What do you do when a fish vanishes without a trace?

[NigelRichardson]

One of my blue green chromis' has vanished.

I think he's been sick for a few weeks (Swimming backwards in circles - that's not normal), but now he's completely vanished.

I have a lid on the tank, so i know he's not carpet surfing. I don't believe Chromis are known for digging holes in the sand, so I'm pretty sure he's not in the substrate.

75 gallon / 180 litre system - Do I pull the thing apart to try to recover corpse, or work on the theory that clean up crew will have a bit more to munch on over the coming weeks?

 

[WallyB]

If you have clean up crew he is gone (just skeleton) by now if not tomorrow.

No need to tear apart the tank.

 

[NigelRichardson]

Thanks... Vanished a couple of days ago / must be in the rock work somewhere... Healthy snail population, but may be time to invest in a couple of crabs to make sure...

 

[tautog83]

 

[Dkmoo]

Do you have a good bristle worms population? They will completely demolish a fish carcass in a few hours, bones and all.

Snails take a bit longer but it should still be gone after a couple of days.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I first look behind the aquarium, and around the floor. If not there, bristleworm food.