem you have an effective cuc!!

 

[tbrown]

On the bright side, it would seem you have an effective cuc!!

There's @BroccoliFarmer looking at th silver lining!

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

There's @BroccoliFarmer looking at th silver lining!

Yeah. Definitely not myself tonight!!

 

[Baronen]

Yeah I need to get rid of all these dang crabs asap. I think there might be like 5-7 in here and there isn’t a speck of algae. Do they like nori sheets??